By Matthew Lee
Regional Correspondent

LEXINGTON, OHIO - Coming off a heartbreaking 3-2 loss on Tuesday night at Orrville, Lexington found itself in a tie with Wooster in the Ohio Cardinal Conference at 9-2 and needing a win in the series rematch. 

The scoring started in the first inning against junior Stuart Schley.

Heidelberg recruit Mason Willeke led off the frame with a base hit. Oakland recruit Zach Sterry reached on a well-executed bunt single. After two batters were retired, sophomore Evan Lee lined a single up the middle to make the score 2-0 in favor of Lexington.

That lead turned out to be all junior RHP Brody Basilone needed on Wednesday night.

In the bottom of the third, Willeke reached base after an error by junior third baseman Wes Stauffer. Sterry walked, and Capital recruit,Logan Bastin scorched a ball over junior right fielder Mason Birkbeck’s head to score Willeke and Sterry to put Lexington up 4-0.

In the fifth, Willeke reached base on an error by junior first baseman TJ Perez. Sterry walked and was forced out at second base on a ball hit by Basilone. Bastin delivered once again as he drove in Willeke and Basilone to give him four RBIs on the day.

Orrville made a pitching change and brought in junior Chad Harrison.

Harrison struggled with his command as he walked Lee and then hit junior Zach Temple to load the bases. After issuing another walk to senior Bluffton recruit James Watkins, which brought in Bastin, Lexington went up 7-0.

Orrville brought in Johnston who recorded the final out of the inning and limiting additional damage.

Basilone improved to 5-1, lowering his ERA to 0.38. He has given up two earned runs in the 37 innings worked. Against Orrville, he gave up four singles; two of those were to lead-off hitter, senior Kyle Johnston while fanning seven Red Rider batters and walking only one.

The win also put Lexington back on top in the OCC as Mansfield Madison defeated Wooster 7-2. Lexington improves to 18-3 on the year and will be back in action tonight against No. 6 (DIII) rival Mansfield Ontario, who is 21-1 on the season.

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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