Calvert edges Perkins 6-5 in state tune-up

SANDUSKY — Monday's game between Perkins and Calvert served more as a bridge. The Division IV No. 3 Pirates and Division VII No. 1 Calvert were both starring down long layoffs between regional final wins and the state semifinals this weekend. The Senecas scored five runs in the fifth inning and made it stand up in a 6-5 win at Sports Force Parks between the two Sandusky Bay Conference teams. "It was good to get some at-bats," Perkins coach TJ Blanton said. "We wanted to get out healthy, but I don't think we did. We got some guys some innings and that was good to get some extra pitching out of some of the younger guys that need to get game rep experience. I thought our at-bats were OK. "We could have had some better at-bats and that's what we told them out there. Every at-bat matters." Perkins (23-6-1) has 10 days between its eight-inning regional final win over Marengo Highland last week and Saturday's state semifinal against No. 2 Cardinal Mooney. Calvert (28-2) was looking at eight days between a regional final win last Thursday and its state semifinal Friday against Delphos St. John's. "They're competitors. TJ does it right. Perkins does it right. I know (Perkins assistant) coach (Travis) Crabtree really well," Senecas coach Matt Coleman said. "They play the game the right way. You're going to get a great, competitive game. They sat a couple guys, which probably makes the difference in the game. I think our guys came out and competed, too." Perkins got on the board first when Kash Koch's single scored Bryce Davie, who walked and stole second. Calvert tied the game at 1 in the third inning, but the Pirates responded in the bottom half of the inning. Davie singled and scored on Talon Walton's double to the fence. Walton scored just a few pitches later when Carter Koch sliced a triple down the right field line. Carter Koch scored later on a RBI fielder's choice from Braxden Martin. "At this time of the year, we have to be locked in the entire game," Blanton said. "We made a couple defensive errors that we don't normally make. We have to clean that up. I don't know how much they were all into it today. We didn't have that same intensity that we normally have in a tournament game." Perkins made it 5-1 with a run in the fourth inning, but Calvert answered in the fifth inning. The Senecas took advantage of some things before Charlie Palm's two-run double helped the frame. Calvert also executed a double steal, scoring when Perkins didn't cover home. "The one inning they scored a bunch of runs, they did some of the things they're good at," Blanton said. "We had some of our younger guys in bad spots, but it's a good learning experience for them. We had some guys that hadn't seen something like the steal of home where we didn't cover home. That's things that is going to make us better." Dante Shipp was banged up catching a foul ball up against the fence in left field. He left the game and didn't return. Walton was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning, taking a fastball off his hand. He did stay in the game, but it raised concerns for Pirates fans. Perkins was able to get Josh Cummings three innings on the mound and two innings apiece for Graham Shortridge and Zach Cummings. Calvert threw five different pitchers including ace Tucker Coleman in the first inning. The two teams are representing the SBC at this weekend's state baseball tournament. "We'd love for both of us to go finish the deal off," coach Coleman said. "We've both been close a number of times. I have the utmost respect for them. Now we just need to get past Friday. They got over that hump last year and made it to the finals. We'd like to do the same." The Pirates will face Cardinal Mooney (24-3), which has won eight games in a row ahead of Saturday's 10 a.m. first pitch. "You play with a lot of intensity in those tournament games," Blanton said. "We were able to come in here and get a lot of reps. You don't have that same adrenaline like tournament play. Hopefully it helped out some of those kids. I think guys that have been hitting the ball are continuing to hit the ball well. "We have to get some of the other guys going. We have four or five days yet to do that." Calvert 001 050 0 — 6 7 2 Perkins 103 100 0 — 5 9 2 WP: Palm. LP: Shortridge. 2B: (C) B. Coleman, Palm; (P) Binette, Walton. 3B: (P) C. Koch