NWOAL FINALE … Luke Marlow singles to left field for Swanton in the first inning of the Bulldogs win over Wauseon to end NWOAL play.
(PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
MAKING CONTACT … Wauseon’s Jack Alstaetter fouls off a pitch during an at-bat in an NWOAL game at Memorial Park in Swanton.
By: Elliot Schneider
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
SWANTON (May 7, 2025) The Swanton Bulldogs secured the win with a dominant performance in a league contest against the Wauseon Indians, behind a strong pitching performance from Luke Marlow.
Marlow only gave up two hits and struck out seven batters through five innings, with the Bulldogs securing the mercy-rule victory.
The top of the first didn’t see much action for the Indians, as Caleb Kissel was the only batter to reach base when he was hit by a pitch. Marlow picked up three strikeouts in the inning, setting the tone early.
The Bulldogs got started early on the offensive side of the ball. Marlow led off with a single to left, followed by a sacrifice bunt from Isaiah Bolyard, putting a runner in scoring position with one out.
Carsen Lemons was walked and both runners advanced on a wild pitch during the next at bat. Adam Lemon then hit a sacrifice fly to center, plating Marlow, giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead after one.
As previously stated, the Indians only secured two hits in the game. Therefore, both their second and third innings went three up and three down, with Marlow picking up two more strikeouts.
The Bulldogs picked up three runs in the second, with all of them coming off errors of some sort from the Indians. The Bulldogs led 4-0 by the innings end, due to the constant pressure they put on the Indian defense.
Their third inning only saw one batter reach base, when Lemon was walked. The Indians showed some life in the fourth, as a single from Kissel and a walk from Thad Reckner had two runners on with no outs for the Indians.
A strikeout from Kahle Albright and a line out from Max Russell followed, giving the Indians two on with two outs.
Braylon Miller then singled to left, but it wasn’t enough to drive in a run, so the bases were loaded for the Indians.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Maddox Schneider popped one straight up to the pitcher, leaving the runners stranded and the Indians scoreless for the game.
Swanton looked to build on their lead in the bottom of the fourth, which led off with a double from Evan Smigelski and a single from Brady O’Shea.
Marlow then hit a sac fly to center, bringing home Smigelski. Bolyard followed with an RBI single, plating O’Shea.
The scoring run ended with a groundout from Lemon, where he brought in Bolyard on the play, giving the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead by the end of the inning.
The Bulldogs would then secure four more runs in the bottom of the fifth, bringing their lead to 11-0 by the innings end, securing the mercy rule victory after five innings.
With the win, the Bulldogs look to continue their winning ways against Paulding on Thursday. The Indians will look to bounce back against Central Catholic on Thursday.
WHS 000 00 – 0 2 3
SHS 130 34 – 11 10 1
Records: WHS 4-9; 3-4 NWOAL; SHS 12-5; 3-4 NWOAL
WINNING PITCHER: Marlow (5 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 7 strikeouts, 2 walks)
LOSING PITCHER: Schneider (3.1 innings, 7 hits, 7 runs, 1 strikeout, 2 walks) Other: Vazquez, Reckner
LEADING HITTERS: (Swanton) Lemon – 3 RBIs; Smigelski – 2 doubles, RBI; Bolyard – single, RBI (Wauseon) Kissel – single; Miller – single