Case closed: Tigers earn win over Blue Lions
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
GREENFIELD — After a tough weekend, the McClain Tigers responded in a big way Monday evening in their South Central Ohio League game. Using timely hitting and a stellar pitching performance by senior Ryan Case, the Tigers gained their second SCOL win of the season, defeating the Washington Blue Lions, 4-3 at Mitchell Park.
Though the Tigers (2-2, 3-9) had six hits, four of those hits were RBI hits, with Ryan Perie, Brent Shannon, Zack Puckett, Case, Cameron Spangler and Jordan Boles all gaining hits for the home team and Perie, Shannon, Puckett and Case all collecting RBIs.
Not only did the Tigers respond from being swept over the weekend, but they responded in a positive manner on more than one occasion against the Blue Lions (1-3, 4-4), as the Tigers took a 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth, lost the lead in the top of the fifth, regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth and held off a strong charge by Washington in the sixth.
"The key (Monday) was how we responded in the fifth inning," McClain head coach Brandon Streitenberger said. "We kicked the ball around early in the fifth, but we kept our composure, and I'm proud of that."
Case, who tossed 112 pitches, struck out the side in the seventh to seal the win. Not only did Case earn the win, he pitched a complete seven innings, as he allowed three runs (none earned) on five hits and two walks. Case wrapped up the game with five strikeouts and two hit batters.
"Ryan's curve ball was on," Streitenberger said. "He pitched well, and when Ryan pitches, we play better.
"He gives us a chance to win every time he takes the mound."
The Tigers were first to score runs with Spangler reaching the bases on a single, stealing second and scoring on a double to left field by Perie. Perie scored on a double, which sailed to the left field fence for the aforementioned two-run lead.
Washington answered with two runs of their own in the top half of the fifth with their first three batters of the inning. Before the third error of the inning, Nathan Carter laid down a suicide squeeze bunt, scoring Justin Hall, who was charging from third, cutting the Tigers' lead in half. As Carter raced to first base, the infielder dropped the ball on the tag, allowing him to reach first base safely, keeping the bases loaded.
The Blue Lions tied the game on a single by Derek Shaw. Washington continued to threaten in the inning, but a strikeout and pop fly to first ended the threat and the inning.
"I'll credit Greenfield, they hit the ball well," Washington head coach Matt Platt said. "We hit the ball hard, but we had some tough luck with the ball getting up in the zone, and they hit it.
"We played solid defensively, but a couple pitches they hit were the difference."
[[In-content Ad]]With the score tied at 2-2, the Tigers responded with two more runs, taking a 4-2 advantage.
The bottom half of the fifth opened with a single by Boles, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Todd, moving Boles to second. Boles advanced to third base on a passed ball and scored on a base hit to right field hit by Shannon.
With two outs, Shannon scored on a single to right field by Puckett.
"When you are making good contact and making plays, you get more jump in your step," Streitenberger said. "Our bats are starting to show signs of life, and we had some key hits."
Washington scored their final run in the top of the sixth with Colton Sanderson hitting a one-out single over the third baseman's head, scoring Hall.
Both teams had other opportunities to score runs early on, but in the top of the second, a diving catch in centerfield by Perie halted a potential two runs for the Blue Lions, as the diving stop was the third out of the inning.
In the top of the third, the Blue Lions threatened with a base runner with one out, but a rare 9-2-5 double play ended the inning. In the first inning, the Tigers stopped any chance of the Blue Lions scoring on a 1-4-3 double play.
The loss on the mound was charged to Tyler Spears, who pitched five innings. Spears allowed four runs (four earned) on six hits and no walks. Spears struck out five. Christian Johnson pitched one inning of relief, striking out one of the three batters faced.
At the plate for Washington, Sanderson and Shaw each had one hit and one RBI, while Spears, Bret Starkey and Hall each had one hit. Trevor Bain also tallied an RBI.
McClain is off on Tuesday but will be back on the diamond Wednesday as they travel to Clinton County to face the Clinton-Massie Falcons in SCOL play. On Thursday, the Tigers will host Blanchester in non-league play.
