Indians take advantage of error to beat Cavs

COLDWATER - Fans making the trek to Veterans Field Tuesday night got to see a classic Midwest Athletic Conference baseball game.

Coldwater led 2-1 after the first inning, but was shut down by Fort Recovery's Jackson Hobbs for the remainder of the game. The Indians came back and won the game in the top of the seventh to stay unbeaten with a 3-2 win over the defending Division III state champions.

The Indians, the top-ranked team in Division IV, improve to 16-0 and 5-0 in the MAC, picking up their first win over the Cavaliers since 1981. The Cavs, top-ranked in Division III, drop to 15-2 and 5-1.

"It was a great high school baseball game. Both pitchers came out and were throwing it in there," Coldwater coach Brian Harlamert said. "We got a couple early and they got one early on us. ... The bounces didn't go our way."

"It was a hard-fought game," Fort Recovery coach Jerry Kaup said. "It's seven innings and when you come to Coldwater, you know you have to play seven innings. It was a good ballgame."

The Indians pushed a run across in the top of the first against Derek Thobe, who had needed just 41 pitches to get a 12-2 win over Parkway in his last appearance on Friday. After Mitch Stammen worked an 11-pitch walk off of Thobe, he went to second on a bunt and to third on a ground ball, setting up Jacob Homan's RBI double for the first run.

Coldwater quickly added two runs in the bottom of the first. Aaron Harlamert doubled in Kyle McKibben, who reached by getting hit by a pitch. Harlamert later came home on an error.

After that, Hobbs allowed just three more base hits and three walks the rest of the way.

"Jackson settled down after the first inning," Kaup said. "He had some jitters. It was a big atmosphere. We were happy to be here as a team. Once he got his groove on, he was able to take care of business."

Thobe retired nine straight before allowing a Kyle Schroer single to start the fifth. Schroer moved to second on a bunt and came home on a wild throw on Ben Will's grounder.

"We wanted to try and make him work a bit," Kaup said of Thobe, who walked just one and struck out three in seven innings. "I think Aaron (Harlamert) is an excellent catcher and it's hard to get a free base off of him. You have to be creative to move players around."

"(Thobe) didn't have his best stuff, coming back Tuesday after throwing Friday," coach Harlamert said. "But he was in there and competing. He showed that toughness we had."

In the seventh, Thobe singled with one out and stole second on a missed hit-and-run to Nate Lochtefeld at the plate. Lochtefeld followed up by legging out an infield single, with the throw to first going to the fence in foul territory. Schroer scooted around third and headed for home to break the tie.

"That was supposed to be a hit-and-run," Kaup said of Schroer's steal. "They read our signs, but the throw was high and Kyle was able to slide under it.

"Nate's good with a bat. ... He gets it on the ground and runs."

In the bottom of the seventh, Hobbs, who finished with three strikeouts and five walks, did not waste time closing things out, getting three straight pop fly outs.

"Tip your hat to them," coach Harlamert said. "They're a good team (and) we're a good team. This is only Game 17. I told them if they wanted to keep playing into June, you battle through this."

Schroer had two of the six Indians' hits on the day.

Fort Recovery hosts Minster on Friday in MAC action. Coldwater faces WBL leader St. Marys on Thursday at K.C. Geiger Park.