By Chris Rutz

CINCINNATI, OH- In the first of the three OHSAA Division II District championship games that were played at Mason High school on Saturday, the No. 10 ranked Bellefontaine Chieftains used a late game rally to edge out the No. 24 ranked New Richmond Lions 4-2.

New Richmond started senior right-handed pitcher and three-hole hitter Levi Simpson with hopes that his experience would help contribute to another district championship.

In the top of the first, Simpson sat Bellefontaine down in order collecting his first of six strikeouts on the day.

Bellefontaine had a similar thought process as they sent senior right-hander Kyle Brunner to the mound to face the Lions.

Brunner escaped Bellefontaine’s threat in the first inning, after a one out single and stolen base by senior outfielder Jake Hauke.

In the top of the second, Simpson pitched a one out walk with two more strikeouts on breaking balls out of the zone.

New Richmond was the first team to strike in the bottom of the second inning. 

Junior catcher, Dalton Henderson led the inning off with an infield single on a deep grounder in the hole. Following a strikeout, three straight singles were blasted by senior, Cole Goodnow, junior Jacob Carnahan, and sophomore Nick Laub pushing across New Richmond’s only runs on the day.

Brunner showed some grit by getting back-to-back groundouts ending the inning.

Simpson worked quickly with the bottom half of Bellefontaine’s lineup repeating his second 1-2-3 inning in the top of the third.

New Richmond posed a big threat in the bottom of the third after putting runners on second and third with one out. Bellefontaine’s left-handed pitcher, Matt Entsminger produced in a crucial situation by getting the last two outs of the inning.

In the top of the fourth, two, two-out singles by John Kirby and Connor Burton were spoiled with yet another Simpson strikeout.

Although in the bottom half of the fourth, senior Jake Hauke’s doubled for New Richmond, it was not enough to score the leadoff base runner taking the game into the fifth inning with the score still 2-0, New Richmond.

Bellefontaine tied the game up in the fifth inning.

Senior shortstop, Jarrod Houchin singled and back-to-back walks were followed by a sac fly and a two-RBI single by sophomore Tyler Jones. Bellefontaine the game into the bottom of the fifth tied 2-2.

New Richmond tallied two more singles in the bottom of the fifth. The threat was diminished as Entsminger caused two more fly outs keeping the game at a 2-2 as they headed into the last two innings.

Bellefontaine jumped to their first lead of the game after a Drake Roubuck doubled down the line scoring two base runners who had walked previously.

Bellefontaine entered the bottom of the sixth now ahead 4-2.

Bellefontaines lanky sophomore, right hander Tyler Jones took the pearl trying to keep New Richmond from answering during the last two innings. A leadoff double put the tying runner at the plate in the top of the sixth, but Jones ended the inning with back-to-back groundouts.

Bellefontaine went down in order in the top of the seventh. This took the game into the last inning only needing three more outs to advance.

Jones succeeded getting the three outs that his team needed allowing them to advance and take on the No. 7 ranked Jonathan Alder in the regionals.

To view scouting notes from this game, please visit the Ohio High School Scouting Blog. The blog gets updated throughout the week.

To discuss this game, please visit our partner JJHuddle.

Linescore

New Richmond  020  000  0  -  2

Bellefontaine     000  022  0  -  4

 

Notable Pitchers

Winning Pitcher- Matt Entsminger, 3 2/3, 4 hits, 0 ER

Other- ’16 Tyler Jones- Save,2 1/3 IP, 1 hit, 1 K

Losing Pitcher-’14 Simpson, 6 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 6 hits,6 K

 

Notable Hitters

Bellefontaine- ’14 Houchin (2 singles,RBI), ’16 Jones (2 singles, RBI), Burton (2 singles)

New Richmond- ’15 Henderson (2 singles), ’15 Goodnow ( double, single), ’15 Carnahan (2 singles, RBI), ’17 Laub (2 singles)