BOX SCORE
WCH 000 021 0 — 3 5 0
MHS 000 220 x — 4 6 6
Though the Tigers (2-2, 3-9) had six hits, four of those hits were RBI hits, with Ryan Perie, Brent Shannon, Zack Puckett, Case, Cameron Spangler and Jordan Boles all gaining hits for the home team and Perie, Shannon, Puckett and Case all collecting RBIs.
Not only did the Tigers respond from being swept over the weekend, but they responded in a positive manner on more than one occasion against the Blue Lions (1-3, 4-4), as the Tigers took a 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth, lost the lead in the top of the fifth, regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth and held off a strong charge by Washington in the sixth.
"The key (Monday) was how we responded in the fifth inning," McClain head coach Brandon Streitenberger said. "We kicked the ball around early in the fifth, but we kept our composure, and I'm proud of that."
Case, who tossed 112 pitches, struck out the side in the seventh to seal the win. Not only did Case earn the win, he pitched a complete seven innings, as he allowed three runs (none earned) on five hits and two walks. Case wrapped up the game with five strikeouts and two hit batters.
"Ryan's curve ball was on," Streitenberger said. "He pitched well, and when Ryan pitches, we play better.
"He gives us a chance to win every time he takes the mound."
The Tigers were first to score runs with Spangler reaching the bases on a single, stealing second and scoring on a double to left field by Perie. Perie scored on a double, which sailed to the left field fence for the aforementioned two-run lead.
Washington answered with two runs of their own in the top half of the fifth with their first three batters of the inning. Before the third error of the inning, Nathan Carter laid down a suicide squeeze bunt, scoring Justin Hall, who was charging from third, cutting the Tigers' lead in half. As Carter raced to first base, the infielder dropped the ball on the tag, allowing him to reach first base safely, keeping the bases loaded.
The Blue Lions tied the game on a single by Derek Shaw. Washington continued to threaten in the inning, but a strikeout and pop fly to first ended the threat and the inning.
"I'll credit Greenfield, they hit the ball well," Washington head coach Matt Platt said. "We hit the ball hard, but we had some tough luck with the ball getting up in the zone, and they hit it.
"We played solid defensively, but a couple pitches they hit were the difference."
[[In-content Ad]]With the score tied at 2-2, the Tigers responded with two more runs, taking a 4-2 advantage.
The bottom half of the fifth opened with a single by Boles, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Todd, moving Boles to second. Boles advanced to third base on a passed ball and scored on a base hit to right field hit by Shannon.
With two outs, Shannon scored on a single to right field by Puckett.
"When you are making good contact and making plays, you get more jump in your step," Streitenberger said. "Our bats are starting to show signs of life, and we had some key hits."
Washington scored their final run in the top of the sixth with Colton Sanderson hitting a one-out single over the third baseman's head, scoring Hall.
Both teams had other opportunities to score runs early on, but in the top of the second, a diving catch in centerfield by Perie halted a potential two runs for the Blue Lions, as the diving stop was the third out of the inning.
In the top of the third, the Blue Lions threatened with a base runner with one out, but a rare 9-2-5 double play ended the inning. In the first inning, the Tigers stopped any chance of the Blue Lions scoring on a 1-4-3 double play.
The loss on the mound was charged to Tyler Spears, who pitched five innings. Spears allowed four runs (four earned) on six hits and no walks. Spears struck out five. Christian Johnson pitched one inning of relief, striking out one of the three batters faced.
At the plate for Washington, Sanderson and Shaw each had one hit and one RBI, while Spears, Bret Starkey and Hall each had one hit. Trevor Bain also tallied an RBI.
McClain is off on Tuesday but will be back on the diamond Wednesday as they travel to Clinton County to face the Clinton-Massie Falcons in SCOL play. On Thursday, the Tigers will host Blanchester in non-league play.
BOX SCORE
WCH 000 021 0 — 3 5 0
MHS 000 220 x — 4 6 6