By Chris Valentine
PBR Ohio Scouting Director

BLACKLICK, OHIO – After taking game on the series 2-1 at home, Grove City (13-6) went on the road to face Gahanna Lincoln (15-5).

This time around, the Lions sent senior right-handed pitcher Alec Tuohy (Buffalo recruit) to the mound against Grove City veteran southpaw Kyle Bennett.

Known for their aggressive style of play, the Greyhounds attacked Tuohy out of the gate as leadoff hitter junior Tyler Cowles singled up the middle and junior Ben Myers advanced on an error by Gahanna’s shortstop. All-State catcher Drew Nankivell unsuccessfully attempted three straight bunts, resulting in a strikeout and the first out of the inning.

Tuohy took advantage of the shift in momentum by inducing senior first baseman Drew Artrip to pop out to first. Despite walking Brandon Marczika to load the bases, Tuohy recorded the last out of the inning with a ground back to the mound to end the Greyhound threat.

Looking to take an early lead, Gahanna found itself with two outs and runners on first and second after unsigned senior Christian Chiero advanced on an error and junior first baseman Evan White (Kent State recruit) lined a single up the middle. Unsigned senior Peyton Ross drove the first pitch he saw into left field for a single, but Cowles fielded the ball cleanly and delivered a one-hop strike to home plate. Nankivell stood his ground and applied the tag for the third out of the inning, keeping the game scoreless.

In the third inning, the Greyhounds turned the lineup over. Myers singled to left field, but was caught stealing. Nankivell followed with a flare to right field and stole second base. Artrip hit a soft ground ball through the left side to put runners on first and third. After a delayed steal by Artrip, Marczika delivered a RBI single to right field. After senior Dallas Allen flew out to first base, Dominic Cooper attempted a two-out bunt, but Tuohy fielded the ball cleanly and flipped the ball to Kaine Lowe, who applied the tag for the third out of the inning.

With the top of the third in the books, Gahanna began to take control of the game.

Chiero started with a one-out single up the middle. With two outs, senior outfielder Alex Delph hit a single to left field. Ross followed with a single to right field on a 2-2 fastball that brought around Chiero to tie the game at one run apiece. Helping his own case, Tuohy followed with a deep drive to left field to plate two more runs and advanced to second. Senior infielder Shawn Martin kept the offense going with a bloop single into right field that scored Tuohy, putting the Lions up 4-1. 

Keeping the momentum, Gahanna didn’t let up in the fourth inning. Bennett walked Lowe, who was hitting ninth for the Lions. Junior Zach Baumann bunted and advanced on a error by the first baseman Artrip. Chiero followed with an infield single setting the stage for one of the state’s top hitters, junior Evan White.

After a mound conference, White took a breaking ball on the outer half for ball one. Bennett followed with a fastball that White promptly drove into the left field gap for a double that cleared the bases. Soon after, Tuohy collected another RBI with a single to left field to score White, putting the score at 8-1 with four innings complete.

Gahanna proceeded to add two more runs in the fifth inning and threatened to shorten the game after loading the bases once again. However, Chiero didn’t tag on a fly ball to right field and the Lions ended the inning with a commanding 10-1 lead.

After Tuohy blanked the Greyhounds again in the top of the sixth inning, Gahanna managed to load the bases after a single by pinch hitter senior Nick Crank, a hit-by-pitch taken by sophomore pinch hitter Cole Carey, and a walk by senior pinch hitter Brock Frentzel. Junior Allen Christian delivered the final blow with a RBI single through the left side to end the game at 11-1.

Tuohy earned the win going six innings giving up one run while allowing six hits, striking out six, and walking two.

Bennett took the loss going four innings giving up seven earned runs while allowing 11 hits and walking one batter. Senior Brian Stith recorded an 1.3 innings of work giving up three earned runs whole allowing four hits, three walks, and two HBP.

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

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