By Lee W. Mowen

SPRINGFIELD, OH – A pair of six-run innings boosted a red-hot Chillicothe Paints team ahead of first place Champion City and the Kings couldn’t complete the comeback, falling 14-5 on a Sunday afternoon.

Gabe Phipps (Yorktown, IN; Butler) got the start for Champion City, who was looking to shut down a Paints team that won seven straight. Chillicothe, however, remained red-hot after thrashing the Rex the previous night 30-2. The Paints took advantage of three infield errors and belted three hits to score six runs, with only the first run being earned on Phipps’s record. The big hit by Chillicothe came off the bat of Alex Ludwick, would cleaned the bases with a 3 RBI double.

The Kings faced Tyler Sarkisian, with the right-hander shutting out the Kings offense for the first two innings and just allowing a hit and one walk.

The Paints would add six more runs in the second inning off of two different Kings pitchers, chasing the starter Phipps away after four batters. Caden Kline (Defiance, OH; Ohio State) entered to try to slow down the rolling Paints, but Nathan Karaffa’s first home run of the season bouncing off the scoreboard would make it a 12-0 game and bring out the third Champion City pitcher in Trey Meade (Seaman, OH; Rio Grande.) Meade kept the damage to just the six added runs, and would begin a string of scoreless pitching out of the Kings bullpen.

Champion City began to chip away at the large deficit in their third inning, as Treyben Funderburg (Beavercreek, OH; Ohio) led off with a base hit. Defensive replacement J.J. Wetherholt (Gibsonia, PA; West Virginia) followed with another single, and Brent Widder (Sheboygan, WI; Evansville) brought home the first Kings run with the third straight hit against Sarkisian. Alex Finney (Oxford, MI; Ohio) walked in a run with the bases jammed, then followed an interesting play. Mitchell Okuley (Powell, OH; Ohio State) drove a long floater to left-center field, which was caught by the Paints’ left fielder and allowed Chase Carney (Cincinnati, OH; Flagler College) to score from third. A throw to the second-baseman after Carney scored would double off the runner from second, but the run still counted. The play went down officially as a double play going 7-4 with no RBI, but the run scored before the third out.

The Kings rolled a couple more runs in their fourth inning, with a walk to Brandon Emery (Troy, OH; Findlay.) Funderburg doubled to put runners on second and third with one out, and Wetherholt brought home both with a single. It was 12-5 and Carney worked a 2-0 count before Sarkisian was pulled for Tyler Ronevich (Columbus, OH; Miami University.) Champion City was held scoreless after the Paints went into the bullpen for the rest of the game.

Along with Meade’s two-third inning of shutout ball, Trey Carter (Wheelersburg, OH; Rio Grande) and Deaton Oak (LaGrange, KY; West Virginia) also kept the Paints off the board. The trio of pitchers combined to throw 5.2 innings, allowing just four hits and three walks. The Paints added two more runs in the ninth off of Tyberius Correa (Riverview, FL; Faulkner) to cap the scoring account, and Joe Toth (Stow, OH; Adrian College) finished off the pitching with one out and nothing else.

Phipps’ line was officially one inning and four batters faced in the second, allowing ten total runs (five earned), two walks, and four hits. The Kings committed five errors in the game, with three in the first inning. Chillicothe’s Ronevich picked up the win with 3.2 innings of shutout ball with no hits, three walks, and two punchouts. Marshall Pile (Charleston, WV; U. Charleston) finished it off with just a hit allowed with three walks and three strikeouts in two innings.

Champion City has one more series in the first half, visiting West Virginia and the Miners. A Kings win will clinch the First Half for Champion City. The second half begins Thursday, as Champion City and Chillicothe will trade home-and-home games for four straight days. Visit championcitykings.com for more information on tickets and how to watch the next games on PL TV.