Clyde avoids upset with huge rally

By JOSH BURRISSpecial to the RegisterCLYDE — Things were not looking good for the Clyde baseball team after five innings.The Sandusky Bay Conference Lake division co-champions, the Fliers trailed Port Clinton by a 6-0 score in Wednesday's Division II sectional semifinal. But needing their bats to wake up and down to their final six outs, the Fliers exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning for the stunning 7-6 win.With the win, Clyde (19-4) will host Clear Fork at 5 p.m. Friday in a sectional championship game.The Fliers big inning started and ended with Grant Reese. Reese led off the sixth with a solo home run to left field and brought the final two runs of the inning home on another hit later in the inning.Reese finished 2 for 2 at the plate with the home run, a single, a run and an RBI. He also got the win on the mound for the Fliers. In two innings of relief, he allowed two runs on three hits while throwing two strikeouts and two walks.Cayden Rollins started the game for the Fliers. He threw the first four innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits while throwing three strikeouts and a walk. Robbie Webb got the save in the final inning with no hits, runs or walks and a strikeout.Clyde coach George Parks said things changed once they got their first run of the game."We were talking in the third inning and said as soon as we get that first run, the floodgates are going to open," he said. "And Grant Reese came up with that big home run. "I had a sense that it was coming, because (Tuesday) the same thing happened."We scored eight in the seventh. We have scored double-digit runs a couple different times this year in one inning. We needed that first run to get across," he added.Parks said that the reason it took so long for them to hit the ball was because they were out in front of it, but once they got on the board the guys were more relaxed at the plate."We were out in front of everything. We were popping everything up. (Will) Snyder did a great job keeping us off-balance. He wasn't blowing it by us, but we just couldn't stay back, and hit everything up in the air," he said.Snyder made his first start for the Redskins, throwing the first five innings while allowing three runs off six hits with three strikeouts and three walks.Port Clinton coach Tracy Bodi said he was proud of the way his team played the Fliers despite the loss."He came in and we asked him to throw strikes, and we knew they were going to hit the ball. We positioned our defense to where we thought we could get them, and it worked for five innings," Bodi said. "They (Clyde) found some holes. Tip the hat to those guys, but so proud of the effort by our guys tonight."With the loss, the Redskins' season comes to a close. They finish the season at 8-12 overall and 4-6 in the conference. Bodi said they wanted to get better as the season went on and have done just that."We have improved," he said. "One of our goals was to improve from the beginning of the year until now. In the second half of the season, we have put together some good games. We have had good solid pitching all year, and we had it tonight. We took one of the best teams in the area to the limit."Port Clinton got on the board in the first inning with two runs. Kyle Fitzpatrick led the game off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Gabe Haghiri. Alex Koskela came up next with a single, followed by an RBI double by Carson Smith to score Fitzpatrick. Chaz Jackson grounded out next, but it was still enough to bring home Koskela.The Redskins added two more runs in the fourth inning. Jackson got on base after the Fliers dropped a flyball in the outfield. Braden George laid down a bunt and both runners were safe after Clyde tried to throw Jackson out at second. Jaxon Martinez loaded the bases after reaching safely on an infield single. Snyder brought home Jackson and George home on an RBI single to give the Redskins a 4-0 lead.Port Clinton added its final two runs in the fifth inning. Smith singled and Jackson reached on a fielders choice. A sacrifice bunt by George put runners on second and third. Then Martinez walked to load the bases with two down. Tyler Webb capitalized with a double to bring Smith and Jackson home and make it a 6-0 game for the Redskins.The Fliers' bats came up big in the bottom of the sixth. Reece led off with a solo home run. Chris Florence walked and Ryan Lozier was then hit by a pitch. Trevor Burtch also walked to load the bases. Then Florence scored on a balk by Port Clinton.Webb walked to reload the bases. Cam Farrar came up next with a hit to score Lozier and Burtch. Mikey Haynes was hit by a pitch to load the bases once again for the Fliers, and Seth Hohman came in to pinch run for him. Jarred Colvin hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Webb.The scoring was capped off with another hit by Reece that scored Farrar and Hohman to give the Fliers a 7-6 lead. Webb came in the seventh to close the game on the mound with a shutout inning of work.P. Clinton 200 220 0 — 6 11 3Clyde 000 007 x — 7 8 4WP: Grant Reese; LP: Will Snyder; SV: Robbie Webb2B: (PC) Carson Smith, Tyler Webb; HR: (C) Reese[gallery]Clyde's Trevor Burtch cheers after a double play during the Division II sectional semifinal game against Port Clinton on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Clyde.Clyde's Cam Farrar makes the out at first base during the Division II sectional semifinal game against Port Clinton at Clyde High School on Wednesday, May 9, 2018.Port Clinton's Tyler Webb makes a catch in centerfield during the Division II sectional semifinal against Clyde on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Clyde.Clyde's Chris Florence fields the ball during the Division II sectional semifinal game against Port Clinton on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, at Clyde High School.Port Clinton's Braeden George bunts the ball during the Division II sectional semifinal game at Clyde High School on Wednesday, May 9, 2018.