By Marc Tobias
mtobias@dailystandard.com Celina was able to pick up an easy 14-2 victory over Lima Central Catholic in non-league baseball action last night at Eastview Park.
Despite the cold and rainy weather, the Bulldogs’ bats remained hot as they pounded out 15 hits in the victory.
The Bulldogs scattered the field with 11 hits with Eric Braun leading the way both in the batters box and on the mound.
Braun went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, a run scored and two RBI. The sophomore also picked up the win on the mound as he went four strong innings, allowing one unearned run on six hits while striking out seven LCC batters.
“Just a real nice performance on a tough day,” said Celina coach Bruce Boley. “It was tough throwing into the wind like that and he did his job by putting it across the plate and his fielders made a few plays for him. Just a nice outing for him.”
Celina got things started offensively in the top of the first as Brian Gagle reached on an error, Braun followed with an RBI double and he later scored when Scott Boley reached on an LCC error.
Garrett Gray then singled home Boley and Brad Niley picked up an RBI when he singled home Brian Geise.
The Bulldogs then broke things wide open in a seven-hit, six-run second inning.
Jordan Heuker and Gagle both started the inning with a single and both came home on a Scott Boley double.
Boley finished by going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI.
Sean Boley then doubled home his brother and Garrett Gray singled home Sean Boley on a single.
Gray scored when Doug Vorhees drove him in with a single.
Sean Boley finished 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI at the plate while Gray also had a nice day by finishing 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI.
“It was a nice confidence builder today for everyone at the plate, we swung the bat real well and we just hope it can carry over to tomorrow’s big league game against Van Wert,” Bruce Boley said. “We hit the ball where it was pitched, a lot of curveballs away and we had quite a few hits to rightfield and right centerfield, and that’s a good sign. Those are quality at-bats and that’s what we stress to the guys.”
Braun led the bottom half of the third with a solo home run while Caleb Byrley, Geise and Gray all scored in the inning thanks to a two-run single by Kyle Anderson and an RBI single from Vorhees.
Celina improves to 10-2 and travels to face Van Wert in Western Buckeye League action today. LCC falls to 1-5 on the season. |
