The Bellefontaine Chieftains 14U baseball team continued its impressive summer run over the weekend, going a perfect 4-0 to capture the Field of Dreams Tournament championship in Kenton.
Bellefontaine swept through pool play on Saturday before winning both bracket games Sunday, including a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Mid-Ohio Destroyers in the championship game. The tournament title is the Chiefs’ second straight championship and extends their winning streak to eight games.
POOL PLAY – Chieftains 10, Ohio Hitmen Reidenbach 4
Bellefontaine overcame an early 2-0 deficit to open tournament play with a convincing victory.
After the Hitmen scored twice in the first inning, the Chiefs answered immediately. Sennett Stolly drew a bases-loaded walk before Colson Garver reached on an error to score Rowan Daring and tie the game at 2-2.
The game turned in the second inning as Bellefontaine erupted for seven runs. Karter Keller and William Jenkins were both hit by pitches, Daring drew a walk, and Hudson Banta and Ean Fultz each forced in runs with bases-loaded free passes. Sammy Strayer then lined a two-run single, Garver reached on an error that plated another run, Dean Buffkin added an RBI single, and Keller drew another bases-loaded walk to cap the inning.
Bellefontaine added an insurance run in the third before Daring finished the game on the mound. Fultz threw three perfect innings to start, and the two pitchers combined to allow just four hits while striking out three.
Strayer, Garver, and Buffkin each drove in two runs in the 10-4 victory.
POOL PLAY – Chieftains 13, Westerville Hawks 1
The Chiefs kept the momentum going with a run-rule victory over the Westerville Hawks.
Hudson Banta was outstanding on the mound, tossing two scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out two.
Bellefontaine wasted little time offensively, scoring six runs in both the first and second innings. Sammy Strayer delivered a two-run single in the opening frame, while Colson Garver added a sacrifice fly and Dean Buffkin and Karter Keller each drove in runs. In the second inning, Rowan Daring, Ean Fultz, Sennett Stolly, and Garver all collected RBI hits before Keaton Dinovo tripled home another run to make it 12-0.
Eight different Chieftains combined for 10 hits. Daring and Fultz each had two hits, while Strayer, Garver, Dinovo, and Buffkin all drove in two runs during the 13-1 victory.
SEMIFINAL – Chieftains 12, UC Tigers 2
Bellefontaine punched its ticket to the championship game with another dominant offensive performance.
The Chiefs exploded for eight runs in the first inning after Daring walked to open the game and Banta followed with a double. Ean Fultz singled home a run, Strayer added an RBI groundout, and Stolly followed with an RBI single. After the bases were loaded again, Buffkin reached on an error to score another run before Keller ripped a two-run single to center. A wild pitch and Daring’s RBI groundout completed the eight-run outburst.
The Tigers scored twice in the third inning, but Bellefontaine answered immediately. Strayer and Garver each lined two-run singles in the fourth inning to stretch the lead to 12-2 and end the game by run rule.
Strayer earned the win by pitching all four innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out four. Eight different Chieftains recorded hits, with Strayer leading the offense with three RBIs.
CHAMPIONSHIP – Chieftains 3, Mid-Ohio Destroyers 2
The championship game turned into a classic pitchers’ duel, with Bellefontaine making one final clutch play to capture the title.
The Chiefs struck first in the second inning. With the bases loaded, Keaton Dinovo’s bunt forced a throwing error that allowed Sennett Stolly to score, and Dean Buffkin followed with an RBI groundout for a 2-0 lead.
Mid-Ohio answered with two runs in the third to tie the game, but Ean Fultz took over from there. The right-hander retired hitters efficiently over the next three innings, finishing with seven strikeouts while allowing just two runs on six hits over six innings and throwing 104 pitches.
The winning rally came in the sixth. Rowan Daring drew a one-out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and Fultz drove him home with a clutch two-out double to left field to put Bellefontaine back in front, 3-2.
Daring came on to pitch the seventh and retired the Destroyers in order, striking out two of the three batters he faced to lock down the championship.
Fultz also supplied the game-winning RBI at the plate, while Buffkin drove in the Chiefs’ other run. The victory secured Bellefontaine’s second consecutive tournament championship and extended the team’s winning streak to eight games.
