By Lee W. Mowen

BECKLEY, W.V. – For the first time since moving to Springfield, Ohio, the Champion City Kings are in the Prospect League Playoffs as the First Half winners with an eleven-inning 5-3 win at West Virginia. With the playoff spot, the Kings will host the Second Half winner of the Ohio River Valley Division on August 5th at Carleton Davidson Stadium.

Champion City got off to a great start, with a pair of runs in the first two innings and Jake Miller (Chester, NY; Valparaiso) cruising through the Miners in the first four innings. It all began with a single with one out by Brent Widder (Sheboygan, WI; Evansville) and a double by Chase Carney (Cincinnati, OH; Flagler College.) Lukas Galdoni (Hawthorn Woods, IL; Butler) grounded out to score Widder from third, and the Kings were on the board first. Miller’s first inning went very smooth with just six pitches thrown in a 1-2-3 affair.

In the second inning, Bo Seccombe (Tallahassee, FL; Faulkner) doubled and Alex Ryan (Lake Mills, WI; Valparaiso) brought in the second run for Champion City. West Virginia got that run back with a leadoff home run by Pat Mills, but the score favored the visiting Kings 2-1.

The Miners began to get to Miller in the fifth inning, loading the bases up with one out. Miller bounced back with a strikeout and a forceout to leave the bases loaded. West Virginia once again loaded them full in their sixth inning with two outs, but a strikeout halted the threat against Miller and left him in line for the well-deserved win.

Champion City added one in the seventh inning, as Treyben Funderburg (Beavercreek, OH; Ohio) record a sacrifice fly to center for a 3-1 Kings lead.  The lead would disappear in the eighth inning, as Pat Mills went yard again for a two-run blast and tying the game up 3-3 off of Noah Short (Teays Valley, WV; West Virginia.) Galdoni would enter to pitch the ninth, throwing a 1-2-3 inning and forcing extra innings.

In the eleventh inning, it was Funderburg providing the go-ahead relief with his second home run of the year to put Champion City in front 5-3. Galdoni, in his third inning of relief, threw his second 1-2-3 inning and clinched the win for the visitors. Galdoni’s final line was very clean in three strong innings, just allowing one walk and striking out three.

This is the first playoff trip for Champion City and just the second for the franchise since beginning in 2009 as the Slippery Rock Sliders, when that franchise clinched a spot in 2011. That 2011 trip was also a First Half spot.

Champion City has one more game in the first half at West Virginia. The second half begins Thursday, as Champion City and Chillicothe will trade home-and-home games for four straight days. The Kings will host the Paints Friday and Sunday, with the latter game being a celebration of Veterans and Active Military members who can get in for free! Visit championcitykings.com for more information on tickets and how to watch the next games on PL TV.