Van Wert upset by Ottawa-Glandorf 9-3

Van Wert independent sports

Ottawa-Glandorf scored six runs in the top of the eighth inning and the fifth-seeded Titans ended Van Wert’s baseball season with a 9-3 upset Division II sectional championship win over the No. 2 seed Cougars at Smiley Park on Friday.

Van Wert (21-6) trailed 3-2 entering the bottom of the seventh but forced the extra inning with Ethan Rupert’s two out RBI single that plated pinch runner Levi Eddins.

However, Ottawa-Glandorf (17-11) took advantage of a Cougar error and a passed ball, then three consecutive hits – an RBI double by Nate Maag, a run scoring single by Wes Davidson and a two-run home run by Landen Jordan to cement the win.

The Titans led 2-1 after the first inning, with Alex Macke hitting an RBI triple, then scoring on a sacrifice fly. Van Wert answered in the bottom half of the inning when Ethan Rupert doubled in Owen Treece. The Cougars tied the game 2-2 in the fifth when Kaiden Bates scored on a sacrifice fly by TJ Stoller.

The Titans regained the lead in the sixth by scoring on a Cougar error.

Rupert and Aidan Pratt each had two hits for Van Wert while Jacob Place had the team’s only other hit. Maag had three of Ottawa-Glandorf’s 14 hits, including five extra base hits.

Jaxon Buddelmeyer pitched the first seven innings for the Titans and walked three, gave up five hits and struck out nine. Balbaugh pitched the remaining inning and didn’t allow a hit.

In his final game, Owen Treece struck out five and walked one.

Ottawa-Glandorf will face No. 3 seed Toledo Central Catholic in the district semifinals on Thursday.