Paulding tops L’view for NWC title

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

PAULDING — After three rainouts, Lincolnview and Paulding were finally able to meet on the field on Tuesday, but the result wasn’t what the Lancers had hoped for.

Paulding jumped out to a 5-3 lead after two innings and went on to win 6-4, giving the Panthers an outright Northwest Conference championship.

“It’s a great feeling,” Paulding head coach Travis McGarvey said. “At the beginning of the year we thought we could get to this game 7-0 and we knew they (Lincolnview) would probably be 7-0, and so that was our goal – to get to this game with a chance and see what happens.”

“They’re a fantastic team,” McGarvey added.

“They’re a real good team and they’re aggressive at the plate,” Lincolnview head coach Eric Fishpaw said of the Panthers. “Their left handed pitcher (Westen Philpot) did a phenomenal job today. He had us off balance and we struck out more than we normally do.”

Philpot struck out nine Lancer batters over 5.2 innings. Kolson Egnor pitched the remaining 1.1 innings and fanned one while walking two.

Things looked good early for the third ranked Lancers (20-3, 6-1 NWC), when Collin Overholt opened the game with a single, then Jaden Youtsey blasted a two run home run to center field. Youtsey went on to finish with a team high three hits and three RBIs.

However, Paulding (13-7, 7-0 NWC) quickly loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning when Carson Shull and Jaret Miller walked, and Evan Edwards was hit by a pitch. Shull then scored on a wild pitch and Miller scored on a grounder by Philpot. Edwards accounted for the final run of the inning, scoring on an error.

The Panthers added two more runs in the bottom of the second when Miller singled and drove in Hunter Kauser and Shull. Fishpaw made a pitching change in the middle of the inning, from Gavin Carter to Overholt, who went on to strike out seven batters.
“He came on in relief and gave us some strong innings and gave us a chance to stay in the ball game,” Fishpaw said of Overholt.

An RBI single by Youtsey scored Cole Binkley in the fourth and Ethan Kemler drove in Youtsey in the sixth to pull Lincolnview to within one, 5-4.

However, Paulding added a run in the bottom of the sixth, when an RBI single by Andrew Adams scored Blake McGarvey.

After Landon Price struck out to start the seventh, Braxton Fox walked, Cole Binkley popped out, then Overholt singled to right field. Youtsey walked to load the bases, but Egnor was able to end the game by inducing a fly ball out.

Lincolnview loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh, but Egnor was able to induce a fly ball out to end the game.

The Lancers stranded a total of 14 base runners.

“I’m proud of our guys for battling,” Fishpaw said. “We just couldn’t get the timely big hit to drive in some of those runs.”

Lincolnview will host Lima Central Catholic for a Division IV sectional championship on Thursday.

“We have to have a short term memory and move on,” Fishpaw said. “One of our goals is to win a district championship, and we need to refocus and have a good day of practice.”

Lancers 200 101 0 – 4 12 1
Panthers 320 001 x – 6 6 0

Box score

Lincolnview (ab-r-h-rbi): Collin Overholt 3-1-2-0; Jaden Youtsey 4-2-3-3; Creed Jessee 4-0-0-0; Ethan Kemler 4-0-2-1; Brayden Evans 3-0-1-0; Gavin Carter 4-0-2-0; Landon Price 4-0-0-0; Braxton Fox 3-0-1-0; Thad Walker 1-0-0-0; Cole Binkley 3-1-1-0; Clayton Leeth 0-0-0-0

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-so-bb): Gavin Carter 1.1, 2-4-4-1-3; Collin Overholt 4.2, 6-6-6-8-4

Paulding (ab-r-h-rbi): Hunter Kauser 4-1-1-0; Carson Shull 2-2-0-0; Jaret Miller 2-1-1-2; Evan Edwards 2-1-1-0; Westen Philpot 3-0-0-1; Blake McGarvey 2-1-1-0; Kolson Egnor 2-0-0-0; Sam Woods 3-0-0-0; Andrew Adams 1-0-0-0; Payton Beckman 1-0-1-1

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-so-bb): Westen Philpot 5.2, 7-4-3-8-4; Kolson Egnor 1.1, 2-0-0-1-2