Coldwater has top seed in ACME sectional

COLDWATER - Coldwater survived two Fort Recovery charges, taking the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth inning to take an 8-5 win in Mercer County ACME play at Veterans Field.

The win puts Coldwater at 17-5 on the summer and likely secures the Cavs the top seed for the county tournament starting Sunday in St. Henry with one league game remaining on Friday as Parkway comes to Coldwater.

Fort Recovery (4-6), which lost earlier this summer to the Cavaliers, came back from being down 2-0 early with a three-run outburst in the third inning. The big hit came as Toby Metzger doubled with the bases loaded, bringing home Matt Braun and Curt Heitkamp and sending Frank Thien to third. Bobby Rammel brought home Thien with a sacrifice fly to give the Indians a 3-2 lead.

Coldwater came back in the bottom of the third to take a 4-3 lead as Keith Schoenherr singled home Tony Harlamert and came home when Kyle Ahrens reached first on an error.

Just as quickly, though, Fort Recovery came back with two more runs in the top of the fourth. After Travis Hart walked and Matt Braun singled prior to Cody Fiely's sacrifice bunt, Curt Hietkamp cleared the bases with a triple to make it 5-4.

"We've had some guys gone for a few days and we're back at full force," said Coldwater coach Romie Schwieterman. "I thought we'd be fired up, but I think someone slipped some Ex-Lax into their chocolate bars or something, because we just kind of laid down there.

"I don't know, we looked like we didn't have the fight we should of had. We hung in there and got a couple of breaks. (Fort Recovery) definitely wanted it worse than we did tonight."

Coldwater took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth. Jordan Borgerding reached on an error followed by an infield hit by Bill Geeslin. With one out, Chad Westgerdes singled in Borgerding to tie the game again at 5-all.

Harlamert was then called on to put on the squeeze bunt, which worked to perfection as Geeslin scored to break the tie. Keith Wenning then singled in Westgerdes to make it 7-5.

The Cavaliers added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth as Wenning lofted a deep fly to left to score Geeslin.

"We've been giving too many runs away. It's been like that all year," said Fort Recovery coach Jarret Tobin. "We're hitting the ball, but giving away too many on defense."

Wenning battled through the first five innings to get the win for the Cavs before Geier went the final two to get the save.

"I told Keith there's some times where you go out on that hill and everything is just so easy and fluid. You're locating well and blowing smoke and the whole works," said Schwieterman. "Then there are some nights where the ball is a foreign object in your hand and every pitch is an adventure. He had one of those nights."
  Harlamert went 2-for-2 with two RBI, Westgerdes went 2-for-4 and Geeslin posted a 2-for-3 game.

The loss spoiled several big hitting games for the Indians. Thien went 3-for-4 with Curt Heitkamp adding a 2-for-3 game with two RBI. Braun added a 2-for-3 game.

Both teams are in action against Auglaize County teams tonight. Coldwater hosts New Bremen while Fort Recovery heads to Hanover Street Park to face Minster.