Columbus Grove - Bases loaded, 2 outs in the top of the first. Brady Basinger would get out of the jam by getting Wyatt Gasser to flyout to left field, but Fort Jennings (6-4) would prove to be too much for Columbus Grove (8-4) winning 4-2 in a PCL clash.
The first inning would get even more action packed as in the bottom Kyle Hopkins would single to center field, steal a base, and score on a sacrifice by Brady Basinger to make the score 1-0. Caleb Davis would also single but was stranded on base after a pop up by Jacob Ricker caught by the catcher Calvin Menke.
Fort Jennings would keep the pressure on in the second as after an Adam Hoersten groundout, Braden Knippen would be walked by Basinger. With two outs the lineup flipped to the top where Owen Calvelage would hit a double but Knippen was thrown out at home (7-6-2) off of impressive throws from Gage Sautter and Alex Meyer. The Bulldogs couldn't get the bats back going and after a leadoff walk had a strikeout followed by back to back popups.
With one out in the third Calvin Menke was walked and Jarron Swick recorded his first hit of the game which put runners on first and second. Evan Ellerbrock would follow that up with a single of his own that led to a close play at home in which Menke was called safe and evened the score at 1. Three pitches later Wyatt Gasser got his lone RBI with a groundout that scored Swick and gave the Musketeers their first advantage of the night.
Columbus Grove would go into a lull offensively going "1-2-3" in three consecutive innings from the third to the fifth inning. Owen Calvelage would end his day after the fourth inning ending with 3 Ks and 1 walk plus only allowing two hits. Entering for him in the fifth was the future Tri-C Triceratops Jarron Swick who got his first strikeout to end the inning.
The bats stayed hot for Fort Jennings in the fourth. After back to back strikeouts to begin the inning, Owen Calvelage would work into a full count before an error on the pitcher would let him be safe and advance to second. Sam Dube would take advantage of the runner in scoring position and hit a RBI single making the score 3-1. A balk and hit by pitch would put Dube on third and Calvin Menke on first with Jarron Swick up to bat and he would hit an RBI single to center field making the score 4-1 in the 5th.Â
After this single, Brady Basinger would be replaced by Michael King. Basinger ended his day pitching 3.2 innings, allowing 5 hits, 5 Ks, 4 walks, and 1 hit batter. King would strikeout Evan Ellerbrock to escape the fourth inning, stranding runners on second and third.
The Bulldogs would give Fort Jennings a taste of their defensive medicine in innings five and six allowing no hits and only one hitter, Braden Knippen, reached on a walk. King would pick up two more strikeouts to end his day with 3 Ks and 1 walk.
In the bottom of the sixth the Bulldogs would respond as Kyle Hopkins would get a leadoff single and steal his second and third bases of the day to get to third. Caleb Davis hit into a fielder's choice but it scored Hopkins and made the score 4-2. Jacob Ricker would hit into another fielder's choice ending the inning at that score and CG would head to the seventh down by two.
In the top of the seventh, Evan Ellerbrock would hit a one out double and advance to third after a groundout but end up stranded there after Adam Hoersten struck out to the new pitcher Carter Flores.
Gage Sautter started the potential rally off hot with a leadoff single, beating out a throw from Owen Calvelage at shortstop. That would be the last positive note for the Bulldogs as Jarron Swick would get three consecutive strikeouts to end the game with a 4-2 victory. Each team is now 1-1 in the PCL and still well within reach of a league title this season.
WP: Owen Calvelage (2-2)
LP: Brady Basinger (3-1)
FJ: 4R 6H 0E 9 LOB
CG: 2R 4H 1E 4 LOB