Lakota West leads Talawanda 6-2 in game halted by rain
Action in D-I sectional title game will resume today.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
SHARONVILLE — Monday's Division I sectional championship game between Lakota West and Talawanda was halted by rain after 31/2 innings with the Firebirds leading 6-2.
The two teams will return to Princeton today, May 20, to resume the game, beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Extras
"I thought it came an inning or two too late," THS coach Pete Maus said, referring to umpire Kyle McNeely's decision to finally pulled the plug with a Lakota West runner on first and no one out in the bottom of the fourth.
"Both of these teams have worked way too hard to get to this point in the season and have a game played in this kind of stuff," Maus added.
The Firebirds (21-1) got all six of their runs in the first inning, and the Braves (18-9) countered with a pair in the second.
It was after that second inning when players started noticeably struggling with their footing, both at the plate, in the field and on the mound.
"It was a steady rain and there was no way to take care of the field," West coach Bill Dreisbach said. "It was really slippery out there on the mound, and no one wants to have the elements be the deciding factor in a tournament game."
West tagged Talawanda starter Todd Weiser for six runs on six hits while battign around in the first inning.
Jimmy Brenneman went 2-for-2 with a double, an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base in the opening frame, while Craig Gauden delivered a two-run single. Ricky Finley and Rob Shaw also had RBI singles.
The Braves got two unearned runs off West starter Nathan Smith on a two-out error in the top second inning.
Both Dreisbach and Maus said they were uncertain whom they would send to the mound today when action resumes.
"There's a lot of decisions to be made, so I guess both coaches are going to earn their money tonight," Maus said.
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2193 or jmorrison@coxohio.com.
