PHOTOS BY MARIO GOMEZ / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
IN CONTROL … Swanton pitcher Luke Marlow gave up just one hit and no runs in a 10-0 five-inning win over Archbold.
MERCY RULE WIN … Archbold catcher Tripp Langenderfer watches as Drew Koder scores a run in Swanton’s 10-0 five-inning win over Archbold.
By: Mario Gomez
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
SWANTON – The Bulldogs and Streaks came in with just one loss each, but Archbold had suffered its defeat in the Northwest Ohio Athletic League against Patrick Henry.
That meant Archbold was sitting one game behind Swanton in a very competitive NWOAL.
Swanton (8-1, 3-0 NWOAL) made easy work of the Bluestreaks, blanking the visitors 10-0 in a five-inning affair, giving them a leg up in the NWOAL.
“I don’t know what to say,” said Swanton head coach Josh Siewert. We had a little chip on our shoulders. We’ve had some battles with Archbold the last couple of years. The kids wanted this one bad and they really showed up.”
The Streaks (9-2, 1-2 NWOAL) were guilty of six errors in the contest, but the deciding factor in their loss was the right arm of Luke Marlow, who tossed the five-inning complete game, giving up just one hit and striking out eight.
Marlow struck out Tripp Langenderfer to start the game, then gave up a walk to Ethan Bowman to put a runner on first.
After getting the second out of the inning on a fly ball, Swanton’s catcher Drew LaPoint cut down Bowman trying to steal second base to end the inning.
Pitching for the Streaks, Bowman got to a 2-2 count on the leadoff hitter Marlow but came too far inside and hit the Bulldog to put him on first.
Trying to hold the runner at first, Bowman’s throw to first went wide and Marlow raced all the way to third for an early scoring chance.
Brady O’Shea crushed a triple to deep left field to bring Marlow home for a 1-0 lead. Carsen Lemons came to the plate and sent a shot into center field to score O’Shea to make it 2-0.
It was a long inning for Bowman, who got Carson Bond to ground into a fielder’s choice to force Lemons out at second.
Another errant throw to first by Bowman trying to hold the runner allowed Bond to move to second. Bowman got Brendan Upham to ground out to the shortstop, then walked Evan Reinhard to put runners on the corners.
The sophomore righty got the final out of the first inning on a LaPoint swinging strikeout to avoid any further damage.
In the top half of the second, Marlow gave up his only hit of the game on a one-out single by Wyatt Cline but managed to strike out Harrison Wyse and get Jace Bernath to ground out for the third out.
After getting the first two batters out in the bottom of the second inning, Marlow came up and placed a hit into left field.
O’Shea came through with a hit to left that was misplayed by CJ Arroyo-Thompson, allowing Marlow to score all the way from first while ‘Shea advanced to second on the error to make it 3-0.
Lemons came up and hit a double on a fly ball that would have been the final out, but Arroyo-Thompson fought the sun and let the ball drop to score O’Shea.
Bond reached base on a fielding error that scored Lemons to put the Bulldogs up 5-0 before Bowman got Upham to strike out, ending the inning.
Archbold put its first player in scoring position in the third inning. After Marlow got a strikeout of Joe Williams, he walked Isaiahs Gracia after an 11-pitch battle.
Marlow got Langenderfer to swing and miss for a strikeout for the second out. Gracia stole second base to get into scoring position, but Marlow struck Bowman out to end the threat.
It was three up and three down in the Swanton half of the third, but the Dogs returned the favor in the Bluestreak top of the fourth.
After getting two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Bowman walked O’Shea and gave up a double to Lemons to score O’Shea and take a 6-0 lead.
Cline came in to relieve Bowman and got the final out in the fourth. The end was in sight for the Bulldogs, who set the Streaks down 1-2-3 in the top of the fifth.
With one out in the inning, Reinhard reached on an error and advanced to second after a LaPoint single. Drew Koder singled to center to score Reinhard, moving LaPoint to second.
Owen Hurst walked to load the bases, but Marlow popped out for the second out. O’Shea came through again with a single that scored LaPoint.
Lemons brought Koder home on an infield single when he was able to beat the throw to first base. The first baseman made an errant throw to third that allowed Hurst to score the 10th run for the mercy-rule win.
“We preach timely hitting and I know it doesn’t happen all the time, but so far this year these kids have been hitting,” said Siewert. “It’s been amazing.”
“I give credit to Swanton,” said Archbold head coach Jeff Brunswick. Their pitcher was tremendous. He did a great job throwing strikes. “They took advantage of our mistakes.”
AHS 000 00 – 0 1 6
SHS 230 14 – 10 10 0
WP- Luke Marlow (IP-5, R-0, H-1, K-8, BB-0)
LP- Ethan Bowman (IP-3.2, R-6, H-6, K-5, BB-2)
LEADING HITTERS: (Archbold) None; (Swanton) Carsen Lemons – 2 singles, 2 doubles, 4 RBIs; Brady O’Shea – 2 singles, triple, 2 RBIs.