The Big Walnut baseball team answered Marion Harding’s first-inning run with two in the bottom half and maintained the one-run lead the rest of the way en route to a 2-1 Division I sectional semifinal win Monday night in Sunbury.
After the 42nd-seeded Presidents scored their lone run on a wild pitch, the 37th-seeded Golden Eagles responded in a hurry.
Drew Gaskins started things with a one-out single and, after Eli Couser singled to put runners at first and second, Ethan Clawson singled home Gaskins with the game-tying run.
An out later, Couser scored what proved to be the game-winning run on a Harding error.
Ethan Clawson had a pair of hits to lead BW at the plate while Noah Clawson earned the win on the mound, allowing a run on four hits while striking out two and walking one in six innings of work.
Next up, Big Walnut will take on seventh-seeded Olentangy Orange in today’s second round. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m. in Lewis Center.
Olentangy 20, Columbus West 0, 5 inn.
Andrew Gallagher finished a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI, Luke Chilicki had two hits, scored twice and knocked in three runs and Brady Beaumont and Jacob Schlade had three RBI each to lead the 17th-seeded Braves to a lopsided Division I sectional semifinal win over the 47th-seeded Cowboys Monday night in Lewis Center.
Olentangy, which will play 14th-seeded Watkins Memorial in today’s second round, scored six runs in the first inning and 11 more in the second to all but seal the deal.
Beaumont got the start on the mound, striking out five of the six batters he faced.
Westerville Central 8, Delaware Hayes 1
The 21st-seeded Pacers fell into an early 3-0 hole and never recovered, falling to the visiting and 27th-seeded Warhawks in the first round of the Division I district tournament Monday night in Delaware.
Hayes had three hits in the setback — singles by Eyan Teegardin, Colin Milligan and Dalton Allen.
Also: Fisher Catholic 4, Delaware Christian 3.
