UNION CITY – Bradford beat Mississinawa Valley 14-13 in a high-scoring Ohio High School Athletic Association sectional tournament baseball game on Monday in Union City.
Both teams got off to a fast start with Bradford scoring four runs in the top half of the first inning and Mississinawa Valley scoring three in the bottom half of the frame. MV then tied the game at 4-4 with a run in the bottom of the second.
Bradford regained the lead with a run in the top of the third, but Mississinawa Valley scored five runs in the bottom half of the inning to take its first lead, 9-5. Bradford took the lead again with five runs in the fourth inning, bringing the score to 10-9.
Mississinawa Valley tied the game at 10-10 with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Bradford scored four in the top of the fourth to go up 14-10. Mississinawa rallied for three runs in the bottom half of the inning but fell short, falling 14-13 in the opening round of the OHSAA tournament.
Bradford had 14 hits and two errors in the contest while Mississinawa Valley had 15 hits and nine errors.
Bradford’s Larkin Painter was 3-for-4 with a walk, a RBI and two runs. Parker Smith was 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, two stolen bases and two runs. Andy Branson went 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBIs. Wyatt Spangler was 2-for-4, was hit by a pitch, scored two runs and drove in two runs.
Clay Layman was 1-for-3 with a double, was hit by two pitches, scored three runs and drove in two runs for Bradford. Gaven Trevino was 1-for-1 and scored a run. Noah Hamilton was 1-for-4 and scored a run.
Mississinawa Valley’s Zac Longfellow was 5-for-5 with two doubles, three runs and a RBI. Kyler Guillozet was 3-for-4 with a triple, a double, a walk, two runs and four RBIs. Ethan Bowman was 3-for-5 with a double, a stolen base, a run and two RBIs.
Matt Slob was 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs for MV. Max Dirmeyer was 1-for-4 with a double, a run and three RBIs. Trent Collins was 1-for-4 with a walk and scored two runs. Ethan Dirksen was 1-for-5 and scored a run. Hawk Thomas walked twice, stole a base and scored a run.
Branson pitched 2 1/3 innings for Bradford and allowed nine earned runs on 10 hits, three walks and four strikeouts. Hunter Gheen pitched 3 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run on three hits, two walks, one hit batter and three strikeouts. Smith pitched one inning and gave up three unearned runs on two hits, one walk and two strikeouts.
Collins pitched 1/3 of an inning for Mississinawa Valley and gave up three earned runs and one unearned run on two hits, one walk and one hit batter. Slob pitched four innings and gave up six earned runs on six hits, two walks, two hit batters and four strikeouts. Bowman pitched 2 2/3 innings, giving up two earned runs and two unearned runs on five hits, one walk and three strikeouts.
Bradford now advances to play at Triad at 5 p.m. Wednesday in the second round of the OHSAA tournament.
