Knights beat Cougars in season finale

Van Wert independent sports

CONVOY — Crestview snapped a 2-2 tie with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and the Knights went on to defeat Van Wert 5-3 in the summer season finale for both teams.

The Knights (5-6) closed the season with three consecutive victories, while Van Wert finished 11-11.

Van Wert scored in the first inning when Turner Witten singled in Jacob Place, who had reached first base on an error then advanced to second on another error. However, Crestview answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Ayden Lichtensteiger doubled home Logan Gerardot, then Lichtensteiger scored on an RBI single by Trever Sheets.

Neither team scored in the second or third innings, then the Cougars tied the game 2-2 in the fourth when Witten drove in Place, but Crestview took the lead for good right after that. Carson Hunter’s RBI single plated Lichtensteiger, Sheets scored on an error, then Hunter scored on a grounder by Will Sharpe.

A sixth inning sacrifice fly by Van Wert’s TJ Stoller allowed Damon McCracken to score, but the Cougars could draw no closer.

Tyler Hart held Van Wert to just two hits in 5.1 innings on the mound, while striking out five and walking four. Lichtensteiger pitched the remainder of the game and allowed no hits or walks and at the plate, he had two of Crestview’s six hits.

Witten had both of Van Wert’s hits and he pitched four innings and allowed five runs (three earned) on five hits with a pair of strikeouts. Joshua Reichert pitched the remaining two innings and allowed a hit, while striking out one and walking one.