A battle between future D-1 college pitchers would be decided by some costly Lexington fielding errors as the Minutemen bowed out of the Division II Tiffin District Semifinals with a 6-1 loss to top-seeded Van Wert.

 

After nearly three innings without a base runner, the Cougars caught a break when a questionable ball down the third base side was ruled fair, leading to an RBI by nine-hole hitter Jalen McCracken. Then, a routine fly-ball to right should have ended the inning but a Lexington error would bring home two more Van Wert runs for a 3-0 edge.

 

The #5 Minutemen would answer with an RBI sac-fly from starter Ben Vore in the top of the fourth, but that’s all the damage senior standout Lawson Blackmore would sustain in the contest. The Miami University commit allowed just three hits while striking out a dozen Lexington batters, and helped his own cause with a solo shot in the sixth.

 

The University of Cincinnati bound Vore was solid, giving up a pair of earned runs in 5 ⅔ innings of work with 4 K’s, but a second dropped fly ball in the fourth would lead to two more Cougars runs that would prove to be more than enough for Blackmore and company.

 

Lexington finishes their season as OCC & Sectional champions at 16-7 and will graduate seven seniors. Van Wert now advances to face Lima Shawnee for the Tiffin District title.