SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The Champion City Kings (3-5) erased a seven-run deficit with a monster comeback in the bottom of the ninth inning on Friday (June 7) night against the Chillicothe Paints (5-3) at Carleton Davidson Stadium.
Trailing 8-1 in the ninth, the Kings sent 14 men to the plate and scored eight runs with two outs for a 9-8 win. Ben Major (Troy, Ohio / Dayton) capped the rally with a RBI single to center field as the comeback was complete.
Champion City struck first in the fourth inning after three scoreless frames. Braylen Blomquist (St. Clairsville, Ohio / Wright State) opened the inning with an infield single and advanced to second on an error. Salvador Diaz (Norwalk, California / Gallaudet) singled Blomquist as the Kings led 1-0.
Chillicothe tied the game in the fifth inning and launched three home runs within the next three innings, opening a 7-1 advantage. The Paints added two runs in the sixth and three in the seventh inning.
The Paints ended their scoring with a RBI single in the top of the ninth, pushing the visitors lead to 8-1 as the Kings had three outs to work with.
Quinton Reep (Bridgeport, West Va. / Fairmont State) opened the ninth with being hit by a pitch before Johnny Costella (Cleveland, Ohio / Notre Dame College) walked. The Paints got two strikeouts but that did not stop the Kings. Ray Hawkins (Miamisburg, Ohio / Palm Beach Atlantic) walked to load the bases. Blomquist took ball four to bring in a run, scoring Reep. Chillicothe went to the bullpen and Champion City continued to chip away. Diaz was plunked by a pitch to score Costella and a wild pitch allowed Hawkins to come home. Without a hit to that point, the Kings cut the lead to 8-4 with two outs. A walk from Caden Miller (Lockport, Illinois / Alvin CC) re-loaded the bases for Jacob Baller (Poplar Bluff, Missouri / Three Rivers College). Baller singled home to plate Blomquist and Diaz as the score was 8-6. Reep singled up the middle to fill the bases once again. Costella tied the game with a two-run single to center field, scoring Miller and Baller. Chillicothe made another pitching change while Champion City countered with Lucas Day (Dayton, Ohio / Oakland). The Paints intentionally walked Day to create the force play opportunity. Major lined a pitch up the middle to send the 744 fans in attendance into a frenzy. Champion City delivered a walk-off win, stunning the Paints with nine straight batters reaching base.
Major had three hits in the game, including a double. Diaz, Baller and Reep all notched two hits in the game. Seven different players scored runs while Diaz, Baller and Costella all plated two runs each.
Joe Tootle (Powell, Ohio / Ohio Northern) started for the Kings, going into the sixth inning. The right-hander allowed three runs on six hits in 5.1 innings with six strikeouts. Nate Miller (Port St. Lucie, Florida / Notre Dame College) escaped trouble in the sixth inning, getting the final two outs. Evan Ables (Dayton, Ohio / PennWest California) gave up four runs (three earned) in the seventh inning (0.1 IP) with three walks and two hits. Soren Strombeck (Oakwood, Ohio / Lake Erie College) ended the seventh inning with one strikeout and walk. Joe Stone (Waynesville, Ohio / Thomas More) got the win with one run given up in the final two innings. Stone finished with three strikeouts.
Champion City returns to Danville on Saturday (June 8) for a road game at 7:30 PM Eastern. The Kings are back at home on Sunday (June 9) with a 4:05 PM start against Johnstown.