Extra effort

COLDWATER - The St. Henry-Coldwater summer baseball game on Wednesday was much like many of the games the two teams have played in past years.

But the latest battle could be called a "Good ol' fashioned good one."

The teams were tied at 1-all after seven innings and each scored three runs in the ninth to send the game to a 10th frame. Coldwater finally pushed the winning run across via a bases-loaded walk to take a 5-4 win at Veterans Field.

The first nine innings were a classic pitching duel. St. Henry starter Ryan Uhlenhake gave up a two-out single to Myles Blasingame in the bottom of the first, followed by an RBI double to Reece Dellinger to put the Cavaliers up 1-0. After hitting a batter to start the second, Uhlenhake retired 17 of the next 18 batters and kept the Cavaliers scoreless through eight innings.

"He basically pitched nine innings and (Coldwater) only hit 2-3 balls hard," said St. Henry coach John Dorner. "He pitched wonderfully, but you have to give Coldwater some credit. They blooped in a hit with two outs and got a big hit with a double and that almost stood up for the whole game. Meanwhile, we're hitting lasers right at them."

Cavalier starter Josh Kaup, fresh off a tough one-run loss against Minster on Saturday, retired the first 11 Redskins before Uhlenhake legged out an infield single. Zach Heitkamp followed by reaching on an error, but Kaup got Isaac Ontrop to fly out to left to end the threat.

"We were hoping to get him 3-4 innings and turn it over to Myles, but (Kaup) was so efficient and throwing strikes (76 pitches, 54 strikes)," said Coldwater coach Brian Harlamert. "A great effort."

St. Henry finally was able to dent the board in the seventh after Heitkamp led off with a walk. Kaup enticed Ontrop to pop to shortstop, but Grant Kunkler belted a double down the right field line, allowing Heitkamp to score the tying run.

Coldwater got runners on at first and second with one out in the seventh, but Uhlenhake got two quick outs to end the threat and send the game to extras.

Zack McKibben relieved Kaup, who scattered two hits and three strikeouts over seven innings, in the eighth and kept the Redskins scoreless, while Uhlenhake got through the bottom of the eighth unscathed.

The offense picked up in the ninth. Ontrop got the Redskins rolling with a one-out double. Kunkler was intentionally walked to bring up Josh Evers, who blasted a triple to deep left center to bring home Ontrop and Kunkler. Jared Schwieterman followed with a deep-enough fly to right to score Evers to make it 4-1.

Uhlenhake got the first out in the bottom of the ninth, but walked Marcel Blasingame. McKibben, who struck out in his first three at-bats, singled to put runners at first and second, prompting Dorner to bring on Andrew Lange in relief. After a wild pitch move the runners up, Adam Hrycko walked to load the bases for Myles Blasingame, who reached first on a fielder's choice as the Redskins were unable to get an out. Marcel Blasingame and McKibben were able to score on the play to get the Cavs to within a run. Dellinger followed with a grounder to first that was enough for Hrycko to score the tying run.

After McKibben pitched a scoreless 10th, Luke Sudhoff started the bottom of the inning with a single. Kaup drew a walk and Brady Klingshirn reached on a fielder's choice as Sudhoff beat the throw to third to load the bases for Alex Knapke. Lange's first three pitches were out of the strike zone before Knapke took a strike. The fifth pitch of the at-bat was low, allowing Kaup to score the game-winner.

"Great job by our guys just to keep battling," said Harlamert. "We've had a little rough spell losing four of our last five, all in the last inning. It was frustrating not winning games late, but our guys battled for a big win."

"When it came down to it, we didn't make a couple of plays, and in extra innings, you have to make plays," said Dorner. "We didn't and we came up on the short side."

Coldwater travels to St. Marys on Friday with a 5:30 p.m. first pitch. St. Henry hosts Versailles tonight.

LINESCORE
St. Henry  000  000  103  0  -  4  6  1
Coldwater  100  000  003  1  -  5  5  1

WP - McKibben

LP - Lange

2B - SH: Kunkler, Ontrop, Uhlenhake. CW: Dellinger.

3B - SH: Evers.

Records: St. Henry 9-6, Coldwater 12-6.