Wapakoneta’s Drew Bailey attempts to tag Defiance’s Brady Borton during Monday’s game.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
DEFIANCE — The race for the WBL crown is officially a tight one, and it’ll come down to the last week of the regular season.
In an old-fashioned pitchers duel on Monday night at Defiance High School, Wapakoneta’s Taylor Echols threw a two-hit shutout and Defiance’s Brezlyn Zipfel nearly matched that effort, but allowed the game’s only run in the third inning, leading to a 1-0 Redskin victory.
Defiance (14-4, 7-1 WBL) and Wapakoneta (11-5, 6-1 WBL) are now separated by a half-game in the WBL standings, meaning both teams control their own destiny.
For these two teams, close matchups have become somewhat of a tradition. As a starting pitcher, Echols has played a huge part in that the last two years, getting the win on Monday night and throwing an eight-inning no-hitter against the Bulldogs last season.
“The last three years, this game has been just as close as it was today,” said Wapakoneta coach Jason Brandt. “I’d like to think that we play our best against them and they play their best against us. When you have two good teams with good pitchers, you have to come out ready to play.”
Brandt went on to say that he’s seen a shift in intensity since his team’s 4-0 loss against top-ranked Jonathan Alder this past Saturday. That game was also played in Defiance.
“We really battled against them,” Brandt said of Jonathan Alder. “Then we come out here today against a pitcher like Zipfel who can throw three pitches for strikes at any time. There was little margin for error on either side. We strung enough hits together to get a run in the third, then hats off to Taylor. That was a heck of a game that he threw today.”
Echols, a Miami (OH) University commit, was absolutely brilliant on the mound. He struck out 14 of the 29 batters he faced, and in an arsenal that includes a fastball in the low 90’s, a changeup and a slider, he threw 68 of his 116 pitches for strikes.
“I felt really good with my stuff today and obviously, when you’re playing a team like this that’s always nice,” said Echols. “I thought I had my best stuff throughout the whole game. My slider was definitely my go-to tonight. My changeup wasn’t really working, but my fastball was up there too.”
“He had three pitches working for strikes,” Brandt said of his ace. “There were times where his pitches were so good that he made some good hitters look really bad.”
Wapakoneta scored the game’s lone run in the third inning on an RBI single from Zac Niekamp. It was one of just four hits given up by Zipfel despite a strong complete-game effort.
The pursuit of perfection
LEIPSIC — Leipsic’s baseball team plays in two leagues and hasn’t lost a game to a team in either one of them so far this season.
The Vikings, 17-1 overall, 7-0 in the Northwest Conference and 6-0 in the Putnam County League, took another step closer to an NWC championship with a 3-1 win over Crestview on Friday in a matchup of two of the top three NWC teams.
Leipsic got dominant pitching from Tommy Offenbacher, who threw a two-hitter and struck out 13, and added just enough timely hitting for the win.
Offenbacher didn’t allow a hit until Crestview’s Hunter Jones’ single with one out in the top of the sixth inning. And the Knights’ pitcher, Preston Kreischer, also was hard to hit early. He didn’t give up a hit until the fourth inning and Leipsic got only four hits against him in the game.
“Both pitchers were just fantastic for like three innings, they were about unhittable. Then we made a couple of adjustments and were able to put a few more balls in play. Thank goodness we had a couple of timely hits,” Leipsic coach Darren Henry said.
“Tommy pitched a great game. He’s our No. 1 pitcher and we have a couple of guys after him who do a nice job,” he said.
The most timely of those Leipsic hits were in the bottom of the fourth inning when clean-up hitter Trent Siefker singled, moved up on a passed ball and scored when the next batter, Ty Lammers, singled for a 1-0 lead. After a walk to Colin Niese and a wild pitch, Lammers scored when Nick Schroeder grounded into a fielder’s choice, which produced a second run.
Crestview coach Jim Wharton said getting the early lead was huge, especially because of the level at which both pitchers were performing.
“Their pitcher pitched well, our pitcher pitched well enough to win. It was a great high school baseball game and they came up with the timely hitting and we didn’t. We just needed to put a string together and didn’t. And a lot of that was because of their pitcher,” he said.
A season-shifting stretch
DELPHOS — Delphos St. John’s has had the type of week that turns around a season.
After falling to Wayne Trace on Monday, the Blue Jays are now winners of three straight games.
Two shutouts started the streak with a 2-0 win over Coldwater on Tuesday and a 3-0 win over Crestview, the NWC’s top team, on Wednesday.
