By Lee W. Mowen

JOHNSTOWN, PA – Behind a twelve hit attack, the Champion City Kings were able to snap a six-game losing streak with an 11-7 win at the Johnstown Mill Rats. Treyben Funderburg (Beavercreek, OH; Ohio) would lead the squad going 2-for-3 with 3 RBI and two walks.

The scoring account opened in the second for Champion City, as Edrick Padilla (Salinas, Puerto Rico; Ohio Wesleyan) reached on a fielder’s choice. Funderburg would follow with a two-out walk, paving the way for Joel Gardner (Poca, WV; West Virginia.) The designated hitter collected his third and fourth RBI of the season with a single to center field, and the Kings were on the board.

Two more runs would score in the third, with the Kings up 2-0 at this point. Ben Ross (Springfield, OH; Notre Dame College) led off with a walk, followed by Lukas Galdoni (Hawthorn Woods, IL; Butler) taking a pitch to move to first. A base hit by Brent Widder (Sheboygan, WI; Evansville) loaded them for J.J. Wetherholt (Gibsonia, PA; West Virginia), as a bases-loaded walk pushed home a run. A double-play ball brought home another run, but would squander any more chances for runs in the inning. The Mill Rats would get those runs back off of Aidan Major (Mill Hall, PA; West Virginia), who was making his third start of the season.

A leadoff triple by Funderburg, followed by a wild pitch during Gardner’s at-bat scored the only run in the fourth, increasing the Champion City lead to 5-2.

Both starters would leave in the fifth before throwing enough for a winning decision. Will Lozinak was chased after Ethan Krizen (North Port, FL; Thomas) brought home a run on a groundball to the second baseman. The fifth inning began as Galdoni tripled, but couldn’t come home on a fielder’s choice from the third baseman to the catcher. Wetherholt picked up a base hit, followed by Krizen’s groundout. Padilla brought in Wetherholt on a base hit. The lead was favoring the Kings 7-2.

The Mill Rats returned the favor in their half of the fifth, as Major couldn’t get the last out of the inning. A single by Ben Newbert and a two-out single by Nick Hess was followed up by a base hit towards the shortstop by score one. Enter Caden Kline (Defiance, OH; Ohio State), as the lefthander got the third out after two more Mill Rats scored. Kline would throw well into the eighth inning, where Johnstown scored for the final time in the game.

By no means were the Kings finished scoring, as four runs came home in the seventh frame. A two-out triple by J.J. Wetherholt began the frenzy, as Krizen brought home the first run. With Krizen at third and Padilla picking up another hit, it was Funderburg clearing the bases with a 3-run shot.

Tyberius Correa (Riverview, FL; Faulkner) would finish the game and pick up the victory, keeping Johnstown off the board for two frames. Just one batter walked against Correa, as the Mill Rats couldn’t complete the sweep.

Champion City will host the Chillicothe Paints for the final time in the 2021 regular season this weekend. Playoff tickets are now on sale by visiting the ticket office at Carleton Davidson Stadium one hour before any home game or by visiting The MacRay Co. on West North Street in Springfield. Visit championcitykings.com for more information on tickets and how to watch the next games on PL TV.