Jr. ACME District Semifinals
Bellefontaine 24, Indian Lake 14
The Bellefontaine Chieftain Jr. ACME baseball team punched its ticket to the District Final after surviving a wild 24-14 offensive battle against Indian Lake in a game that lasted more than three hours.
The two teams combined for 38 runs, 22 hits and 22 walks, with 13 different players recording at least one hit and 19 players crossing the plate during one of the highest-scoring games of the summer.
Indian Lake grabbed the early advantage in the opening inning. After Reid Roberts singled and Owen Slagle reached on an error, Tyler Jackson drove in the first run with a single to left that also forced an error, allowing Roberts to score. Slagle later crossed the plate, and Brady Jackson added a sacrifice fly to give Indian Lake a 3-1 lead after one inning.
The Lakers continued to build on their lead in the second inning. Charlie Stimmel scored on an RBI single by Miller Hall before Tyler Jackson lined a two-run single back through the middle. After a pair of walks loaded the bases, Mason Berg reached on an error that allowed two more runs to score, stretching Indian Lake’s lead to 8-1.
Bellefontaine’s offense erupted in the top of the third with a massive 13-run inning, all coming with two outs.
Hudson Banta started the rally with a two-run double to right field before Sennett Stolly scored on a wild pitch. Banta later came home on a passed ball, Colson Garver scored on a wild pitch, Bennett Lang crossed the plate on another wild pitch, and Keaton DiNovo scored on a passed ball. Dean Buffkin then scored on a dropped third strike that allowed Ryder Brown to reach safely, giving the Chiefs their first lead at 9-8.
The rally continued as Rowen Daring singled home Brown before eventually scoring on a passed ball. Sammy Strayer and Ean Fultz also scored on passed balls, and Stolly capped the explosive inning by scoring on another wild pitch as Bellefontaine carried a 14-8 advantage into the bottom of the third.
Indian Lake answered immediately. Hall scored on a wild pitch before Colt Volbrecht delivered the biggest hit of the inning, legging out a bases-clearing triple to left field to cut the deficit to two. After Bellefontaine pitcher Karter Keller recorded back-to-back strikeouts, Berg blasted a two-run home run over the center-field fence to tie the game at 14-14 heading into the fourth inning.
Bellefontaine regained control in the top of the fourth. With the bases loaded, Daring ripped a two-run double to center field before Brown scored on an RBI groundout. Fultz followed with an RBI double to left, and Stolly added an RBI single to center as the Chiefs built the lead back to 19-14.
From there, Keller took over on the mound. The Bellefontaine right-hander tossed the final five innings, holding Indian Lake scoreless while striking out four hitters. He escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the sixth inning to preserve the Chiefs’ advantage, finishing with six hits allowed over five innings on just 50 pitches.
Bellefontaine added insurance in the closing innings. In the sixth, Daring tripled home Brown before scoring on an RBI groundout by Fultz. Stolly later doubled to center to score Strayer, and Keller added a sacrifice fly to bring home Stolly. Strayer capped the scoring in the seventh with an RBI double that plated William Jenkins, giving Bellefontaine the 24-14 victory.
Daring led the offensive explosion, finishing a perfect 5-for-5 with five runs scored and three RBIs. Stolly went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and scored twice, while Strayer, Fultz and Hudson Banta each drove in two runs. Strayer and Stolly also crossed the plate three times apiece.
Indian Lake was led by Tyler Jackson, who collected three hits and two RBIs. Volbrecht drove in three runs with a triple and two walks, while Hall and Roberts each recorded two hits. Berg added two RBIs, including his game-tying home run in the third inning.
With the victory, Bellefontaine advances to Wednesday’s District Final, where the Chiefs will face Van Buren for the district championship.