On Thursday night, Delphos St. John’s found themselves in another down-to-the-wire conference game against Marion Local and they managed to squeak out a 2-1 win, improving their record to 9-10 on the season.
Bluee Jays starter Grant Ulm worked in and out of trouble throughout the game and came away with the win after holding the Flyers to five hits and one earned run in six innings. Austin Moenter came in and threw a perfect seventh frame to pick up the save.
Ben Meier took the tough-luck loss for Marion Local despite holding the Blue Jays to eight hits and one earned run in six innings.
Delphos St. John’s broke through on Meier in the third and sixth innings.
TJ Werts lined a two-out single into center field in the third, plating Tyce McClain and Tyler Lindeman singled in Colin Feathers in the sixth.
Griffin Bruns brought home Marion Local’s lone run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning.
With the loss, the Flyers drop to 12-9 on the year.
Back to the basics
OTTOVILLE – Miller City baseball coach Dusty Pester preaches to his team that baseball can be a simple game.
In Tuesday’s Putnam County League matchup at Ottoville, Miller City kept it simple.
Miller City pounded eight base hits, and got a solid pitching performance from senior pitcher Brent Koenig, en route to a 4-1 victory over the Big Green.
With the win, Miller City improved to 8-5 overall and 4-1 in the PCL. Ottoville slipped to 3-10 in all games played and 2-2 in PCL action.
“We like to say, ‘It’s a complicated but yet a simple game, especially on defense’,” Pester said. “If you make the pitcher throw strikes, and if you don’t commit errors, you’re going to be in the game.”
Koenig did his part on Tuesday as he scattered five hits, struck out four and walked two in his complete-game effort. Koenig tossed 79 pitches in his seven innings of work.
“Brent (Koenig) has been our best (pitcher) all year,” Pester said. “It’s not because he’s going to come out and throw 85 (miles-per-hour) and overpower you. He’s in the (strike) zone. … He mixes his speeds. We like to say that he’s a bulldog when he’s on the mound.
“He just seems to get the job done, and he’s the ultimate competitor when he pitches. So, I’m very proud of him. I don’t know what the total (pitch) count was, but he had been efficient the entire game, especially going into the sixth and seventh innings. His pitch count was low. He felt good and wanted the baseball. That’s our guy, and he got it done today.”
Big arms
• Cameron Elwer of Delphos St. John’s threw a one-hit shutout, struck out seven batters and walked one in a 2-0 victory over Coldwater.
• Kyle Hopkins of Columbus Grove worked around a hit and a walk to pick up the save in a 7-5 win over Kalida.
• Taylor Echols of Wapakoneta threw a complete game in Wapakoneta’s 3-1 win over Elida.
• Blake Reamen of Shawnee limited Van Wert to two hits and one unearned run in a 2-1 win.
• JJ Schnieders of LCC went 5 2/3 scoreless innings with six strikeouts in a win over Spencerville.
• Ethan Wehri of Kalida threw a complete game and limited Allen East to three runs on five hits in a 5-3 victory.
• Kasey Gross of St. Marys tossed a complete game, limiting O-G to two runs on seven hits in a 3-2 win.
• Joel Rasor of Bath got the win over Wapakoneta in 3 2/3 innings of relief where he held the Redskins to one hit and no runs with six strikeouts.
• Evan Osting of Spencerville tossed a complete game, holding Allen East to four hits and two earned runs in a 9-2 win.
• Clay Boedicker of Bath threw a complete game and didn’t allow an earned run in a 4-2 win over Minster.
• Maddox Underwood of Upper Scioto Valley threw a complete game, struck out nine hitters and held Arcadia to a pair of earned runs in a 4-2 win.
• Donovan Kennedy of Allen East pitched a complete game, limiting Ottawa-Glandorf to three hits and one earned run in a 3-2 victory.
• Dale Seacrest of Celina threw a complete game with four strikeouts in a 6-2 win over LCC.
• Brady Parker of LCC threw 4 2/3 scoreless innings in relief in a 6-2 loss to Celina.
• Jaxon Hoffman of Kalida picked up his first career win against Paulding.
• Cooper Twinning of Lima Senior pitched all seven innings against Waite, giving up just three hits and three earned runs in an 18-3 win.
Big bats
• Tyce McClain of Delphos St. John’s had three hits in a 2-0 win over Coldwater.
