SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The Champion City Kings (1-8) got into the win column on Thursday (June 5) evening at Carleton Davidson Stadium with the help of some timely hits, defeating the Chillicothe Paints (5-4) by a final score of 5-4.
Brady Lester served as the hero in the game, plating four of the five runs for the Kings as they snapped an eight game losing streak to start the 2025 season.
A quick start by the Kings in the first inning allowed them to take an early lead. Gehrig Cordial singled and Zach Rennard walked, bringing Lester to the plate. Lester drilled a three-run home run to deep center field off the Paints’ starter.
The Paints got single runs home in the second and third frames, trimming the lead to 3-2 before Champion City added a run in the fourth inning. After an error, Jonathan Gonzalez Perez doubled down the left field line and an second error scored the first runner for a 4-2 advantage.
Chillicothe tied the game in the top of the seventh with a two-run double.
The game was not tied for long as the Kings broke the tie in the 7th. Tyler Walkey singled and Cordial walked to put two runners on base. Lester singled through the right side, scoring Walkey as the Kings led 5-4.
An uneasy ninth had Champion City on the ropes but Brodie Guenther got the game to end with the Kings in front.
Lester went three-for-four with four RBI, leading the Kings. Rennard and Gonzalez Perez had doubles in the game.
Alex Galdoni started and allowed one run in 1.1 innings with a pair of strikeouts. Keegan Holmstrom followed with one run allowed in 2.2 innings. He fanned six batters. Joey Ross earned the win, going three innings with two runs allowed. Guenther finished the game for the save with two scoreless innings.
Champion City returns home on Saturday to take on Lafayette at 6:35 PM, the same team they face on Friday.