SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The Champion City Kings (3-7) was nearing their fourth home win of the season on Sunday (June 9) afternoon until the Johnstown Mill Rats (7-5) rallied in the ninth inning. A five-run ninth inning lifted the Mill Rats to an 8-6 win at Carleton Davidson Stadium.
Johnstown scored one run in the second and fifth innings, leading 2-0 with the Kings coming to bat in the fifth inning.
After ten men stepped to the plate against two Mill Rats hurlers, the Kings scored five runs to lead 5-2. Johnny Costella (Cleveland, Ohio / Notre Dame College) led off with a walk and then stole second. Kolten Poorman (Bonne Terre, Missouri / Eastern Illinois) singled home Costella with a RBI knock. Braylen Blomquist (St. Clairsville, Ohio / Wright State) and Louis Florida (Wilmette, Illinois / DePauw) followed with singles to load the bases. A passed ball scored Poorman and Salvador Diaz (Norwalk, California / Gallaudet) walked, loading the bases once again. With a pitching change, Lucas Day (Dayton, Ohio / Oakland) put Champion City in the lead 3-2 with a RBI single. Nicholas Weyrich (London, Ohio / Marshall) was hit by a pitch while Quinton Reep (Bridgeport, West Virginia / Fairmont State) grounded out to both drive in runs.
In the seventh inning, Diaz was hit by a pitch while Day singled and Weyrich walked. With the bases loaded, Reep was hit by a pitch and the lead grew to 6-2 with the Mill Rats running out of time.
A leadoff home run in the eighth inning kickstarted the Mill Rats’ rally as they followed it up with five runs scored in the top of the ninth inning. Johnstown took an 8-6 lead into the last chance for the Kings.
Day and Weyrich both walked in the ninth but the Mill Rats ended the game with three straight outs.
Champion City had seven hits in the game with Blomquist and Day each having two hits. Diaz was plunked twice as Champion City was hit five times as a team (season-high). Florida, Reep and Weyrich joined Diaz as hit by pitch victims.
Andrew DeWitt (Springfield, Ohio / UIndy) started and tossed five innings of two-run ball with four strikeouts. Bennett LaPalm (Belbrook, Ohio / Dayton) allowed three runs (two earned) in three and one third innings. Wesley Culley (Millington, Tenn. / University of the Cumberlands) suffered the loss with three runs given up. Nate Miller (Port St. Lucie, Florida / Notre Dame College) got the final two outs of the game.
Champion City will host the Normal Cornbelters on Tuesday (June 11) and Wednesday (June 12) at 6:35 PM.