CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - The Chillicothe Paints, presented by Adena Health System, kept their playoff hopes alive with a two-game sweep over the team they're chasing for the final playoff spot in the Ohio River Valley Division, the Johnstown Mill Rats, by scores of 12-11 Saturday night and 8-3 Sunday in front of big crowds both nights at VA Memorial Stadium.

Saturday night, with more than 4,000 in attendance, the Paints scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat the Mill Rats 12-11.

Sunday, with nearly 3,300 cheering them on, Chillicothe scored seven runs in the bottom of the eighth to erase a 3-1 deficit to win 8-3. Nathan Karaffa hit a run-scoring triple and, after a walk, Will Spear tied the game with an RBI single. Jackson Feltner singled, scoring Karaffa and giving the Paints a 4-3 lead. After an intentional walk and a fielder's choice, Trey Smith launched a ball over the right field wall for a grand slam, making it 8-3 Chillicothe and putting the game out of reach for Johnstown.

Jake Norris turned in a quality performance on the mound Sunday for the Paints, allowing just one earned run on four hits, while striking out three and walking four over 6 2/3 innings. For a second straight night, Alex Ludwick finished the game on the mound and earned the win for the Paints.

Chillicothe is now 17-12 in the second half, good for a .586 winning percentage, just behind the Mill Rats, who are now 16-10 and own a .615 winning percentage. The Paints need to win Tuesday and Wednesday at West Virginia and need Johnstown to lose two out of three at Champion City in order to earn the final playoff spot available. 

Though it doesn't matter with the split-season format, the Paints own the fourth-best overall record in the Prospect League at 34-24 heading into the final two days of the regular season. Chillicothe is 10 games over .500 for the first time this season after winning 13 of the last 17 games.

The Paints take on the West Virginia Miners in Beckley Tuesday and Wednesday to wrap up the regular season. Both games are slated to start at 6:35 p.m. and can be heard on 100.9 WXIZ and at ChillicothePaints.com here.