By Dylan Hefflinger

TOLEDO- Two teams with league title aspirations went outside of league action for a chance to play at Fifth Third Field, home of the Class AAA Toledo Mud Hens.

Hopewell-Loudon, which leads the Midland Athletic League, capitalized on ninth-inning mistakes by Kalida, of the Putnam County League, to earn an 8-4 victory.

The inning started with a hit batter and an error on pitcher Jared Zeller. Miscommunication by the pitcher and catcher then allowed the eight-hole hitter to reach loading the bases. Leftfielder Jordan Reinhart brought in the eventual game-winner with a 2-run single. Logan Sendelbach followed with an RBI double, his second on the night. A missed squeeze attempt turned into the 2nd out, but the 3rd error of the inning plated another run. A wild pitch made it 8-3.

"The 5 runs in the ninth were with some very basic baseball. Getting the leadoff HBP then two good bunts and a clutch hit by our nine-hole guy," stated Chieftain coach Brian Rothrock. "We talk in baseball how important those little things are and will help in the end. Big hits are definitely a key to that as well, and having the kids enter the box with confidence. The suicide squeeze would have been nice to get down but we still have things we need to polish up a bit."

Unsigned senior Alex Ratchen, a 6-2 right-hander, came in the bottom half throwing gas, reaching up to 88 mph. Ratchen allowed a run on a hit, while striking out 1.

"Alex, he is still my little secret project I have been working with," Rothrock said. "We definitely have more work to do but if we can continue to get him consistently in the zone with the fastball his slider will be nasty."

Unsigned senior Sendelbach had another solid outing for the Chieftains, consistently throwing in the mid-80s topping out at 88. Sendelbach, who came in only allowing 5 hits on the season in 25 innings, allowed 5 in the contest, 4 straight in the 3rd inning when the Wildcats scored 3 unearned runs, extending his streak to 30 innings not allowing an earned run. Sendelbach struck out 9 in 5 innings, giving him 49 punch outs on the season. The righty walked 3.

"I thought Logan did a great job of getting ahead and did not always give them the pitch that they may have expected," Rothrock said. "One ground ball fielded and who knows he may not have given up any runs still to this day. His breaking ball was a little off but the change-up we use and fastball were really moving nice."

Kalida 6-0 senior Jordan Laudick  threw a mid-70s fastball and low-60s curveball, but was able to sit down the first 9 Hopewell-Loudon hitters by using a style that can be described as 'crafty'.

The second time through the order was a different story, however. With the Chieftains down 3-0, Sendelbach led off the 4th inning with a double followed by a fly ball that found a way to fall into left for another double. An RBI single by Tyler Tyree plated the first run, followed by an errant throw by Kalida's catcher to score the second run. After a groundout, a single made it first and third and Eric  tied the game at 3 with a line shot up the middle to plate Tyree.

"Laudick did a great job mixing things up," Rothrock explained. "It's what our hitters need, we tend to see too many pattern pitchers. But we also continued to gear up for the fastball and hit as many straight pitches as we could get.

 Laudick went 6 innings, allowing 3 earned runs on 7 hits, 0 walks, while striking out 5.

Kalida loaded the bases with no outs in the third but Tyree, an unsigned senior, shut the Wildcats with a strikeout, fielder's choice to short and another strikeout.

"I have seen the look in his eyes for four years that as he steps into that batter's box he knows he is better than the pitcher on the mound. Last night was the first time I saw that look in him on the mound," Rothrock said of the 6-3 Tyree. "The seventh inning says enough having bases loaded and nobody out. He stepped back up onto the mound facing their 3,4,5 hitters and had no clue three men were on base. He threw the pitches I called for him to hit the spots early with breaking balls and finished it. I think this may springboard him for the rest of the season."

Hopewell-Loudon (14-1), the number 2 team in Division IV,  travels to Monroeville on Thursday.

Kalida (8-4) hosts No. 16 Columbus Grove (11-5) on Friday.