Baseball: Bath goes to the district semifinals

COLUMBUS GROVE – Skyler Lhamon, right-handed in the bath, at the base stared at him almost every ining.

But he was constantly finding ways to avoid serious injury.

Lhamon won the overall game 9-2 when Bath knocked down Columbus Grove and won the Division III baseball final in Friday at Columbus Grove.

Bath (10-13) advanced to the district semifinals to play with the winner of today’s “Kenton at Caldwater” game at 4.30pm on Thursday at Ed Sandy Field in Elis.

Putnam County Columbus Champion Grove – 17-8.

Bath scored two in the first and added five in the second to come out ahead 7-0.

From there the Wild Cats turned to Lhamon.

Lemon made seven innings and gave up two wounds, both of which were earned after five strokes. He crossed out nine and walked three.

Lhamon threw 127 fields, 72 for strikes.

“I did (battle there). I couldn’t understand it on the mound, ”Lhamon said. “I moved more to the sliders later in the game. All year I could throw my slider for my strokes than my other sticks on the slow. Today it worked more than fastball, so I just went with it. “

Bata coach Joe Gomez said: “Well, the first Columbus Grove has good strikers and they are very disciplined. It didn’t make it easy for him, but what we’ve been working on all year is a big step. … And today he made some great performances when we needed him. “

Lhamon has been constantly struggling with trouble since the second.

Leading with a score of 7-0, Lhamon gave up two singles and walks to load the base with one exit in the second.

He then hit Kyle Hopkins with a step to make the score 7-1.

Lhamon then eliminated Brock Hoffman and forced Shep Halker to come in third to complete the inning.

“This second kind of bit came to my mind with loaded bases,” Lhamon said. “The coach (Gomez) took me aside after that half and he talked to me. It worked. ”

Gomez said: “His back was standing against the wall (in the second inning) and he showed his firmness. When he came to this, he became tough. ”

Columbus Grove left seven people at the base.

Bath finished the game with 12 hits.

Blaine Albright of Bath was 2 on 4.

Quintin Collins of Bath was 2 on 4 with a home run and three RBI. Cade Price was 2 for 4.

Ricky Depp went 2 on 3 with a double and a three RBI.

For Grove Brenton Rainer went 3-on-3 with two threes.

Taylor Schroeder started from Grove, but Bath came to him.

Schroeder hit leading Bat Carter Parlapian. Austin Williams and Albright singled out loading bases.

Parlapiana returned home after a passing ball and put Bath ahead 1-0.

RBI Collins first made it 2-0.

In the second for Bata Price stood out and Lhamon went.

Depot hit twice to the left field fence, and Bata’s lead rose to 4-0.

The single Parlapiano RBI made it 5-0.

Collins launched a home run into the jet stream at the dead center, and Bata’s lead rose to 7-0.

It was Collins ’third home run this year.

Shep Hulker came out on a third inning for Grove and made four innings in a row before giving up two runs in the seventh.

Lhamon faced additional challenges in the fourth, leading 7-1.

Rainer started Grove fourth with a triple to the center right.

Single RBI Trey Soter on the right led Grove 7-2.

Lhamon then dismissed Grove’s next three strikers on strikeout, grounding for a second and flying to the right.

Bath scored two on seventh, making the score 9-2.

Lhamon felt that the game in the Western Buckeye League schedule helped prepare his team for the section.

“With all the good innings we’ve seen this year, we need to be ready for that now,” Lhamon said.

Gomez added: “We play in one of the best leagues in Ohio. WBL is a great league and we are one of the smaller teams in the league. And although our record did not show a successful season, it prepared us for this moment. “

Quintin Collins, 25, of Bath is celebrating with teammates after achieving a home run during the Division III sectional final on Friday in Columbus Grove. See more high school photos at LimaScores.com.

Carver Hulker of Columbus Grove beats in the final home game against Bath in the Section III Division Division on Friday.

Bats Cade Price singles out Luke Otto of Columbus Grove during the sectional final of Friday’s Division III in Columbus Grove.

Brenton Rainer of Columbus Grove throws to first base to drive Austin Williams out of Bath during the sectional final of Friday’s Division III in Columbus Grove.

Lhamon throws a full game for the Wildcats

Contact the Lima News Sports Department at 567-242-0451.