Staff Reports
PIQUA — In a battle of teams unbeaten in Western Ohio League play, the Sidney Post 217 legion baseball team used timely hitting and some key defensive plays to come away with a 5-3 win over Piqua Post 184 Tuesday at Hardman Field.
“This was a well played game on both sides being a big win for us,” Sidney coach Jim Koewler said. “We are 3-0 at the midway point of the league schedule.”
Piqua scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning on a pair of singles, a walk and a stolen base.
Sidney would score one run in the top of the second to cut Piqua’s lead to 2-1 when Dion Puthoff singled, stole second and scored on Daniel Berning’s single. Post 217 would tie the game in the top of the fourth when Tyler Louden, Puthoff and Kyle Noble all singled.
In the top of the fifth inning, Sidney took its first lead of the night, 3-2, when Keeton McEldowney singled and scored all the way from first base on a hit-and-run when Maddux Liles hit a shot off the leftfield fence.
Piqua would tie the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, but some tough Sidney defense kept the game from getting much worse. Piqua’s first two batters reached on singles, then the next batter put down a sacrifice bunt. Sidney misplayed the ball, throwing it past first base and to the fence down the rightfield line, allowing the lead runner to score.
From there, though, the Piqua runner who had been on first base tried to score, but was tagged out at home plate by Sidney catcher Kyle Subler. He then threw down to third base and caught the batter trying to take third for the final out of the inning.
The game would remain tied until the top of the ninth inning. Dylan Albers and Austin McLain both walked, then Albers scored on a McEldowney single, putting runners at first and third. Liles lifted a sacrifice fly into the outfield for an insurance run.
“We got down early but our boys didn’t let that affect them,” Koewler said. “As they came back to tie it, not once but twice, and to get the winning run in the top of the ninth. We had several good defensive plays with one in the seventh inning, including a 3-6-3 double play ground ball. We also had a couple of great catches in the outfield on fly balls.”
Liles and C.J. Billing combined for the win on the mound, striking out five, walking three and scattering five hits. McEldowney and Puthoff each had two singles, while Liles had a double and a single.
Sidney travels to Chillicothe this weekend for the Jim Jadwin Memorial Tournament.
