SPRINGFIELD, OH – The Lafayette Aviators, much like the previous night, got the bats and runs going early. Unlike Friday’s loss to the host Champion City Kings, Lafayette held on to the large lead to knock off the Kings 10-4 in a rain-shortened game only going seven complete innings.
Connor Gill (Plainfield, IL; Land Lake College) made his debut as Saturday’s starter, but was rudely greeted by Lafayette’s offense. Three runs would come home with eight batters facing the right-handed pitcher. Champion City would answer back with one run of their own, as Jonah Sutton (Collierville, TN; Memphis) singled in the first run. What seemed like a great start for the offense quickly quieted down after the second inning, as the Kings wouldn’t get another baserunner until the fifth frame. In his first game starting for the Champion City Kings, Barry Eiseman (Palm Harbor, FL; Florida State College at Jacksonville) singled to snap the baserunner drought, but only made it to second base.
Edrick Padilla (Salinas, Puerto Rico; Ohio Wesleyan) doubled with two outs in the sixth inning to snap the scoreless streak and shrink the deficit to 10-3. Another Kings run came home in the seventh, as Gus Gregory (Strongsville, OH; Strongsville HS) picked up an RBI to pull the Kings within six. However, the Kings couldn’t duplicate their seventh run magic from Friday, as Champion City fell 10-4.
Lafayette scored in every inning except the seventh, combining for seventeen runs in the series split. Champion City scored thirteen in two days, scoring nine in the seventh innings.
Champion City is now 3-7, continuing the six-game homestand with West Virginia rolling back in to town on Sunday afternoon. For tickets, event information, PLTV links, and more, please visit championcitykings.com!