Gallipolis wins Wooden Bat Tourney

[jottings]

Gallia Academy High School defeated Symmes Valley and Piketon Saturday in an all-day Wooden Bat Tourney on the Robert H. (Bob) Eastman Ballfield in Centenary to capture this year’s WBT title.

It was a day of outstanding ball games, rain, thunder and lightning delays with one game ending in a tie, and the seldom “sudden death” rule was used to determine a winner. Action began at 9:30 a.m., Saturday and when the final game was concluded, it was 7:40 p.m. Attendance was good for the all-day non-league event.

In Saturday’s first game, Gallipolis collected only three hits off losing pitcher Cody Myers, but was able to blank Symmes Valley, 2-0 behind Jimmy Clagg, who allowed only four safeties. The Blue Devils set a one-year school record with their 18th win against six defeats. The Vikings dropped to 9-7.

After a scoreless two innings, GAHS scored one run in its half of the third inning without the aid of a hit. Kyle Saunders opened with a walk, and moved to second on a passed ball. Brandon Taylor popped out to the pitcher and Zack Thomas flew out to rightfield.

Ty Warnimont and John Faro walked to load the bases. Justin Bailey then walked to force in the run.

Gallia Academy added another run in the fourth inning. Drew Young opened with an infield single. Young stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Kyle Saunders fanned and Gus Graham flew out to rightfield. Brandon Taylor then unloaded a single to center to make it 2-0.

In going the distance, Clagg allowed no runs on four hits. He fanned nine and walked two. GAHS played errorless ball. GAHS stole three bases.

Myers allowed two runs on three hits. He fanned three and walked four. SVHS made one error.

Alec Herrell, Scott Dial, Garrett Foster and Mike Williams had Symmes Valley’s four safeties.

In the second game, Piketon improved its season record to 17-5 with a 4-1 victory over Ironton. The Tigers dropped to 9-10.

Symmes Valley was leading Ironton 1-0 after an inning of the third game when officials suspended play during a thunderstorm. Coaches had agreed to play just five innings in this contest in order to get the championship game in later in the evening, but at the end of five, the score was tied, 5-5.

Officials then agreed to finish the game with a seldom used “tie breaker” rule. Each team was permitted to place a runner on second with the idea that who scored the most in a tie-breaking inning would be the winner. It took two extra tie breakers before Ironton came back to win 7-6 on a wild to capture the consolation game.

The championship game didn’t get started until 5:35 p.m.

Piketon scored first in the first inning when Corey Ferguson got an infield single, went to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch.

Gallipolis tied it up 1-1 in its half of the first. Ty Warnimont walked, moved to second on John Faro’s sacrifice. Jim Clagg was safe on an error and Drew Young plated Warnimont with a single to left.

In the third, GAHS sent nine men to the plate with four of them scoring to take a 5-1 lead after three innings.

The Blue Devils scored three runs in the fourth and fifth innings to mercy rule the Redstreaks.

Winning pitcher Justin Bailey allowed one run on just two hits. He fanned nine and walked three. Bailey faced 20 batters. GAHS played errorless ball.

Losing pitcher Brice Bennett gave up 11 runs on 11 hits. He fanned one batter, walked three and hit one batter. Piketon made seven costly errors.

Clagg and Graham paced GAHS with three hits apiece. Bailey had two safeties.

Ferguson and Shawn Collier had Piketon’s two hits.

Gallipolis improved to 19-6 on the year. Piketon, ranked statewide by the Associated Press earlier this spring, fell to 17-6.

Gallipolis will resume non-league action Tuesday, May 1 by traveling to Athens. Wednesday, GAHS will play at Vinton County and Thursday, will host OVC champion Rock Hill to conclude regular season play.

Linescore:
First game:
Symmes Valley…..000 000 0 – 0-4-1
Gallipolis…………001 100 x –2-3-0
Batteries—SVHS—Myer (L) & Herrell. GAHS—Clagg (W) & Warnimont.
Second game:
Piketon……..100 00 -- 1-2-7
Gallipolis…...104 33 –11-11-0
Batteries—Piketon—Bennett (L) & Fremder. GAHS—Bailey (W) & Warnimont.

[MXBB30]

Who won the between Ironton/Symms Valley ? Did they play for third place/

[jottings]

In what was to be a 5 inning game because of storm delays earlier in the day, the score was tied 5-5 after five. Officials used a seldom rule called "tie breaker" to determine the outcome. It took two tie breakers to produce a 7-6 Ironton win and it was scored on a wild pitch. It was an outstanding game.

The "tie breaker" is when a team puts a runner on second, and the team which scores the most runs in a tie-breaker is declared the winner.

[Keyser_sozeThrice]

Actually, Jottings, the Associated Press does not have a poll for Ohio high school baseball.

However, the OHSBCA does.

In fact, the AP hasn't had a baseball poll in years — at least 14 that I know of, which is how many years Jottings has been retired professionally from our business.

I'm mystified, quite frankly, that he didn't know that when he posted on this topic.

Not a big deal, but wanted to point that out.

[jottings]

Thanks. Didn't know that. Anyway, if it's a no big deal, why bring it up. I'm waiting until you retire so I can pick on you. lol

[93Bulldog]

Thanks. Didn't know that. Anyway, if it's a no big deal, why bring it up. I'm waiting until you retire so I can pick on you. lol

Why wait Jottings - go ahead and pick on him now ... Anyone pulling for the Ironmen, Golden Rockets or Oak Hill deserves some ridicule!

[jungleman]

hey bulldog you got something against all these teams .These are some fine teams with a lot of really good players.

[93Bulldog]

hey bulldog you got something against all these teams .These are some fine teams with a lot of really good players.

I'm just messin with Jotting/Keyser ... I like every team/school from southeastern Ohio.