Cougars come up short in regional semis

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

BOWLING GREEN — It’s fair to say Van Wert was the underdog going into Tuesday’s Division IV regional semifinal game against Perkins. It’s also fair to say the Cougars held their own against the Pirates, who were ranked No. 3 in the final Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association poll but it wasn’t quite enough, as Van Wert’s season came to an end with a 3-0 loss at BGSU.

Van Wert stranded 11 baserunners in the game and the Cougars were plagued by four errors. The Pirates stranded 10.

The Cougars loaded the bases in the first inning via a pair of walks and a single by Easton Putman, but Talon Walton was able to end the inning with a strikeout. Van Wert again loaded the bases in the top of the third thanks to singles by Finley Dickinson and Putman, plus a walk to Cam Werts but Walton worked out of the jam.

In the fourth inning, Wyatt Scott and Jace Huebner both walked, then Finley Dickinson singled with two outs. However, Scott was thrown out advancing to home, ending the inning. Van Wert had just three more baserunners after that.

Despite the loss, Van Wert coach Charlie Witten was pleased with his team’s effort.

“I thought our kids did a great job competing against a very good team,” Witten said. “Both teams had a lot of baserunners and Perkins was able to do a better job of capitalizing on free bases. The one two-out hit we got, they made a good throw to cut down our runner trying to score.”

“Our outfield defense was great tonight,” he added. “We went a long way to track down some well hit balls.”

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third, when Walton scored on a wild pitch. The Pirates scored again in the fourth, this time on a Cougar error. An insurance run came in the sixth on a sacrifice fly.

Each team had five hits, including two each by Dickinson and Putman. Scott had the other hit for the Cougars. Conner Harris pitched into the fourth inning and allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits with four walks. Putman pitched the remainder of the game and gave up a run on a walk.

Walton went the distance for Perkins (22-5-1) and allowed five hits with seven strikeouts and six walks.

Van Wert’s season ended at 15-13.

“I reminded our players that I know of three Van Wert baseball teams that have ade it to regionals (2015, 2019 team that went to state),” Witten said. “Our seniors did a good job of leading during this tournament run and our underclassmen improved a lot as the season progressed. We believe we are going in a good direction with the players we have coming back for next year, but we will miss this group of seniors tremendously.”

Perkins will face Highland in the regional championship game at 5 p.m. today. The Fighting Scots downed Millbury Lake 5-1 in the other regional championship game on Tuesday.

Box score

Cougars 000 000 0 – 0 5 4

Pirates 001 101 x – 3 5 1

Van Wert (ab-r-h-rbi-bb-so): Griffin McCracken 4-0-0-0-0-0; Finley Dickinson 4-0-2-0-0-1; Trevor Halker 3-0-0-0-1-1; Easton Putman 4-0-2-0-0-0; Cam Werts 1-0-0-0-3-1; Alex Benner 3-0-0-0-0-1; Wyatt Scott 2-0-1-0-1-1; Brayson 3-0-0-0-0-1; Jace Huebner 2-0-0-0-1-1

Perkins (ab-r-h-rbi-bb-so): Bryce Davie 4-1-2-0-0-0; Talon Walton 3-1-1-0-0-0; Carter Koch 1-0-0-1-2-0; Kash Koch 2-0-0-0-2-0; Sam Schwieterman 2-0-0-0-1-0; Braxden Martin 3-0-1-0-0-0; Quentin Binette 2-0-0-0-0-0; Dante Shipp 3-0-0-0-0-0; Grant Parker 3-1-1-0-0-0