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GALION - Kenny Fagan let out a sigh of relief Wednesday night as the umpire called strike three against Ontario's Kane Cantrell to end the ball game.
His Galion Tigers saw a seven run lead evaporate to just one with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh at home and were a pitch away from needing to get back on the field were it not for Kurt Hay's lone strikeout of the night in relief to secure a 7-6 win.
"Winning's really hard, especially in this league," Fagan said. "The start of the game does not indicate really anything about Ontario, we know they can hit and they can score runs and bunches ... I think they scored 14 the other day. But we held together and we've banded together pretty good as a group.
"There's not a lot of finger pointing, there's not a lot of blaming each other ... if we have a couple mistakes in the field, they start picking each other up, and we just keep moving forward."
MORE: Richland County baseball power poll has third new No. 1 in as many weeks
That was never more apparent than in that seventh inning where the Tigers held a 7-2 lead needing just three outs to end it. Cantrell opened the inning with a groundout to Hay on the mound before a walk and single were followed by an error allowing Dom Cantrell and Guy Trader to score. Jaren Holden singled and Dane Kearns was plunked to get two more runners on base allowing Max Ciroli to drive in Kasen Pittman and then Jon Mahon's single brought in Holden to pull within one.
Gavin Remy was then walked to load the bases bringing Kane Cantrell back out where he worked a full count before watching a strike hit the bottom of the zone to end the comeback attempt.
"That's all you can ask for at the end of the day, have the winning run either in scoring position at second base or 90 feet away," Ontario coach Bret Simmermacher said. "But you can't watch a pitch right down the middle of the plate and expect the umpire not to call it ... you gotta put the ball in play in that situation. We did a pretty good job of that in the last inning, just a little too late."
And despite watching four runs come in with Hay on the mound in the seventh, Fagan wouldn't have wanted anyone else out there with the game on the line.
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"Kurt and Kane got a lot of experience last year being two freshmen that played pretty much every game for us," Fagan said of the Hay twins. "We knew they were gamers, we knew they were gritty, and they don't like missing spots ... but they find a way to win. I think they learned that in football, and Kane a little bit in wrestling.
"They have that winning mentality, and when you've got guys like that on your team, it's a lot of fun."
Much of Galion's success early in the game — one run in the first, five in the second, one in the third — came at the expense of Ontario's mistakes.
"We were sleep walking in the first four innings, then we got a couple runs in the fifth," Simmermacher said. "But we dropped a routine fly ball in centerfield, ball goes through our legs at third, we can't throw a ball from second to first, walk the yard early in the game ... that's all the first three innings. We had eight freebies, and you can't give freebies away because it gives them second and third chances ... good teams are going to take advantage of that."
Kurt recorded a hit, RBI, and run, Kane scored after getting walked in the second. The Tigers were led offensively by freshman catcher Emory Main who was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored, Ben Albert and Trey Longwell each had a pair of RBIs as well. Grady Crim struck out seven for the Tigers in five innings of work to earn the win.
"Emory is doing a fantastic job," Fagan said. "He has a lot of responsibility as a freshman because we run a lot through the catcher. And if you had asked me three weeks ago, I'd say he wasn't ready. But we made the decision game two to bring him up and he has done a fantastic job — I'm glad he proved me wrong."
Liam Holden replaced Trey Remy after 1.1 innings and pitched the final 4.2 allowing just one earned run and struck out four. Dane Cantrell had two hits, two runs, and an RBI; Pittman, Ciroli, Mahon each had an RBI.
"Ontario's a big rival ... but it's that championship mentality," Fagan said. "Every day we have to play championship innings of baseball, and I thought we did that today."
[email protected] | 419-617-6018 | Twitter/X: @Zachary_Holden
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Galion baseball holds on for win over Ontario thwarting comeback
Continue reading...
His Galion Tigers saw a seven run lead evaporate to just one with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh at home and were a pitch away from needing to get back on the field were it not for Kurt Hay's lone strikeout of the night in relief to secure a 7-6 win.
"Winning's really hard, especially in this league," Fagan said. "The start of the game does not indicate really anything about Ontario, we know they can hit and they can score runs and bunches ... I think they scored 14 the other day. But we held together and we've banded together pretty good as a group.
"There's not a lot of finger pointing, there's not a lot of blaming each other ... if we have a couple mistakes in the field, they start picking each other up, and we just keep moving forward."
MORE: Richland County baseball power poll has third new No. 1 in as many weeks
That was never more apparent than in that seventh inning where the Tigers held a 7-2 lead needing just three outs to end it. Cantrell opened the inning with a groundout to Hay on the mound before a walk and single were followed by an error allowing Dom Cantrell and Guy Trader to score. Jaren Holden singled and Dane Kearns was plunked to get two more runners on base allowing Max Ciroli to drive in Kasen Pittman and then Jon Mahon's single brought in Holden to pull within one.
Gavin Remy was then walked to load the bases bringing Kane Cantrell back out where he worked a full count before watching a strike hit the bottom of the zone to end the comeback attempt.
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"That's all you can ask for at the end of the day, have the winning run either in scoring position at second base or 90 feet away," Ontario coach Bret Simmermacher said. "But you can't watch a pitch right down the middle of the plate and expect the umpire not to call it ... you gotta put the ball in play in that situation. We did a pretty good job of that in the last inning, just a little too late."
And despite watching four runs come in with Hay on the mound in the seventh, Fagan wouldn't have wanted anyone else out there with the game on the line.
SOFTBALL: Colonel Crawford shows midseason form in win over Wynford
"Kurt and Kane got a lot of experience last year being two freshmen that played pretty much every game for us," Fagan said of the Hay twins. "We knew they were gamers, we knew they were gritty, and they don't like missing spots ... but they find a way to win. I think they learned that in football, and Kane a little bit in wrestling.
"They have that winning mentality, and when you've got guys like that on your team, it's a lot of fun."
Much of Galion's success early in the game — one run in the first, five in the second, one in the third — came at the expense of Ontario's mistakes.
"We were sleep walking in the first four innings, then we got a couple runs in the fifth," Simmermacher said. "But we dropped a routine fly ball in centerfield, ball goes through our legs at third, we can't throw a ball from second to first, walk the yard early in the game ... that's all the first three innings. We had eight freebies, and you can't give freebies away because it gives them second and third chances ... good teams are going to take advantage of that."
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Kurt recorded a hit, RBI, and run, Kane scored after getting walked in the second. The Tigers were led offensively by freshman catcher Emory Main who was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored, Ben Albert and Trey Longwell each had a pair of RBIs as well. Grady Crim struck out seven for the Tigers in five innings of work to earn the win.
"Emory is doing a fantastic job," Fagan said. "He has a lot of responsibility as a freshman because we run a lot through the catcher. And if you had asked me three weeks ago, I'd say he wasn't ready. But we made the decision game two to bring him up and he has done a fantastic job — I'm glad he proved me wrong."
Liam Holden replaced Trey Remy after 1.1 innings and pitched the final 4.2 allowing just one earned run and struck out four. Dane Cantrell had two hits, two runs, and an RBI; Pittman, Ciroli, Mahon each had an RBI.
"Ontario's a big rival ... but it's that championship mentality," Fagan said. "Every day we have to play championship innings of baseball, and I thought we did that today."
[email protected] | 419-617-6018 | Twitter/X: @Zachary_Holden
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Galion baseball holds on for win over Ontario thwarting comeback
Continue reading...
