PBR Spotlight Game: No. 2 (D-II) Sandusky Perkins vs. Bowling Green
May 24, 2013
Dylan Hefflinger
PBR Senior Writer and Northwest scout
ARCHBOLD - One of the craziest innings I've seen in my time covering or watching baseball was enough for No. 2-ranked Sandusky Perkins (27-1) to slide past Bowling Green (14-13).
In the sixth inning down 3-2, the Pirates used their creativity, speed and also capitalized on Bobcat mistakes to score four runs to go on top for good.
Defiance College recruit Quinten Harrington drew a lead-off walk against BG's talented unsigned senior starter Nolan Dill. Tiffin University recruit Seth Bryant was plunked to put two on with no out, ending the day for Dill on the mound and bringing in Eastern Illinois recruit Andy Fisher.
Unsigned senior cleanup hitter Quintin Cantelli greeted Fisher with a bloop single to load the bases and all the runners advanced a base on a wild pitch allowing Harrington (pictured below) to score, knotting the game at 3-3. On another pitch that got past the catcher, Cantelli went too far off second base as Bryant stayed put at third. Bowling Green catcher Rob Tyrrell fired a bullet to second, but Cantelli was able to avoid the tag, while Bryant raced home to put Perkins on top 4-3
.
Fisher composed himself striking out the next two, however, the Pirates were not done scoring. A walk to Mason Gerold put runners on first and second and on the next pitch the Pirates ran a double steal. The throw from Tyrel hit off the bat of the Perkins batter while still in the box allowing Cantelli to score to put Perkins up 5-3.
Another walk to junior Devin Dubbert put runners on the corners and the Pirates were not done running. Dubbert left first base early and Fisher threw the ball to first. With another Perkins runner headed home, BG first baseman Taylor Gambrell threw a rope in time to get Gerold at the plate. However, the ball was dropped putting Perkins up 6-3.
"Ugly baseball prevailed." stated Perkins mentor Ray Neil. "We got out in nowhere land on the bases and they got us on a throw behind where our guy scored. We were fortunate. I'm just very happy for our team, especially for our seniors."
The Pirates' talented junior relief pitcher Thane Walton (pictured left) shut down the Bobcats in the seventh thanks to a line drive double play where junior Luke Fraley threw a bullet across the diamond to double off the speedy Fisher.
Perkins got on top in the first as Bryant drove home Cameron Waldock with an RBI single to put the Pirates up 1-0.
Bowling Green got its first run on the board in the fourth on a bases-loaded walk to Tyrell scoring Quinn Donaldson who reached on a one-out double.
Perkins with back on top 2-1 on an RBI single from Walton, scoring Bryant who was hit by a pitch.
The Bobcats answered with two in the fifth. A lead-off walk to junior Ricky Riggs and a sac bunt put Riggs in scoring position. Sophomore Jeremy Chambers ripped an RBI single up the middle, then stole second and scored on an RBI single from fellow sophomore Mitch Cromley to put BG on top 3-2.
Two unsigned seniors pitched well as Perkins starter Waldock (pictured below left) went 4+ innings allowing two runs on two hits and three walks, while striking out six. BG starter Nolan Dill (pictured below right) went 5+ innings allowing four runs (two through five innings) on five hits and one walk, while striking out two.
Perkins will face No. 1 Defiance on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the district finals.
Said Neil: "Defiance is a really really good ball club, but we just have to be better then them tomorrow."
To view scouting notes from this game, please visit the Ohio High School Scouting Blog. The blog gets updated throughout the week.
To view notes on unsigned seniors please visit the Unsigned Senior Scouting Blog. The blog gets updated throughout the week.
To discuss this game, please visit our partner JJHuddle.
LINESCORE
Sandusky Perkins 100 104 x - 6 6 1
Winning pitcher: Thane Walton (2 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 3 strikeouts, 0 walks). Others: Cameron Waldock, Chase Boyer.
Losing pitcher: Nolan Dill (5+ innings, 4 runs, 5 hits, 2 strikeouts, 1 walk). Other: Any Fisher.
Leading hitters: (Bowling Green, 6 hits) - Quinn Donaldson double. (Perkins, 6 hits) - Cameron Waldock 2 singles; Quintin Cantelli 2 singles.
