By Matthew Lee
Regional Correspondent

MANSFIELD, OH - The Norwalk Truckers came into today’s sectional final as the #1 seed and proved their standing with a convincing 7-1 win over Ashland.

The Truckers got the scoring started in the bottom of the first.  After senior Colin Obringer was hit by a pitch, junior Joseph Hinckley smashed a two-run shot to put Norwalk up 2-0. 

They tacked on another run in the third as Hinckley laced a 1-out single followed by perfectly placed bunt single by senior Ethan Rhodes. After runners moved up on a passed ball, senior Michael Finch grounded to second base scoring Hinckley from third to put the Truckers up 3-0.

In the fourth, The Truckers started with junior Alex Keefer and senior Bailey Rarick reaching on errors. Tiffin commit, Isaac Perry grounded to 3^rd for a force out, but Obringer smacked a shot to score both runners and Hinckley followed with a run scoring double, his third hit of the game, to make it 6-0.

That was all the support senior RHP Colin Souter needed as he cruised through four scoreless innings of work. The senior gave up two singles through the first four innings before leaving with a 6-0 lead. He walked two and struck out three.

Junior LHP Michael Finch pitched the final three innings allowing Ashland to score add a run in both the fifth and the seventh innings.

Ashland senior, Tyson Vogel (Wooster recruit) suffered the loss working four innings while giving up six runs on five hits. The senior fanned six Trucker batters while hitting two and giving up one walk.

The win advances Norwalk to the districts in Bowling Green where they will face the Whitehouse Anthony Wayne/ Findlay winner next Thursday at Carter Park at 7:15.

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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