• Evan Sautter of Columbus Grove recorded three hits in a 7-5 win over Kalida.
• Adam Luersman of Fort Jennings drove in three runs in a 13-0 win over Continental.
• Hunter Scott of Perry went 2 for 5 and drove in three runs in a 13-3 win over Upper Scioto Valley.
• Tyson McGee of Bath drove in three runs in an 11-4 win over Lincolnview.
• Bryce Gasser of Fort Jennings went 3 for 4 with three RBI in a 9-3 win over Paulding.
• Braylon Metzger of Delphos St. John’s had three hits in a 2-0 win over Coldwater.
• Trenton Wynkoop of Columbus Grove had three hits in a 7-5 win over Kalida. He also had three hits and three RBI in a 15-8 win over LCC.
• Carson Gilchriest of Fort Jennings drove in three runs in a 13-0 win over Continental.
• Jaden Miller of Bath had three hits in an 11-4 win over Lincolnview.
• Michael Quatman of LCC had three hits, scored three runs and recorded two RBI in an 8-7 loss to Wayne Trace.
• Kasey Gross of St. Marys drove in three runs in a 19-0 win over Spencerville.
• Joel Rasor of Bath scored four times in a 12-5 win over Miller City.
• Mason Wibley of Ada had two hits and drove in three runs in a 10-0 win over Temple Christian.
• Clay Jordan of Lima Senior went 4 for 6 with two RBI in a win over Waite.
• Joel Kogge of St. Marys drove in three runs in a 19-0 win over Spencerville.
• Tyson McGee of Bath scored three times in a 12-5 win over Miller City.
• Caiden Crawford of Lima Senior went 2 for 2 with five stolen bases and four runs scored against Waite.
• Korben Moellering of Lima Senior drove in three runs against Waite.
Home run club
• Jackson Thompson of Allen East hit a two-run homer in a 4-3 win over Ottawa-Glandorf.
BASEBALL STANDINGS
Western Buckeye League
`WBL`All
Defiance`7-1`14-4
Wapakoneta`6-1`11-5
Van Wert`6-2`9-8
Celina`5-3`14-7
Shawnee`5-3`10-10
St. Marys`4-4`7-10
Bath`4-5`11-11
Elida`3-5`7-11
Ottawa-Glandorf`1-8`5-13
Kenton`0-9`3-14
Midwest Athletic Conference
`MAC`All
Minster`7-1`17-4
Versailles`7-1`19-4
Coldwater`6-3`20-3
St. Henry`5-2`11-9
Delphos St. John’s`4-4`10-12
Fort Recovery`4-3`7-8
Marion Local`3-4`13-10
New Bremen`2-7`6-9
Parkway`2-6`6-9
New Knoxville`0-9`5-13
Northwest Conference
`NWC`All
Leipsic`7-0`17-1
Lincolnview`5-0`13-6
Crestview`6-1`12-3
Bluffton`3-3`8-9
Columbus Grove`3-4`9-11
Allen East`2-5`8-11
Delphos Jefferson`2-5`3-12
Spencerville`2-6`3-16
Ada`0-6`0-12
Northwest Central Conference
`NWCC`All
Hardin Northern`9-0`16-4
Elgin`8-1`11-7
North Baltimore`5-3`5-14
Waynesfield-Goshen`5-4`7-9
Perry`4-4`9-8
Upper Scioto Valley`4-4`7-9
Cory-Rawson`3-5`4-13
Ridgemont`2-5`5-13
Ridgedale`1-8`1-12
Temple Christian`0-7`0-10
Putnam County League
`PCL`All
Leipsic`6-0`17-1
Miller City`4-1`9-6
Fort Jennings`3-3`12-6
Columbus Grove`3-3`10-11
Pandora – Gilboa`2-3`7-12
Ottoville`2-3`3-11
Kalida`1-3`6-12
Continental`0-5`1-12
Toledo City Athletic League
`TCAL`All
Start`7-1`11-6
Bowsher`6-2`9-5
Lima Senior`6-3`8-13
Rogers`5-5`5-12
Waite`2-5`3-9
Scott`0-2`0-2
Woodward`0-8`0-10
RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
Friday
Bath 4, Minster 2
