SPRINGFIELD, OH – Kyler Archual (Columbus, OH; Tiffin Univ.) was masterful on the mound through nearly eight innings, as the Champion City Kings bopped past the Chillicothe Paints 7-4.
Archual went 7.2 innings, allowing just one two-run home run in the 7th inning, four total hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. Nathan Jendraszkiewicz (Aurora, IL; Lake Land College) gave up the last two Chillicothe runs in the ninth, on a second two-run home run. Noah Penney (Fort Murray, Alberta, Canada; Tiffin Univ.) would close out the game for his first save, slamming the game shut with a double play.
Offensively, the Kings got rolling in the second inning. Sean Kolenich (Parma, OH; Baldwin-Wallace) singled in Ben Stuart (Mason, OH; Evansville) for the first run. Stuart, having walked three straight times, would score again in the fourth inning with a wild pitch. An error on the Paints’ infield allow Matt Mercer (Richton, MS; Pearl River CC) to reach, which scored two more runs. In the fifth inning, Gus Gregory (Strongsville, OH; Strongsville HS) singled home Stuart to chase Chillicothe’s starter. The last of the Kings runs came home in the eighth, with Edrick Padilla (Salinas, Puerto Rico; Ohio Wesleyan) doubling in two.
Stuart finished the game 0-for-2, but walked and scored three times. Mercer went 3-for-5; Padilla 2-for-5 with 2 RBI, and Kolenich 3-for-3 with a run scored and one RBI.
The Kings are now 6-15, getting ready to face the Terre Haute Rex for a Saturday doubleheader. For tickets, PLTV information, and more, please visit championcitykings.com!