Coldwater’s AJ Harlamert tags out Ottawa-Glandorf’s Brad Maag during a Thursday Division III district semifinal at Elida’s Ed Sandy Field.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
ELIDA — Coldwater had the control, and took down the Titans.
The Cavaliers used stellar pitching and patience at the plate to earn a 6-1 win against Ottawa-Glandord in a Division III baseball district semifinal Thursday.
Coldwater, now 24-4 on the season, advances to Saturday’s district final to meet Wayne Trace, which defeated Eastwood 3-2.
The Cavaliers manufactured a run early, added another in the fourth, then tacked on four more due to struggles by O-G’s relievers.
Ottawa-Glandorf’s four pitchers had 11 walks and two hit batters in the game.
Meanwhile, Coldwater senior Keegan Bruggeman was very sharp, allowing four hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in a complete game victory.
At the plate, Evan Harlamert had three hits and was struck by a pitch in his other at-bat. Luke Sudhoff walked three times and Marcel Blasingame and Bruggeman each drew two free passes.
Coldwater manager Cory Klenke said “We just battled on the mound, at the plate, and had good defense.” He noted that the hitters did well in being patient and executed well on the basepaths. Klenke also credited the maturity leadership of the team’s eight seniors.
Carter Duling started for O-G, and allowed three runs in four-plus innings. Ty Buckland faced four batters, walking three and hitting one. Brad Maag got three outs in the fifth, then faced two batters in the sixth before coming out with an injury. Evan Pester pitched the remainder of the sixth.
Maag had a double, with Buckland, Duling and Kaleb Yoder getting hits as well. The lone run for O-G was scored by Jordan Metzger.
TItans manager Nick Watkins said, “It’s hard to battle back. Sometimes the cards just don’t fall in your favor.” The Titans end the season with a record of 14-13.
After O-G went in order in the top of the first, Duling retired the first two batters he faced in the bottom. A.J. Harlamert then kept things alive with a walk. He stole second and took third when the Titans catcher couldn’t hold on to a pitch. An infield single by Braxton Howell then gave the Cavs the early advantage.
Coldwater would load the bases on a single to right by Evan Harlamert that landed just fair, and then a walk to Sudhoff. But Duling was able to get a flyout and minimize the damage.
After a scoreless second, O-G got its first baserunner as Carson Leopold walked to start the third. After a strikeout, Metzger put down a bunt. Bruggeman came off the mound to field it, and quickly spun and fired to second in time for the force play on Leopold. Buckland got a single down the third base line, and a throw to first that went past the bag allowed Metzger to take third. A flyout to left by Jayden Stechschulte ended the threat.
In the home half, Evan Harlamert got an infield single to short and stole second, but was the only one to reach base.
Duling and Yoder each connected for hits in the Titans’ fourth. Duling had a sharp liner up the middle and Yoder’s was a knock into shallow left. Bruggeman did not crack, however, getting three straight strikeouts.
With two down in the home half, Blasingame got a walk. As he took off to steal second, Duling’s pitch bounced in the dirt and went to the backstop. That allowed Blasingame to move to third.
A grounder by Braylen Harlamert that handcuffed O-G’s third baseman, allowed him to reach first and Blasingame to make it a 2-0 game.
Maag opened the fifth with a double to left. Metzger reached as Coldwater tried and failed to get Maag at third base.
Stechschulte hit a grounder to third. It was fired back to the plate and Maag was called out on a very close play. The other runners advanced, and a passed ball allowed Metzger to score and cut the lead to 2-1.
Howell led off for Coldwater. He hit a popup just a few feet from home plate. Duling had the ball briefly, but it popped out and fell to the ground.
With his pitch count over 100, he was lifted for Buckland. Buckland hit the first batter he faced, and walked the second to load the bases with no outs. He then also walked Mason Welsch and Curtis Duerr to force in two runs.
O-G put Maag on the hill, and he got out of the jam, with a foul popout, strikeout and flyout.
In the next inning, A.J. Harlamert and Howell were walked to put Coldwater in good shape. Maag then came out after having an issue with his side and being checked by the trainer.
Evan Harlamet put down a bunt single to third, loading the bases.
A walk for Sudhoff and a sac fly to right by Welsch stretched the Cavaliers lead to five.
Bruggeman then polished things off in the seventh, He got Leopold looking, struck out Maag swinging after going to a full count, then induced a grounder to short for the final out.
Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.
