Cougars win opener 4-1 vs. Lincolnview

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Ethan Rupert hit a late two-run home run and Van Wert opened the 2022 baseball season by defeating Division IV preseason No. 1 Lincolnview 4-1 at Russell Fisher Field on Wednesday.

Rupert’s blast came with the Cougars leading 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth and it scored Brylen Parker, who had singled to start the inning.

“Ethan had a couple of good at-bats earlier in the game and didn’t have anything to show for it, so it was great to see him connect on one and give us some big insurance runs,” Van Wert head coach Charlie Witten said. “He’s been hitting the ball very well in practice and it was good to see that transfer to the game.”

Luke Wessell, who pitched a complete game for the Cougars, gave up a single to start the seventh, then struck out two of the remaining three batters to secure the win. He gave up just five hits and one run (unearned), when Dane Ebel scored on an error in the top of the fourth. Wessell struck out nine and issued no walks.

“Luke deserves a lot of credit on the mound,” Witten said. “He loves to compete at a high level and he did that tonight. No walks was probably the key stat of the night for him.”

“It was a highly competitive ballgame with a great crowd on hand,” Lincolnview head coach Eric Fishpaw said. “We made two many mistakes tonight (four errors), but we will build on those mistakes and take the positives into our next game.”

After a scoreless first inning, Van Wert scored on an RBI single by Kaden Shaffer that plated Kaiden Bates. After Ebel tied the game 1-1, Shaffer scored on a two-out steal of home in the bottom of the fourth.

Landon Price had two of Lincolnview’s five hits and he pitched the first three innings, allowing two hits while striking out six and walking one. Keegan Farris also pitched three innings and allowed three runs on three hits with a pair of strikeouts and three walks.

Shaffer had two of Van Wert’s five hits, while Rupert, Parker and Turner Witten had the others.

“I thought our guys had pretty good at-bats most of the night, played solid defense and had some key stolen bases,” the elder Witten said. “In general, it was a good win against a quality opponent.”

Lincolnview is scheduled to travel to Fort Jennings today and Van Wert will play at Bryan on Saturday.

Box score

Lancers 000 100 0 – 1
Cougars 010 102 x – 4

Lincolnview (ab-r-h-rbi): Landon Price 3-0-2-0; Cole Binkley 3-0-0-0; Dane Ebel 3-1-1-0; Carson Fox 3-0-0-0; Kaden Hanf 3-0-1-0; Evan Miller 3-0-1-0; Reide Jackson 2-0-0-0; Jared Kessler 3-0-0-0; Austin Bockrath 3-0-0-0

Van Wert (ab-r-h-rbi): Brylen Parker 3-1-1-0; TJ Stoller 1-0-0-0; Ethan Rupert 4-1-1-2; Turner Witten 4-0-1-0; Luke Wessell 2-0-0-0; Damon McCracken 2-0-0-0; Kaiden Bates 3-1-0-0; Ethan Mooney 2-0-0-0; Kaden Shaffer 3-1-2-1