By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
The Calhoun Reds saved their best to last and had it not been for a gutsy gamble by the Fort Frye Reds the Reds may have played another day.
But, when Fort Frye elected to intentionally walk Jerry Jones with two out in the ninth loading the bases and setting up a force out at every base it worked as the next batter smashed a grounder back to the mound that was thrown to home for the final in an 11-10 Reds' loss.
It was the first round of the Mid-Ohio Valley Baseball League Tournament and with the loss the Reds' season ended.
But it sure didn't end without a fight.
The first four innings of the game were a defensive struggle with what offense there was being generated by Fort Frye which held a 4-0 lead going into the fifth.
But in the fifth Calhoun's bats woke up in a big way.
Chandler Newell led off the inning with a walk and after a fly out Chris Thornton walked to put two runners on. Jones followed with a single making it 4-1. After Eli Stump was hit by a pitch to load the bases Allen Matheny hammered a single to plate a pair.
The next batter gone on via a fielder's choice when Jones was cut down trying to tie the score. Still Fort Frye's lead had been cut to one, 4-3.
Seth Moore was walked to once again load the bases and Caden Hicks singled driving in a run. Austin Hicks followed with another single and the Reds were up 6-4. Walks to Newell, Ben Frederick and Thornton pushed the score to 8-4 and the bases were still loaded. But Fort Frye was able to work itself out of the jam without allowing any more runs to score.
Ending that threat must have inspired Fort Frye because it came back with seven in the bottom of the inning for an 11-8 lead.
After being shut down in the sixth the Reds' bats came to life once more in the seventh.
Moore led off with a single and aggressively moved into scoring position. He was plated seconds later by a single by Caden Hicks.
After getting an out Chandler walked again to put runners on first and second with one out.
Frederick lined a double with one run scoring while leaving runners on second and third with one out and the Reds down by just a run, 11-10.
After getting another out Fort Frye decided to gamble by walking Jones intentionally.
It worked and the Reds' season ended.
Calhoun Reds 000 080 2 - 10 9 2
Fort Frye Red 112 070 x - 11 9 1
Calhoun pitching: Seth Moore 5 strikeouts, 5 walks; Soney Wilson 2 strikeouts.
Calhoun hitting: Seth Moore 1-2 (RBI); Allen Matheny 1-2 (2 RBI); Caden Hicks 3-4 (RBI); Soney Wilson 0-4; Austin Hicks 2-4 (RBI); Chandler Newell 0-1 (RBI); Ben Frederick 1-3 (2B, 2 RBI); Eli Stump 0-3; Chris Thornton 0-2 (RBI); Jerry Jones 1-3 (RBI).
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