PHOTO COURTESY TASHA SEILER
By: Nate Calvin
AKRON – In their state semifinal win on Friday, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (CHCA) scored three times in the first inning on their way to a 7-1 win.
On Sunday morning in the Division III state title the game, the Eagles did their damage in the second inning by putting up four runs and then rode the pitching of Cooper Robinson in a 4-1 won over Archbold.
After a 57-minute delay due to some early morning rain at Canal Park, both pitchers started strong with Robinson and Archbold starter DJ Newman putting together 1-2-3 first innings.
The second inning began with Newman walking the first two CHCA batters followed by a sacrifice bunt from Will Murphy to give the Eagles runners at second and third.
Colin Ames put CHCA on the board as he crushed a double to left center to give the Eagles a 2-0 advantage.
Ty Yelton was next for the Eagles with a single to right and then he stole second to give CHCA runners at second and third with one out for the second time in the inning.
The next CHCA (23-8) run would come via an error when James got in a run down between third and home after an unsuccessful suicide squeeze attempt, but Archbold third baseman Zane Behnfeldt bobbled the ball allowing Ames to score.
With two outs in the inning and Yelton now at third, Jack Vogele ripped a line drive to center that was misplayed by Krayton Kern as the ball went off his glove and over his head as Yelton scored to make it 4-0.
The Bluestreaks finally broke through in the fifth with Gavin Bailey drawing a one out walk and then advanced to second on a wild pitch.
After Robinson struck out Behnfeldt for the second out in the inning, Devon Morris delivered with a pinch hit double down the right field line to drive in Bailey and trim the CHCA lead to 4-1.
The Bluestreaks were unable to mount any more offense off Robinson as he retired the side in order the final two innings, including striking out the side in the seventh.
Robinson ended the game with 11 K’s and allowed just two Archbold (23-12) hits.
After the rocky second inning, Newman shutdown the Eagles by allowing just three hits the rest of the game. Newman finished with eight strikeouts and two walks.
Behnfeldt accounted for the other Bluestreak hit with a single in the third inning.
SCORE BY INNINGS R H E
Archbold 000 010 0 1 2 2
CHCA 040 000 x 4 5 1
Nate can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com
