CHILLICOTHE, OH – Looking to build off a shutout win on Opening Night, the Champion City Kings took to the road for the first time in 2023. Despite the Kings tying up the action in their share of the sixth, the Chillicothe Paints rattled off three runs against the bullpen to hand Champion City their first loss 5-2.
Jake Woolf (Beavercreek, OH; Walsh University) made the start to ring in his 2023 debut. While allowing two runs to the Paints in the second, Woolf kept the home team quiet for three of his four innings. The second-year King gave up five hits and two walks, keeping champion City in striking distance.
The Kings got their offense going in their fifth. Evan Lorey (Howell, MI; Spring Arbor University) picked up a two-out RBI single to score Blake Buzzeo (Stow, OH; Miami University), who doubled the previous at-bat. Going against the first pitcher out of the bullpen in the sixth inning, another two-out run scored for Champion City. Nikolas Pereira (Palmetto Bay, FL; Florida Southwestern State College) drew a walk, eventually scoring off a Carson Womer (Parrish, FL; Florida State College at Jacksonville) single with the bases jammed.
With a 2-2 game heading to the bottom of the sixth, the Paints would score three more runs to take the victory. Noah Curi (West Chester, OH; Clark State College) suffered the loss in his first game for Champion City, throwing two innings of one run, two hit, three walk, two strikeout baseball. Daewin Spence (Portsmouth, OH; University of Rio Grande) threw in the seventh inning, allowing two earned runs of three hits, one walk, while striking out one. Cole Agemy (Macomb, MI; Marshall University) pitched in the eighth, just allowing one walk.
The Kings fall to 1-1, coming back home to the friendly confines of Carleton Davidson Stadium on Friday and Saturday Night against the Chillicothe Paints. Get your tickets now by staying put at championcitykings.com!