By Lee W. Mowen

SPRINGFIELD, OH – This 2021 Champion City Kings team has battled through large deficits this season, but couldn’t snagged victory from the jaws of the Chillicothe Paints in Sunday’s 12-11 loss on College Night. Gage Voorhees (Springfield, OH; Flagler College) once again shined in the bullpen for the Kings, as Bo Seccombe (Tallahassee, FL; Faulkner) and Mitchell Okuley (Powell, OH; Ohio State) also go yard on the day.

The offense began in the first inning for the visiting Chillicothe Paints, as Tyberius Correa (Riverview, FL; Faulkner) loaded the bases on two hits and one walk before settling down and striking out two. Then, a bases-loaded walk scored the first of many runs on the afternoon. With the Kings unable to answer in their first against Paints starter Myc Witty, Chillicothe added another run in the second inning. A two-out double from Alex Ludwick made it 2-0 Chillicothe, and the Kings got their first answer in their share of the second.

Ben Ross (Springfield, OH; Notre Dame College) led off with a single, followed by J.J. Wetherholt (Gibsonia, PA; West Virginia) getting on first with a sacrifice bunt and safe on an error. Seccombe would walk to load the bases up with nobody out, and Treyben Funderburg (Beavercreek, OH; Ohio) stepped up to the plate. An error by the third baseman allowed Ross and Wetherholt to score, and Champion City tied it up at 2-2.

Chillicothe galloped to a six-run lead and inning in the third inning, but the Kings managed to cut into the deficit the following turn. With two outs, Lukas Galdoni (Hawthorn Woods, IL; Butler) doubled to continue the third inning. Ben Ross would follow up with a base hit, scoring Galdoni, and moving to third on an error. Wetherholt singled in Ross for the second run of the inning, arriving at first base. Then, Bo Seccombe smashed a home run over the left field fence for a two-run shot and his fifth homer of the season. It was the Paints leading 8-6 after three.

Another run scored in the fifth for Chillicothe off of reliever Trey Carter (Wheelersburg, OH; Rio Grande.) A double by Ryley Preece was followed by Alex Ludwick grounding out to score the designated hitter. Carter got the first two outs, but Gage Voorhees would enter the game to shut down the Paints offense. The Kings got the first two on in the fifth, but a call to the bullpen by Chillicothe dethroned the chance to chip away the three-run deficit.

The Kings got two runs in their sixth off of first reliever Drew Wilson. Brent Widder (Sheboygan, WI; Evansville) walked, followed by Mitchell Okuley’s base hit. With these two Kings at the corners, Okuley stole second and gave an opening for Widder to steal home. A wild pitch moved Okuley to third with two outs, allowing Ross to collect a RBI single and pull Champion City within one after six.

In the seventh inning, Alex Ryan (Lake Mills, WI; Valparaiso) grounded out for the tying run to score, scoring Treyben Funderburg.

Fast-forwarding to the ninth inning and Galdoni taking over for Voorhees after 3.1 innings of shutout ball, the Paints would score the runs needed to win. Jackson Feltner got the first run in to put Chillicothe up 10-9, but the big hit came with a 2-RBI double from Will Spear.

The Kings wasted no time clawing back, as Brent Widder reached first on a high throw from the third baseman. Okuley stepped up to send a no-doubter over the right field fence for his fifth home run. Ruben Ramirez would pick himself up after the first two batters, as the Paints held on to win 12-11.

Voorhees was the only pitcher out of the eight to keep the opposition from scoring, throwing the most innings for Champion City and the second most behind Chillicothe’s starter Myc Witty’s four frames. Galdoni suffered the loss and Ramirez held on for the win.

Champion City will have their final five road games of the regular season, with two of those games being two seven-inning doubleheaders at Danville and Terre Haute. The Kings host the Danville Dans for one game this Wednesday. 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.