Tuesday, June 25th, 2019
Indians beat Bulldogs
By Gary R. Rasberry
Photo by Dan Melograna/The Daily Standard
Fort Recovery's Clay Schmitz (10) slides past Celina's Brandon Staugler (4) at home plate to give Fort Recovery a 3-0 lead Monday at Montgomery Field.
CELINA - After being run-ruled while being short-handed the first time they played Fort Recovery, Celina was bound and determined to avenge that loss when the teams met on Monday in ACME action at Montgomery Field.
Celina had a 6-4 lead going to the sixth, but Fort Recovery tied the game in the sixth and then plated two runs in the top of the ninth to take an 8-6 win to sweep the season series with the ACME postseason getting underway next weekend.
"You've got to bring your A-game every night," said Fort Recovery coach Jeff Wendel. "Tonight proves that. It's a tough league, but at the end of the day, we have to worry about us."
The Indians led 4-1 after three innings when the Bulldogs came back with a five-run fourth inning. Caden Highley and Quade Gilmore each had two-run doubles and Brandon Staugler added an RBI single as Celina sent nine batters to the plate.
"Our kids did a good job battling back tonight," said Celina coach Bob Waterman. "They got down, stopped (Fort Recovery's) momentum, battled back and got on top of them."
Gilmore, who came in to pitch in the fourth, got through the fourth and fifth unblemished but walked the first two batters of the sixth. Dylan Feister tried to pitch out of the jam, getting one out before walking Ryne Post. Cobe Wendel stepped up and doubled home Clay Schmitz and Dillan Evers to tie the game, but Feister picked off a runner at third for the second out and then struck out Riley Post to end the inning.
Celina had solid chances to score the winning run in both the seventh and eighth but could not come through.
"We had our chances. We had runners on (base)," said Waterman. "Made a couple mistakes, got a little too aggressive, which is (as) much my fault as the kids as we were trying to produce a run."
In the ninth, Ryne Post led off with a single. Feister got the first out as Ryne Post stole second followed by Riley Post dashed to first on a bunt single. After Ian Homan was intentionally walked to set up the force at any base, Garrett Faller singled home Ryne Post. Cole Grisez followed with an RBI single to score Riley Post to make it 8-6. Riley Post struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to end the game.
"Clutch hits helped out," said coach Wendel
Riley Post went 2 for 3 for Fort Recovery, while Gilmore led Celina with a 2 for 3 game.
Fort Recovery is at St. Henry on Wednesday for a doubleheader. Celina travels to Coldwater for a doubleheader on Thursday.
Photo by Dan Melograna/The Daily Standard
Celina's Dalton Leiss (22) bobbles the ball as Fort Recovery's Ian Homan (16) slides safely into third Monday at Montgomery Field.
Photo by Dan Melograna/The Daily Standard
Fort Recovery's Riley Post (3) dives for a ground ball that gets by him and Ryne Post (13) at second base Monday against Celina at Montgomery Field.
Photo by Dan Melograna/The Daily Standard
Fort Recovery's Ryne Post (13) stretches for an overthrown ball as Celina's Dylan Feister (10) races back to second base Monday at Montgomery Field.
