Van Wert cruises by Lincolnview 15-0

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

On a cold and brisk afternoon for baseball, Owen Treece struck out nine batters and Van Wert took full advantage of six Lincolnview errors in a five inning 15-0 rout of the Lancers on Wednesday.

It was the home opener for the Lancers (1-1), while Van Wert improved to 4-0 with the victory.

“The kids came out with a great approach at the plate and were ready to hit,” Van Wert head coach Charlie Witten said. “With Owen on the mound we were very comfortable there but I thought we played great defense too. I give our kids a lot of credit, they came ready to play and ready to do the job.”

“We preach a lot about scoring first and obviously we didn’t do that today,” Lincolnview head coach Eric Fishpaw said. “We have to be better than today, we were kind of flat. We have to have better energy in the dugout and give a better effort tomorrow.”

Ethan Rupert doubled in Turner Witten to give Van Wert a 1-0 lead in the first, then the Cougars blew the game wide open with seven runs in the third inning. All seven runs came with two outs.

Rupert stole home, then Ries Wise blasted a home run to center field, scoring Levi Eddins and TJ Stoller to give the Cougars a 5-0 lead. After three straight singles by Aidan Pratt, Kaiden Bates and Jacob Place, Pratt and Bates scored on an error, and Place scored on a pop fly by Treece.

“It’s tough to get out of a hole like that,” Fishpaw said.

Van Wert loaded the bases in the fourth then with two outs, Pratt doubled to left, scoring Witten, Stoller and Wise to extend the lead to 11-0. Pratt finished 2-3 at the plate with four RBIs and a run scored.

“We feel pretty comfortable with where we’re at offensively,” Witten said. “It’s not just 1-2-3, we have nine hitters in our lineup that are ready to roll.”

The remaining runs came in the top of the fifth when Treece and Pratt scored on back-to-back bases loaded walks, and Stoller scored on a sacrifice fly by Bates.

Lincolnview had first inning singles by Dane Ebel and Creed Jessee, a single in the second by Clayton Leeth, and third inning singles by Ebel and Landon Price. Treece retired the final six batters he faced, five by strikeout.

Ebel pitched the first 2.2 innings and gave up five runs (one earned) on three hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Aaron Cavinder went the next 1.1 innings and allowed six runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks. Carson Fox pitched the remaining inning and gave up four runs on a hit with three walks.

Lincolnview is scheduled to host Fort Jennings today and Van Wert is slated to play a doubleheader against Bryan at home on Saturday.

Box score

Van Wert 107 34x x – 15
Lincolnview 000 000 0 – 0

Van Wert (ab-h-r-rbi): Jacob Place 5-1-1-0); Owen Treece 4-1-1-0; Turner Witten 3-1-3-0; Ethan Rupert 2-1-1-1; Josh Halker 2-1-0-0; TJ Stoller 3-0-3-1; Ries Wise 2-1-2-3; Aidan Pratt 3-2-1-4; Kaiden Bates 1-1-1-1; Levi Eddins 1-0-2-1

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): 5.0, 5-0-0-0-9

Lincolnview (ab-h-r-rbi): Landon Price 2-1-0-0; Isaiah Peterson 1-0-0-0; Collin Overholt 2-0-0-0; Dane Ebel 2-2-0-0; Creed Jessee 2-1-0-0; Carson Fox 2-0-0-0; Clayton Leeth 2-1-0-0; Aaron Cavinder 2-0-0-0; Jared Kesler 1-0-0-0; Adam Berryman 1-0-0-0; Brandon Renner 1-0-0-0; Carson Bowen 1-0-0-0

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): Dane Ebel 2.2, 3-5-1-2-5; Aaron Cavinder 1.1, 4-5-1-3-0; Carson Fox 1-0, 1-4-2-3-0