Urbana 13, Russia 3 (5 innings)
The Urbana Hillclimbers continued their scorching run Saturday, stretching their winning streak to 12 games with a 13-3 run-rule victory over Russia in five innings.
Despite allowing three runs, Urbana’s pitching staff still combined for a no-hitter. Tate Lantz got the start and worked 3.1 innings, allowing three runs — only one earned — while issuing three walks, hitting one batter, and striking out seven. Jackson Stacy came on in relief and slammed the door, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts while allowing only one walk.
Urbana wasted no time offensively, exploding for four runs in the first inning. After loading the bases with the first three batters, Kevin Endres was hit by a pitch to force in the game’s first run. Tate Lantz followed with a two-run single to left, and Endres later stole home to make it 4-0.
Lantz added to his huge day in the third, blasting a two-run homer over the right-field fence to extend Urbana’s lead to 6-0.
Russia finally broke through in the top of the fourth, capitalizing on walks, a hit batter, and defensive miscues to score three runs and cut the deficit to 6-3, but Urbana immediately answered with a seven-run bottom half to put the game away.
Grady Lantz opened the inning with a walk before Endres doubled him home. Tate Lantz followed with an RBI triple, then scored on a Braxten Spriggs single to center. Later in the inning, Colton Roberts ripped an RBI double, and Brody Donahoe capped the scoring with a two-run double to left to make it 13-3.
Tate Lantz nearly completed the cycle in the inning, needing only a double in his final at-bat, but flew out to left to end the frame.
Stacy closed out the fifth with two strikeouts to secure the run-rule victory.
Lantz led the offense with a monster all-around performance, finishing 3-for-4 with five RBIs while starring both at the plate and on the mound. Donahoe and Endres each added two RBIs in the win.
Urbana improves to 17-5 and will return to action Wednesday against Hilliard Darby.
Graham 8, Milton-Union 3
The Graham Falcons picked up their fifth win of the season Saturday, using timely offense and a strong pitching effort to defeat Milton-Union 8-3.
Milton-Union struck first in the second inning, taking advantage of a one-out walk and a Falcon error to grab a 1-0 lead.
Graham answered in a big way in the bottom of the third. After Arden McGuire and Carson Powell opened the inning with back-to-back doubles, Levi Hollingsworth delivered a two-run single to center to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead. Brody Jenkins later doubled, Kingston McWilliams added an RBI groundout, and Jack Traylor followed with an RBI double to center as Graham pushed its lead to 4-1.
The Bulldogs got one back in the fifth on an RBI triple, but Graham answered again in the bottom half. Jenkins reached on an error, stole second, and eventually scored on a catcher error to make it 5-2.
Milton-Union once again cut the deficit to two with a two-out RBI single in the sixth, but Graham put the game away with a three-run bottom half. After loading the bases, Jenkins singled home a run, McWilliams added a sacrifice fly, and Traylor delivered another RBI single to stretch the lead to 8-3.
Graham used three pitchers in the win. McWilliams started and tossed three innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit while striking out four. Nathan Crisler was electric in relief, striking out seven batters across 2.2 innings while allowing two runs on three hits. Jenkins finished things off with 1.1 scoreless innings.
The Falcons had five players record multiple hits. Traylor led the way with three hits and two RBIs, while McWilliams also drove in two runs. Hollingsworth, Jenkins, McGuire, and Powell each contributed multi-hit performances.
Graham improves to 5-15 and will host London on Monday.
Xenia 4, Triad 2 (8 innings)
The Triad Cardinals came up just short in extra innings Saturday, falling 4-2 to Xenia at Day Air Ballpark, home of the Dayton Dragons.
Xenia grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the first inning after a walk, stolen bases, and a Triad error allowed a run to cross.
Triad answered in the third with a two-out rally. JJ Roberts worked a walk, George Hartman reached on an error, and Duncan Funderburgh tied the game with an RBI single to left. Jayden Blackburn followed with another RBI single to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.
From there, both teams settled into a pitchers’ duel, with scoring chances becoming limited.
Xenia tied the game in the sixth after a leadoff single eventually came around to score on a two-out RBI knock.
After both teams went quietly in the seventh, the game moved to extras. In the top of the eighth, Xenia capitalized on another Triad error and a single to put two runners aboard. A sacrifice moved both into scoring position before a two-run double to right gave the Buccaneers a 4-2 lead.
Triad was unable to answer in the bottom half, sealing the extra-inning loss.
Waylin Holtsberry turned in a solid outing for the Cardinals, allowing six hits and three walks across his start. Only one of the four runs allowed was earned, and he struck out three.
Funderburgh led the offense with the lone multi-hit game, while both he and Blackburn drove in Triad’s two runs.
Triad falls to 5-15 and will open a home-and-home series against Northeastern on Monday.
Tecumseh 4, Indian Lake 3
Indian Lake let a late lead slip away Saturday, as Tecumseh scored four runs in the sixth inning to rally past the Lakers 4-3.
Laker starter Nixon Lillard was sharp early, holding the Arrows scoreless through five innings while consistently working around traffic on the bases. Indian Lake gave him support in the third when Lillard led off with a single before back-to-back RBI singles from Chance Persinger and Aaron Rapp gave the Lakers a 2-0 lead.
The Lakers added another insurance run in the fifth after Cooper Hall and Rapp singled to start the inning, and Jackson Snipes followed with a perfectly placed bunt single that plated a run for a 3-0 advantage.
Tecumseh finally broke through in the sixth, stringing together a two-run double, an RBI single, and another run-scoring double to erase the deficit and take a 4-3 lead.
Indian Lake couldn’t answer late, going quietly in the seventh to seal the loss.
Rapp and Snipes each collected two hits, while Persinger, Rapp, and Snipes all drove in runs. Lillard and Lane Kipker combined to allow no earned runs while striking out five.
Indian Lake drops to 8-11 and will try to snap a three-game skid Monday against Bellefontaine.
Marysville 9, Bellefontaine 3
The Bellefontaine Chieftains fell on the road Saturday, dropping a 9-3 decision to Marysville as the Monarchs scored in every inning they came to the plate.
Marysville opened the scoring in the first, but Bellefontaine quickly answered in the second when Aven Caudill doubled to left and later scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 1-1.
The Monarchs regained the lead with a solo homer in the second, then began pulling away with back-to-back RBI doubles in the third and a two-run home run in the fourth to build a 6-1 cushion.
Bellefontaine cut into the deficit in the fifth after Zyler Huffman delivered a two-out RBI single to score Lincoln Banta, but Marysville answered again with two more runs in the bottom half to stay in control.
The Chiefs added one final run late after Banta came around to score on a fielder’s choice, but left runners on base as their comeback hopes faded.
Banta scored twice to lead Bellefontaine, while Caudill, Sutton Daring, and Huffman each added a hit.
Bellefontaine falls to 9-11 and will host Indian Lake on Monday.
