April 28, 1999
Bellevue silences Columbian bats
Columbian grabbed an early lead and pitcher Mike Porter kept Bellevue off balance early, but one big inning would be all the Redmen would need to get an NOL win over the Tornadoes, 6-1.
Columbian (4-11, 3-4 NOL) started the game on the right foot as Jamie Moore got hit by a pitch in the first inning. Moore moved to third on a pair of wild pitches and scored on a ground ball by Tony Seitz. Unfortunately, TC couldn't manufacture another run as the Tornadoes managed only two hits. Bellevue is 10-2 and 4-2.
Porter went three innings in the loss, falling to 2-4 as Bellevue scored all six runs in the fourth. Moore gave up one hit in four innings of relief.
Porter had a double and Scott Bloomfield singled at the plate.
"We're still trying to develop our young pitchers, and aside from that one inning we pitched really well tonight," Columbian coach Adam Schmucker said. "We weren't very patient at the plate and we didn't make (Bellevue's pitcher) throw strikes. We're still learning, but we've come a long way from the first week of the season."
FOSTORIA &emdash; Fostoria's Tony Agapiou laid down a successful squeeze bunt to score Michael Durbin with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Redmen topped Hopewell-Loudon, 6-5.
Fostoria (5-8) scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game, and it went to extra innings tied at four. The Chieftains (3-8) scored in the top of the ninth as Neil Harber walked, went to second on a passed ball and scored on a throwing error.
Fostoria's Greg Fleming drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the ninth, and Durbin followed with a walk. Fleming scored on an error, and Durbin wound up on third, setting the stage for Agapiou's heroics.
"We didn't play well at all tonight, especially defensively, but sometimes it's better to be lucky than good," Fostoria coach Brent Liskai said. "It's starting to come together. When our pitchers throw strikes, we're pretty competitive."
Michael Tucker struck out three and walked in three and two-thirds innings of work to pick up the win for Fostoria, which is at Toledo Whitmer Friday. Aaron Depinet (1 2/3 innings, one strikeout, five walks) took the loss. Hopewell-Loudon is at Mohawk today.
Agapiou was 2-for-4 with a run and three RBI, and Marshall Headley (run, RBI) had a double as one of his two hits. Other hits came from Andy Burley (run), Fleming (two runs) and Micheaux Robinson. Jason Wagner had an RBI and Durbin scored a run.
Harber (run), Chad Smith (run, double) and Scott Elchert (run) had two hits apiece for H-L. Jake Moore had a double, a run and an RBI, Nathan Brickner (RBI) and Depinet had base hits and Brett Taylor scored a run.
BETTSVILLE &emdash; Nick Kerlin posted his second straight strong outing on the mound for Old Fort and Stockaders banged out nine hits to swing past Bettsville, 6-3.
"He (Nick Kerlin) mixed his pitches up nicely and he's got some zip on his balls," OF coach Dave Hoke said. "We had a few scoring advantages and took advantage of them."
Kerlin went all seven innings, allowing just four hits, while fanning 10 Bobcats and giving up two earned runs. Josh Schumm was the losing pitcher for Bettsville (0-10, 0-5). Schumm gave up five earned runs and seven walks while striking out five.
Justin Eilrich and Jason Stallard (two RBI) each doubled for the Stockaders while Zach Burks had a pair of hits and drove in two runs. Nick Margraf also had a run scoring hit.
Phil Steffanni doubled for the Bobcats and drove in two runs.
GIBSONBURG &emdash; Lakota took charge early and got strong pitching from Jared Lowery in a 7-1 Suburban Lakes League victory over Gibsonburg Tuesday.
Lowery hiked his record to 3-1 with a four-hitter. He allowed just one run which was unearned, walked three and struck out six.
The Raiders scored two in the first, one in the third and two in the fourth to take a 5-0 lead and Gibsonburg was limited to just one run in the last of the fourth inning.
Shawn Babcock went 2-for-2 and scored twice for the Raiders while Kris Brubaker went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs and Sander also had two hits and drove in a run.
Losing pitcher Eric Mason had a double for Gibsonburg.
The Raiders, now 4-8 overall and 3-4 in the SLL, will visit Northwood Wednesday.