Curt Conrad, Staff Reporter

The postgame fireworks display was put on hold, but the wait was worth it for Galion Graders fans.

Mark Walton’s infield single drove in pinch runner A.J. Cecil and the Graders escaped with a 6-5 walk-off win in 12 innings over the playoff-bound Xenia Scouts on Saturday at Heddleson Field.

“I didn’t hit it very good, but I placed it alright,” Walton said. “A.J. did a fantastic job. He’s a pitcher, but we were low on position players.”

It was the second consecutive extra-inning game for the Graders (14-21). Galion fell to Lake Erie 7-6 in 11 innings Friday.

“We never gave up on each other,” Walton said. “We lost a lot of close games early on, so it’s a relief to pull some games out now.”

Late Magic: Austin Adams, a Crestline resident and graduate of nearby Colonel Crawford, started the bottom of the 12th with a sharp single to center. Xenia center fielder Levi Gilcrease misplayed the ball and Adams alertly took second.

“I came out of the box thinking two,” Adams said. “My (first base) coach said, ‘Get back,’ but when he saw the ball go under he sent me.”

Adams was lifted for Cecil, a right-hander from Oak Harbor and the University of Findlay. The first pitch to Walton from Xenia pitcher Joseph Chasen went to the backstop, allowing Cecil to advance to third. Walton then fell behind in the count 1-2 before sending a ground ball up the middle of Xenia’s drawn-in infield. Shortstop Lee Solomon ranged to his left, made a diving stop and righted himself, but his throw to the plate wasn’t in time to get a sliding Cecil.

“I didn’t think he would get to it, but he made a heck of a play and a heck of a throw home,” Walton said. “It was a close play.”

Birthday Boy: Galion’s Alex Malinsky turned 21 Saturday and celebrated with a two-out, two-run double in the home half of the first inning for a 2-0 Graders lead. Galion added two more runs in the bottom of the second on RBI singles by Tyler Ocker and Kevin Schrock.

Scouts Rally: Xenia (23-16) tied the game with four runs in the top of the seventh off a pair of Galion pitchers. David Gauntt had a two-run double off Galion starter Tyler Hall while Gilcrease doubled in the tying run off reliever Brody Basilone.

Back on Top: Galion reclaimed the lead in the eighth on Walton’s run-scoring single to center, but Xenia tied it at 5-5 in the top of the ninth.

Winner: Nick Muse, the third Galion pitcher of the evening, picked up the win. He gave up just one hit and struck out six in three innings of work.

Surging: After struggling early, the Graders have come on strong in the second half of the season. Galion is 5-5 in its last 10 games and will finish the season with home games Sunday and Monday.

“For a first-year team, we’ve come a long way,” Adams said. “We’ve played as a complete team in the second half. Everything is starting to come together.”

www.richlandsource.com/sports/graders-win-in-innings