By: Elliot Schneider
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
ARCHBOLD (April 21, 2025) – The Archbold Bluestreaks rallied back in a walk off win on Monday night to remain undefeated in league play.
It was a classic back and forth matchup with the Swanton Bulldogs, who came out the game on fire, but eventually went cold in the later innings.
As I said, the scoring started early for the Bulldogs. Their first two batters reached base on singles, but advanced the bases due to an untimely throw, putting both runners in scoring position.
The next at bat saw a wild pitch that had the Bluestreaks scrambling, which allowed both runners to cross home plate, giving the Bulldogs an early 2-0 lead.
The scoring didn’t end there for the Bulldogs, as Brendan Upham reached base on an error when he grounded to Archbold shortstop Isaiahs Gracia, driving in Adam Lemon to bring their lead to 3-0 by the inning’s end.
The Bluestreaks first inning didn’t produce as much fire power, as the only batter to reach base in the inning was Collin Short, who was walked.
The top of the second inning, Swanton loaded the bases two outs, giving them an opportunity to build on their lead. Instead, Drake Harris struck out looking to end the inning.
The bottom of the second featured the Bluestreaks storming back into the game. With runners on first and second, Zach Short hit a line drive to right, bringing home Jace Castillo.
Max Burrows and Collin Short each followed with an RBI single, plating Broden Piercefield and Zach Short, evening up the score at 3-3.
Swanton immediately regained the lead in the top of the third, as Evan Smigelski reached base on an error by Castillo, bringing home Carson Bond.
The bottom of the third was three up and three down for the Bluestreaks, with Lemon ending the inning on a strikeout which caught Castillo looking.
Swanton extended their lead in the fourth, when Lemon drove in Luke Marlow on a single to left, taking a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the fourth.
Archbold started fourth inning with Piercefield and Zach Short reaching base. Instead of capitalizing on a runner in scoring position, Burrows struck out swinging. Then Collin Short lined into a double play, leaving the Bluestreaks down two.
The top of the fifth again saw the bases loaded with two outs for the Bulldogs but Carsen Lemons struck out swinging, leaving the runners stranded.
Archbold cut into their deficit in the bottom of the fifth, as Wyatt Cline grounded into a fielder’s choice, plating Gracia while doing so. The score was a 5-4 Swanton advantage by the end of the inning.
The sixth inning was quiet for the Bulldogs, as Harris was the only one to reach base, as he was hit by a pitch.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Bluestreaks were battling, trying their best to even the score. They finally broke through on a two out single by Gracia, which plated Maddox Pinter, evening the score at 5-5.
The Bulldogs seventh inning wasn’t much better than the previous one, as Upham was the only one to reach base, as he singled to shallow left.
Swanton’s Carson Bond took the mound in the seventh, looking to extend the game for the Bulldogs.
CJ Arroyo-Thompson started the inning with a single to left, igniting an opportunity for the Bluestreaks. Cline stepped up to the plate with Arroyo-Thompson on first and zero outs.
On the first pitch he saw from Bond, Cline drilled a ball down the line in left. As the outfielder struggled to secure the ball, Arroyo-Thompson circled the bases and crossed home plate to give Archbold the walk-off win.
With the win, Archbold remains undefeated in league play and they will look to build off this win as they play Wauseon on Thursday. With the loss, Swanton looks to bounce back against Maumee on Tuesday.
SHS 301 100 0 – 5 7 6
AHS 030 011 1 – 6 8 2
Records: SHS 9-2, 1-2 NWOAL; AHS 6-2, 3-0 NWOAL
WINNING PITCHER: Z. Short (6 innings, 6 hits, 5 runs, 11 strikeouts, 5 walks)
LOSING PITCHER: Lemon (6 innings, 6 hits, 5 runs, 4 strikeouts, 5 walks)
LEADING HITTERS: (Swanton) Upham – 2 singles, 2 RBI; Lemon – single; RBI; Marlow – single; (Archbold) Cline – single, 2 RBIs; Z. Short – 3 singles, RBI; Gracia – single, RBI