Staff report
ANNA — The County baseball race is all tied up, thanks to a three-run rally by the Russia Raiders in the top of the seventh that pulled out a 5-4 thriller over Anna in action at Anna Tuesday.
The win pulled Russia even with the Rockets in the County race, both teams at 7-1. They have a rematch Monday at Russia for what could be the league championship.
Anna got two in the second and took a 4-1 lead into the top of the sixth inning. Russia got one in the sixth, then scored three times in the top of the seventh to take a 5-4 lead.
Drew Sherman walked to start the seventh, but Hunter Cohee flied out to left. Kevin Drees then reached on a fielder’s choice for the second out, but that was followed by back-to-back singles by Jack Dapore and Evan Monnier. A balk plated another run and Clay George then singled in the third run of the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Anna got singles from Nathan Frilling and Derek Coverstone to start it off. But Dapore then struck out the next three hitters to end the game.
Overall, the Rockets are now 12-5 after seeing their six-game winning streak ended. The Raiders are now 15-4.
Russia got a home run from Cohee, a single and a double from Drees and two hits apiece from Monnier and Clay George.
The Rockets were led by Colin Wuebker, who singled and doubled. Nathan Frilling had two singles and Caleb Kauffman had a double.
The linescore:
`R`H`E
Russia`000 101 3—5`9`2
Anna`020 110 0—4`7`1
Cohee, Kearns (4), Dapore (6) (WP) and Drees; Lindsey, Cummings (6) (LP) and White.
Records: Russia 15-4, Anna 12-5.
——
Lehman 13, Riverside 2
DEGRAFF — Lehman closed in on another Northwest Central Conference championship Tuesday, traveling to Riverside and routing the Pirates 13-2.
The win put the Cavaliers at 10-0 in the league with at least a two-game lead. Overall, the state’s No. 4-ranked Division 4 team is now 14-2.
Lehman rode the strong pitching of Parker Riley again. Riley went all seven innings and allowed just five hits, four of them singles. He struck out five and did not walk a batter.
The Cavs bolted to a 3-0 lead in the first and led 10-0 going to the bottom of the sixth inning. Riverside was able to plate two runs to keep the game going, only to have Lehman come back with three in the top of the seventh.
Jared Rourke led the Cavalier offense with three hits, and Riley, Brandon Barhorst and Owen Smith all had two hits apiece.
Barhorst and Riley scored three times each, and Rourke scored twice. Riley also drove in three runs and Smith and Barhorst two each.
Lehman had 13 hits, all singles.
For Riverside, Zayne Hakes had a double.
The linescore:
`R`H`E
Lehman`310 105 3—13`12`2
Riverside`000 002 0—2`5`4
Riley (WP) and Smith; Kean (LP), Robinson (6) and Kreglow.
Records: Lehman 14-2, Riverside 12-9.
——
Jackson 10, Botkins 9
JACKSON CENTER — Jackson Center trailed 8-2 going to the bottom of the fifth and struck for eight runs, leading to a 10-9 win over Botkins in County play Tuesday at Jackson.
The win put the Tigers at 2-6 in the league and 4-11 overall. Botkins is now 2-6 and 4-12.
The Tigers added a run in the sixth for a 10-8 lead, and it proved to be a big one because the Trojans scored once in the top of the seventh.
Alex Jutte had three hits for Botkins, two of them being doubles.
Christopher Elchert, Bryce Sosby and Corbin Murphy all had two hits apiece for the Tigers. Murphy and Jacob Francis both doubled.
The linescore:
`R`H`E
Botkins`040 400 1—9`6`2
Jackson`000 181 x—10`10`7
WP: Wildermuth; LP: Bergman
Records: JC 4-11, Botkins 4-12.