Wayne Trace 8, LCC 7
Riverdale 6, Kenton 3
St. Marys 19, Spencerville 0
Coldwater 5, Lincolnview 4
Liberty-Benton 11, Kalida 2
Upper Scioto Valley 4, Arcadia 2
Columbus Grove 5, St. John’s 0
Fort Loramie 2, Marion Local 1
Lima Senior 8, Elida 4
Defiance 2, Bryan 0
Ada 14, Vanlue 1
Pandora-Gilboa 8, Jefferson 4
Paulding 8, Continental 0
Waynesfield-Goshen 5, Ridgedale 2
Saturday
Bath 12, Miller City 5
Allen East 4, Ottawa-Glandorf 3
Crestview 1, Van Wert 0; Crestview 11, Ada 10
Coldwater 6, Fort Loramie 5
Fort Jennings 3, Columbus Grove 2
Shawnee 5, Delphos St. John’s 1
Russia 15, Fort Recovery 0
Russia 2, Fort Recovery 1
Arcadia 6, Bluffton 2
Hardin Northern 3, Spencerville 2
Arlington 6, Cory-Rawson 5
Versailles 9, Parkway 2
Jonathan Alder 4, Wapakoneta 0
Olentangy Berlin 5, Defiance 3
Celina 10, Lima Senior 0
Monday
Celina 6, LCC 2
Van Buren 2, Bath 0
Marion Local 3, St. Marys 0
Ada 10, Temple Christian 0
Perry 4, Ridgemont 0
Kalida 8, Paulding 5
Miller City 9, Ayersville 0
Coldwater 3, St. Henry 1
Lima Senior 18, Waite 3
Lima Senior 16, Waite 2
Delphos St. John’s 13, Spencerville 3
Holgate 10 Continental 3
Fort Recovery 2, Arcanum 0
Delphos Jefferson 4, New Knoxville 3
Parkway 9, Wayne Trace 5
Versailles 1, Franklin Monroe 0
Columbus Grove 6, Ottoville 1
Riverdale 9, Hardin Northern 2
Cory-Rawson 14, Vanlue 1
Patrick Henry 7, Ottawa-Glandorf 5
Indian Lake 15, Shawnee 5
Tuesday
Games ended after The Lima News deadline. Find scores, game stories, photos and more on LimaScores.com.
Lima Senior at Bath, 5 p.m.
LCC at Ayersville, 5 p.m.
Celina at Minster, 5 p.m.
Archbold at Defiance, 5 p.m.
St. Marys at Fort Recovery, 5 p.m.
Van Wert at Parkway, 5 p.m.
Delphos Jefferson at Wapakoneta, 5 p.m.
Delphos St. John’s at Paulding, 5 p.m.
Russia at Marion Local, 5 p.m.
Fort Loramie at New Bremen, 5 p.m.
Eaton at St. Henry, 5 p.m.
Versailles at Bradford, 5 p.m.
Waynesfield-Goshen at Ada, 5 p.m.
Crestview at Antwerp, 5 p.m.
Lincolnview at Hicksville, 5 p.m.
Spencerville at Perry, 5 p.m.
Continental at Miller City, 5 p.m.
Ottoville at Fort Jennings, 5 p.m.
Pandora-Gilboa, 5 p.m.
North Baltimore at Temple Christian, 5 p.m.
Cory-Rawson at Botkins, 5 p.m.
Wednesday
LCC at Elida, 5 p.m.
Bath at Ottoville, 5 p.m.
Defiance at Celina, 5 p.m.
Leipsic at Elida, 5 p.m.
Shawnee at Northmont, 5 p.m.
Wapakoneta at Van Wert, 5 p.m.
Delphos St. John’s at Kalida, 5 p.m.
Ada at Columbus Grove, 5 p.m.
McComb at Hardin Northern, 5 p.m.
Thursday
Shawnee at Lima Senior, 5 p.m.
LCC at St. Henry, 5 p.m.
Celina at Lehman Catholic, 5 p.m.
Defiance at Findlay, 5 p.m.
Elida at St. Marys, 5:30 p.m.
Kenton at Arlington, 5 p.m.
Ottawa-Glandorf at Fairview, 5 p.m.
Van Wert at Delphos Jefferson, 5 p.m.
Indian Lake at Wapakoneta, 5:30 p.m.
Coldwater at Eaton, 5 p.m.
Versailles at Fort Recovery, 5 p.m.
Arcanum at Marion Local, 5 p.m.
Lincolnview at Minster, 5 p.m.
Perry at New Bremen, 5 p.m.
Fort Jennings at Spencerville, 5 p.m.
Kalida at Continental, 5 p.m.
Paulding at Miller City, 5 p.m.
Friday
North Union at Kenton, 5:15 p.m.
