Van Wert posts big win vs. Paulding

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

Van Wert spotted Paulding a pair of runs before exploding for nine unanswered runs on the way to a five inning 14-3 Senior Day win at Russell Fisher Field on Monday.

It was the first time the Cougars were able to take the field since April 24.

“It felt like our first game of the year,” Van Wert head coach Charlie Witten said with a chuckle. “We didn’t expect them to be rusty, but realistically we were 10 days away from playing our last game.”

Witten praised the nine seniors who were honored before the game – Jaxson Amweg, Lawson Blackmore, Jake Lautzenheiser, Hayden Maples, Jalen McCracken, Mason McHugh, Mason Place, Nathan Temple and Taylor Zeeff.

“This is the winningest group of seniors we’ve had in the history of Van Wert baseball,” Witten said. “They have 64 wins in four years, and it’s great group of kids.”

Seven of Van Wert’s runs came in the second inning. Zeeff singled in McCracken to break a 2-2 tie, then Amweg drove in McHugh to give the Cougars a 4-2 lead. Lautzenheiser followed up with a double to right field that plated Zeeff and Amweg, then two batters later, Lautzenheiser scored on a passed ball, increasing Van Wert’s lead to 8-2. The final run of the inning came when Blackmore scored on a passed ball.

“Taylor Zeeff got a hit his first time up and it’s tremendous for a kid like that on Senior Night, then Mason Place coming back from an injury got a hit in his only at-bat, so it was a good all around game for these guys,” Witten said.

Evan Edwards singled in Carson Shull in the top of the third, but the Cougars responded with three runs – an RBI single by Parker Conrad that plated Amweg, a sacrifice fly by Blackmore that scored Conrad, and Keaton Brown’s single that drove in Temple.

Amweg tripled in McHugh in the fourth, then Amweg scored on a single by Place.

“Our kids did a great job hitting the ball in practice,” Witten said. “These guys are all locked in at practice and they take a great approach at practice, which translates into the games.”

After Paulding’s Jaret Miller drove in Hunter Kauser, Miller scored on a grounder by Weston Philpot to give the Panthers a 2-0 first inning lead. Van Wert answered with runs by Amweg and Lautzenheiser.

Amweg led Van Wert with three hits and two RBIs, and the Cougars finished with 11 hits. Parker Conrad pitched the fourth inning and was given credit for the win.

The Cougars (16-2) are scheduled to play at Bath on Wednesday and home against Elida on Friday. Wins in those games would assure Van Wert of at least a tie for the Western Buckeye League championship. The Cougars will end the week with a Friday doubleheader at home against Delphos St. John’s.

Paulding 200 10x x – 3
Van Wert 273 3xx x – 14

Paulding (ab-r-h-rbi): Hunter Kauser 2-1-1-0; Carson Shull 2-1-1-0; Jaret Miller 3-1-3-1; Evan Edwards 3-0-2-1; Westen Philpot 3-0-1-1; Blake McGarvey 2-0-0-0; Kolson Egnor 1-0-1-0; Trenton Winkie 1-0-0-0; Payton Beckman 2-0-0-0; Sam Woods 2-0-0-0; Cory Adams 2-0-0-0; Andrew Adams 2-0-0-0

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-so-bb): Cory Adams 1.2, 4-9-3-1-5; Carson Shull 2.1, 6-5-5-1-1

Van Wert (ab-r-h-rbi): Jaxson Amweg 4-4-3-2; Jake Lautzenheiser 1-2-1-2; Mason Place 1-0-1-1; Hayden Maples 2-0-0-0; Parker Conrad 2-1-1-1; Nathan Temple 2-2-1-1; Lawson Blackmore 1-1-0-1; Keaton Brown 2-0-1-1; Jalen McCracken 2-1-1-1; Mason McHugh 1-2-1-1; Taylor Zeeff 2-1-1-1; Owen Treece 1-0-0-0

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-so-bb): Hayden Maples 3.0, 7-3-3-4-1; Parker Conrad 1.0, 1-0-0-1-1; Lawson Blackmore 1.0, 0-0-0-2-0