Western-Star.com

SPRINGBORO — Lebanon's potent lineup finally ran into a pitcher it couldn't solve on Monday.

After averaging more than 10 runs a game during a five-game win streak (and hitting 11 home runs in that stretch) the Warriors were shut down by Springboro's Chuck Ghysels in an 8-0 loss.

Ghysels struck out eight and allowed just one hit — a single to right by Dusty Isaacs.

"We ran into a good pitcher," Lebanon coach Lee Day said. "Ghysels shut us down. His fastball was overpowering — the radar gun had him in the 90-91 mph range — and he had a decent breaking ball to go with it.

"He located his pitches well and got ahead of our hitters. By far, he's the best pitcher we've faced to date."

Springboro used the long ball to get to Lebanon starter Adam Poff, blasting three home runs including two by Ghysels, one of them a grand slam.

The loss was a measure of revenge for the Panthers, as Lebanon beat them 10-9 on Saturday in the finals of the Warren County Tournament.

The Warriors (13-7, 3-1) scored seven times in the bottom of the fifth inning — bolstered by a pair of two-run home runs from Logan Baker and Josh Allen — to erase a 6-1 deficit. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, Matt Berger drove home Cameron Colbert with the game-winning run.

Tyler Allen got the win in relief of Patrick Campbell, while Bo Gray picked up the save, his second of the day. Gray — who was 4-for-4 at the plate — picked up the save in extra innings against Kings in the semi-finals, a 5-3 Warrior win.

"We beat three good teams in Mason, Kings and Springboro to win the County tournament," Day said.

It was the Warriors' second Warren County championship in the last five season.

The Warriors will try to keep pace with the Panthers to set up a conference title showdown at Lebanon on May 9 with games at Fairborn tomorrow and at Miamisburg next Tuesday.

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