DAYTON — After losing a 5-1 lead, Blanchester rallied for three runs in the sixth and defeated Wilmington 8-7 Thursday in non-league baseball at the Action Sports Complex in Dayton.
“Good teams find a way to win,” BHS manager Aaron Lawson said. “It’s crazy how a game can turn on a dime. We were in cruise control and suddenly a handful of walks and a couple hits and we are down 7-5.”
Down 5-1, Wilmington plated six runs in the fifth inning to take a 7-5 lead. The Hurricane scored two runs with the bases loaded, one on a hit batter and another on a walk. Landon Flint had a run-scoring single in the inning.
Blanchester came back in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two unearned runs to go on top 8-7.
In the top of the seventh, Sam Nichols singled and stole second with one out. But Kyle Garrett struck out the last two WHS batters to preserve the win for the Wildcats.
The teams combined for just 11 hits in the game. However, the pitchers from both teams accounted for 13 walks and five hit batters.
Lawson said Reagan Burch exited the game with an injury which caused the Wildcats “to play from the bench and make switches we were not ready for,” Lawson said. “The guys did a great job performing when their number was called.”
Garrett picked up his first win in relief.
“He pitched a perfect inning (Wednesday) and kept Wilmington at bay for us to make the comeback,” said Lawson.
SUMMARY
April 7, 2022
Dayton Action Sports Complex
Blanchester 8, Wilmington 7
W^0^0^0^1^6^0^0^^7.6.3
B^1^2^1^1^0^3^x^^8.5.3
(7) WILMINGTON (ab-r-h-rbi) Hibbs 4-1-0-0 Tackett 2-1-0-0 Henson 3-2-1-1 Nichols 2-1-2-1 Stephens 4-1-2-2 Flint 3-0-1-1 Massie 4-0-0-1 Tolliver 0-0-0-0 Milliner 3-0-0-0 Black 1-1-0-0 TOTALS 26-7-6-6
(8) BLANCHESTER (ab-r-h-rbi) Burch 1-0-0-0 Ficke 1-1-0-0 Garrett 0-0-0-0 Dick 3-3-0-0 James Wymer 3-0-2-2 West 4-1-1-0 Roush 1-2-1-1 Jansen Wymer 3-1-0-1 Mulvihill 3-0-0-0 Estep 1-0-0-0 Miller 3-0-0-1 Sipple 4-0-1-0 TOTALS 27-8-5-5
SB: W-Henson, Nichols, Black 2; B-Burch 2, Dick 2, Miller 2, Roush 2, Sipple, James Wymer
Pitching^ip^h^r^er^bb^so
Wilmington
Nichols^3^1^5^4^5^6
Black^2^4^2^2^2^0
Massie (L)^1^0^1^0^0^1
Blanchester
Dick^4.1^3^5^3^4^6
Garrett (W, 1-0)^2.2^3^2^2^2^4
