Cougars slip by Roughriders 4-3

VW independent sports

An error by No. 5 seed St. Marys Memorial in the bottom of the seventh allowed No. 4 seed Van Wert to score a pair of runs and enjoy a walk-off 4-3 win in the Division IV sectional finals at Russell Fisher Field Friday night.

It happened when Hayden Davis hit a grounder and reached first on the error, while Nate Gearhart crossed home plate to tie the game, then Finley Dickinson came across for the game winner.

The Roughriders scored a run in the top of the first inning but the Cougars answered with a double by Briston Wise that scored Case Stegaman and Davis for a 2-1 lead. St. Marys scored a run in the top of the third and the game remained deadlocked 2-2 until the bottom of the seventh.

Wise finished with two of Van Wert’s five hits and picked up the win on the mound by holding the Roughriders to just three hits while striking out four and walking six.

Van Wert will face the winner of Saturday’s Elida-Upper Sandusky game in the Division IV district semifinals at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Fort Jennings.