Clyde scores in 7th to upset Perkins

CLYDE — Jake Strayer had a very clear message to his team. The Clyde baseball coach reminded his squad that the game wasn't over. As a matter of fact, the Fliers didn't even trail. Clyde had watched Division IV No. 12 Perkins fight from its last strike to tie the game. But the Fliers rallied as Hunter Thomas scored the winning run on a wild pitch as Clyde toppled the Pirates 10-9 in a wild Sandusky Bay Conference Lake Division contest Friday. "We were down, but we talked and told them to relax," Strayer said. "We needed one run to win. We had that conversation and our guys did a really good job of understanding what needed to happen." Feeling it had new life, Perkins went to ace pitcher Kash Koch for the bottom of the seventh inning. After giving up five runs to the Pirates, Jonathan Lantz stepped in to lead off the seventh and hit a grounder to short. He beat out the throw to put the game-winning run on base for the Fliers (5-10, 2-5 SBC Lake). Thomas came on to pinch-run for Lantz before Dawson Jeffrey drew a walk. Koch then induced a long flyout to left field off the bat of Nico Carroll, but the two runners moved up a base on the tag. Koch then walked pinch-hitter Aidan Greenslade to load the bases. The first pitch to Adam Young sailed high and to the backstop. That allowed Thomas to slide in under the tag of Koch, giving Clyde the spectacular victory. "We've had a lot of bad luck this year," Strayer said. "(Thursday), we had three balls that just didn't go our way. They took good bounces for the other team. Thankfully, Jon came out of the box hustling and got us started. Credit to those guys, especially him. It was tough to lead off after the top of the seventh." It was a tough outing for Koch out of the bullpen. The typical No. 1 starter for Perkins (11-4-1, 8-1), Koch was thrown into a tough situation. "He probably didn't have enough time to warm up like he usually does," Pirates coach TJ Blanton said. "He was a little off there. We battled back, but it shouldn't have gotten to the point it did. We didn't play well at the beginning of the game. We gave them some extra runs when we shouldn't have." Clyde nearly had the game won in the top of the seventh inning. Perkins scored five runs in the sixth but still needed something late to keep the game going. Talon Walton walked before Koch reached on an error. A flyout and fielder's choice got Lantz two quick outs, but Grant Kuhnle had other ideas. Down to its final strike, Perkins tied the game when Kuhnle blasted a three-run home run over the left field fence. "Grant has been putting in his time," Blanton said. "It's his first year playing baseball in a long time. We know he can swing it well. It was awesome for him. That got us back in the game and we were playing pretty good there." The Pirates nearly took the lead, too. Dante Shipp walked, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Lantz induced a flyout to escape the damage. Clyde was in control for most of the game. In the second inning, Lantz reached on an error, Jeffrey walked and Carroll reached on a bunt single. Hitting in the No. 8 spot, Joel Greenslade followed with a massive grand slam on a 1-2 pitch from Perkins starter Josh Cummings. "I have never seen that boy hit a ball that far," Strayer said. "His family has never seen that boy hit a ball that far. He rounded third and I looked over and asked if it really happened. I pinched myself, but it happened. That's big for him. He found that confidence in himself to do that." The Fliers added two runs in the third inning including a RBI single by Lantz. In the fourth, Mason Flewelling roped a RBI double before a two-run single from Deacon Brown made it 9-1. Perkins started its comeback in the sixth inning. Walton scored on a wild pitch before Shipp's two-run single into right field later made it 9-4. Grant Parker followed with a RBI single and a Bryce Davie bunt drove in a run, getting the Pirates within 9-6. "They got up on us," Blanton said. "You can't get down eight runs with two innings to hit in and expect to come back like that all the time. I thought we had momentum there. I felt like the ball fell in the right places with the wet ground." Perkins will celebrate Senior Day on Saturday against Elmwood, a team that advanced to the Division VI state semifinals last year. The Pirates have a chance to win the league title outright Tuesday when they host Tiffin Columbian (4-11, 1-5). "Tuesday is the big one now," Blanton said. "Our top nine will be coming. We'll have all of our arms ready. We're playing that one to win and win big. We can't leave any doubt. We'll be ready to go tomorrow for Senior Day. It's always a special day for our seniors." Clyde has little time to rest as it hosts Norwalk (13-6, 6-2) at 2 p.m. Saturday. Ironically, a win by the Fliers would clinch the league title outright for Perkins. "It'll be a good test for us," Strayer said. "We like playing them. It's always a good game. We respect their program, what they do and how they play." Perkins 000 105 3 — 9 5 1 Clyde 042 300 1 — 10 9 1 WP: Lantz. LP: K. Koch. 2B: (C) Yohe, Flewelling. HR: (P) Kuhnle; (C) J. Greenslade