Van Wert at Kalida, 7 p.m.
Columbus Grove at Wapakoneta, 5 p.m.
Newton Local at Coldwater, 5 p.m.
Marion Local at Bradford, 5 p.m.
Fort Loramie at Minster, 7 p.m.
Delphos Jefferson at Continental, 5 p.m.
Spencerville at Temple Christian, 5 p.m.
Paulding at Pandora-Gilboa, 5 p.m.
SOFTBALL RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
Friday
Allen East 9, Perry 1
Lincolnview 6, Wayne Trace 4
Delphos Jefferson 12, Ottawa-Glandorf 2
LCC 6, Columbus Grove 3
Riverdale 7, Kenton 6
Bath 23, Bluffton 0
St. Marys 21, Spencerville 2
South Adams 9, Fort Recovery 1
Arcanum 16, Marion Local 6
Anna 8, St. Henry 7
Ada 2, Vanlue 1
Patrick Henry 17, Pandora-Gilboa 2
Waynesfield-Goshen 12, Upper Scioto Valley 2
Crestview 14, Leipsic 2
Defiance 6, Wapakoneta 0
Van Wert 4, Shawnee 2
Saturday
LCC 10, Perry 4
Coldwater 8, Sylvania Southview 0
Coldwater 10, Fort Recovery 8
Fort Recovery 7, Marion Local 4
Sylvania Southview 14, Marion Local 3
Elida 14, Van Wert 2
Parkway 10, Versailles 9
Celina 9, Lima Senior 3
Clay 8, Defiance 3
Findlay 10, Shawnee 0
Findlay 7, Shawnee 1
Holgate 11, Ottoville 10
Arlington 18, Cory-Rawson 3
Hardin Northern 10, Arlington 0
Hardin Northern 2, Spencerville 0
Monday
DIVISION I SECTIONAL SEMIFINAL
Wapakoneta 9, Lima Senior 0
DIVISION IV SECTIONAL SEMIFINALS
Perry 8, Spencerville 4
LCC 11, Ridgemont 1
St. Henry 10, Waynesfield-Goshen 0
Hardin Northern 6, Upper Scioto Valley 2
Kalida 13, Pandora-Gilboa 2
Continental 6, Crestview 5
Leipsic 17, Holgate 4
North Baltimore 23, Cory-Rawson 0
REGULAR SEASON
Shawnee 3, Delphos Jefferson 0
Tri-Village 13, Coldwater 3
Fort Recovery 7, Franklin Monroe 4
Paulding 11, Lincolnview 8
St. Marys 6, Elida 4
Wayne Trace 5, Marion Local 4
Van Wert 2, Celina 1
Liberty-Benton 14, Ottawa-Glandorf 1
Parkway 17, South Adams 5
Tuesday
Games ended after The Lima News deadline. Find scores, game stories, photos and more on LimaScores.com.
Wauseon at Defiance, 5 p.m.
Paulding at Leipsic, 5 p.m.
Lincolnview at Antwerp, 5 p.m.
Continental at Miller City, 5 p.m.
Pandora-Gilboa at Kalida, 5 p.m.
Spencerville at Perry, 5 p.m.
Division II Sectional Semifinals
Shawnee at Bath, 5 p.m.
Celina at Elida, 5 p.m.
Napoleon at Kenton, 5 p.m.
Division III Sectional Semifinals
Bluffton at Ottawa-Glandorf, 5 p.m.
Fort Recovery at Fairview, 5 p.m.
Allen East at Coldwater, 5 p.m.
Wednesday
Ottoville at LCC, 5 p.m.
Celina at Elida, 5 p.m.
Defiance at Shawnee, 5 p.m.
Van Wert at Coldwater, 5 p.m.
Botkins at Ada, 5 p.m.
Kalida at Continental, 5 p.m.
McComb at Hardin Northern, 5 p.m.
Toledo Christian at Cory-Rawson, 5 p.m.
Division I Sectional Finals
Wapakoneta at Findlay, 5 p.m.
Thursday
Division IV Sectional Finals
Perry at Minster, 5 p.m.
LCC at Marion Local, 5 p.m.
St. Henry at Ada, 5 p.m.
Hardin Northern at New Bremen, 5 p.m.
Kalida at Columbus Grove, 5 p.m.
Ottoville at Lincolnivew, 5 p.m.
Continental at Patrick Henry, 5 p.m.
Leipsic at Miller City, 5 p.m.
