Van Wert’s ACME season ends at districts

Van Wert independent sports

ELIDA — Van Wert’s ACME baseball season came to an end after two losses at Saturday’s district competition.

Elida used an eighth inning bases loaded walk to defeat the Cougars 7-6, then the Cougars lost to Shawnee 10-5.

In the first game, it was 2-2 entering the eighth inning. Jalen McCracken’s RBI double scored Gabe Steyer and Haden Maples, then McCracken scored on a double by Parker Conrad to make it 5-2. After an out, Jonathon Lee hit Van Wert’s third two-bagger of the inning that scored pinch runner Keaton Brown for a 6-2 advantage.

Elida responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning – including the game winning bases loaded walk – all with two outs.

McCracken led the Cougars with three hits and three RBI.

In the elimination game, Van Wert (15-4) pounded out 16 hits and five runs, but gave up three runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh and lost to Shawnee 10-5.

Lawson Blackmore paced the Cougars with four hits, and Lee finished with three. Conrad, Darius Eddins and Nathan Temple each had a pair of hits.