Wilker's RBI single lifts Roughriders past Dogs

CELINA - After each team scored twice in the first inning, the baseball battle between Celina and St. Marys proved to be a defensive struggle.   

Austin Wilker's fourth-inning single scored Clay Quellhorst for the go-ahead run and Braeden Dunlap and Henry Spencer quieted the Bulldog bats in the Roughriders' 3-2 win in WBL play at Montgomery Field.

"We kind of fell asleep, played good defense and it became a pretty good game," Celina outfielder Parker Maurer said. "We battled."

An opening error allowed Ty Howell to reach base in the top of the first for St. Marys. One out later, Wilker singled home Howell, who stole second, for the first run of the game. Wyatt Bailey plated Wilker with a two-out single, but after Trey Fisher singled to put two runners on, Nash Weimert enticed Carter Ballweg to fly to right to end the threat.

The Bulldogs quickly countered with a two-out rally in the bottom of the first. Mauer walked, stole second and went to third on a wild throw. Kane Moeller reached base after Dunlap had hit him to bring up Gabe Perry, who singled to left to clear the bases and tie the game.

Weimert was sharp after the rough first inning, allowing just five more hits over the final five-plus innings with three walks and three strikeouts.

"Certain days he's on. Others he's off, but he'll always battle," Celina coach Andy Mikesell said of Weimert. "He knows how to pitch and how to go deep into a game. He gets stronger as the game goes on."

"It seemed like he got the first batter out each inning," St. Marys coach Jeff Dieringer said of Weimert. "It wasn't until we got two outs before we got something going. He mixed his pitches well."

The lone mark came in the fourth after Quellhorst walked, moved to second on Spencer's bunt and went to third on a bloop single to short right. Howell walked to load the bases, but Weimert enticed Dunlap to fly to short right to keep all runners on base before Wilker singled the winning run.

"We battled. They had bases loaded and we got out of it (allowing the lone run)," Mikesell said. "We kept ourselves in the game. Just couldn't get the big hit."

St. Marys had a chance to add insurance in the seventh when Wilker led off with a triple, but reliever Austin Cotterman came on to close the door. Wilker was later caught in a botched squeeze attempt for the second out.

Spencer, who relieved Dunlap in the sixth, retired all six batters -two them by strikeout - he faced for the save.  "It's no doubt we're staying around the plate. We walked one guy and hit two. I thought Braeden settled down very well," Dieringer said. "He pitched well. I rather have Henry come in to start an inning. (Celina) was toward the bottom end of their lineup and I thought Henry could settle down before facing the top of their lineup. Both did a pretty decent job."

Wilker went 3-for-4 with two RBIs for the Roughriders. Fisher added two hits.

Celina hosts Defiance in a makeup league game today. St. Marys is back in action Friday as Spencerville comes to K.C. Geiger Park.