By Lee W. Mowen

LAFAYETTE, IN – The 2021 Prospect League season came to an end for the Champion City Kings, as the Lafayette Aviators flew to a 15-5 win in eight innings to clinch a spot in the PL Championship. Lafayette used a pair of seven-run innings in the victory.

Things started off great for the Kings, scoring the game’s first run. Mitchell Okuley (Powell, OH; Ohio State) walked to begin the contest, following with a steal of second and third base with Lukas Galdoni (Hawthorn Woods, IL; Butler.) Chase Carney (Cincinnati, OH; Flagler College) picked up a RBI Single, scoring a run in the first inning in back-to-back playoff games. Champion City enjoyed a brief 1-0 lead, until the Aviators scored seven in their opening inning.

Garrett Peters (Springfield, OH; Ohio State) got the start for the second playoff game in Kings history. The left-hander went 2-4 in nine starts with two calls from the bullpen, holding an ERA of 4.97. Peters struck out 59 batters in the regular season. The first time the Springfield native threw against the Aviators in Indiana on June 19th, Peters only allowed two earned runs on two hits, while allowing six walks and striking out seven batters in a no decision.

Lafayette sent up thirteen batters in their first inning, scoring seven runs and chasing Peters away with two outs. Austin Mora (Cleveland, OH; Notre Dame College) would come in and keep Lafayette grounded for a while. Peters’ final line was seven earned runs, five hits, three walks, and no strikeouts in two-thirds of an inning. The Aviators led 7-1 after one.

Two more runs scored for Champion City in their third, as Ben Ross (Springfield, OH; Notre Dame College) drew a leadoff walk. Brent Widder (Sheboygan, WI; Evansville) singled over Ross to third, allowing Galdoni to smash a sacrifice fly out to score Ross. Carney grounding out to the shortshop scored Widder, and the Kings trailed by four runs.

Fast-forward to the seventh inning, where the Kings pulled within two. Bo Seccombe (Tallahassee, FL; Faulkner) walked to begin the frame, with Ross tripling home the fourth Champion City run. A base hit by Galdoni scored Ross, and the Champion City Kings found themselves trailing 7-5. It seemed like the Kings, already coming back from a six-run deficit to win the Ohio River Valley Division on Thursday against the Chillicothe Paints, were due for another comeback. That’s where Lafayette scored eight unanswered runs to run away with the Eastern Conference Championship.

Mora only gave up one run in the seventh, as Jayson Newman hit a solo shot to put the Aviators back up by three. The final line on Mora went 6.1 innings, with one run on three hits, with three walks and five strikeouts. Austin Mora followed the footsteps of Gage Voorhees (Springfield, OH; Flagler College) on Thursday, with strong relief pitching and keeping the Kings close to striking distance.

With Lafayette’s win and the Cape Catfish defeating the Clinton LumberKings, the table for the Prospect League championship is set. Champion City goes 1-1 in the Playoffs and overall 28-30 in the regular season.

Follow the Champion City Kings on social media and at championcitykings.com for information on the upcoming 2022 season!