SPRINGFIELD, OH – A rainy Sunday created a chilly Monday doubleheader, where the visiting Johnstown Mill Rats won both games 7-5 and 6-4 over the Champion City Kings.
In Game One, Kyle Kesel (Hilliard, OH; Hilliard Darby High School) made his first start and home debut. His season debut was in relief, allowing just one run in two frames in the 11-1 road run-rule win at Chillicothe. The Mill Rats were able to get three earned runs off of Kesel in three innings, as the graduate of Hilliard Darby allowed four walks and two hits in the loss. Fellow Hilliard Darby teammate Cam Gilkerson (Hilliard, OH) took over in the fourth inning, lasting into the fifth inning with two outs. Gilkerson gave up four runs (three earned) on four hits and three walks with two punchouts. Ben Zink (Clayton, OH; Wright State University) would close out the first game, allowing just one hit and a walk in 2.1 frames. Offensively, Evan Lorey (Howell, MI; Spring Arbor University), Lucas Day (Dayton, OH; Oakland University), Nikolas Pereira (Palmetto Bay, FL; Florida Southwest State College), and Carson Womer (Parrish, FL; Florida State College at Jacksonville) each had two hits, with Calin Smith (Peachtree City, GA; Marshall University) bringing in two runs. The Kings never led, but had a chance to walk it off in the seventh with runners at second and third with one out.
In the nightcap, Jake Woolf (Beavercreek, OH; Walsh University) made the start, allowing six runs in 2.1 innings, with five of those six earned runs. Woolf walked four, allowed six hits, and struck out four Mill Rats. Noah Curi (West Chester, OH; Clark State College) threw the next 3.2 innings, allowing no runs, two hits, one walk while striking out six. Carson Womer threw a scoreless seventh inning, with just a hit given up while striking out the side. Six Kings had one base hit in the nightcap, with Pereira delivering two RBI.
With the pair of losses, the Kings fell to 3-9 and had the Tuesday homestand closer rained out. Champion City will now travel to Johnstown for three road games. For PLTV information, keep it here at championcitykings.com!