Team Ohio (Gold) won a close game and is one game away from taking the series. B.J Salazar went 2-5 with an RBI and run scores. Justin Root added a home run and threw a scoreless ninth to pick up the save.

“I am very proud of our guys today,” Coach Cory Bergfeld said. “We played hard but we have to cut down on the mistakes. If we make all of our plays we come away with a 5-1 or a 5-2 win. However, we were able to hold on to the lead and put ourselves in a very good position for Thursday’s game.”

Unlike the first two games, the Gold team was able to score first. Justin Root led off the top of the second inning with a mammoth homerun to right-center field off of starter Tony Flagg. Later in the inning, Spike Holliday scored pinch runner K.J Meyer on a fielder’s choice to shortstop Derek Kaczor giving the Gold team a 2-0 lead.

The Blue team countered with a lead-off walk to Ryan Popma and a throwing error by the Gold’s catcher led to Dan Abbott lining a single up the middle scoring Popma.  

After that, starter Corey Alexander was able to settle down and was lights out for four innings.

“I was Corey to give us three solid innings today with a fourth inning being a bonus,” Bergfeld said. “He exceeded my expectations and did fantastic.”

The Gold team struck again in the top of the fifth when Jason Ryzcek hit Allan Manyan to lead off the inning. Walks to Salazar and Root loaded the bases for Justin Thompson who hit a shot down the third base line scoring Manyan and Salazar. The Gold team now led by a score of 4-1.

The Blue team was able to get one of those runs back when Mark Pauwels scored Derek Kaczor with a blooper down the left-field line cutting Gold’s lead to 4-2.

Brent Miranda was able to lead off the top of the sixth with a double that landed just inside the foul line. He then scored on a Salazar infield single up the middle. That run would prove crucial for the Gold team.

The Blue team was able to get to relief pitcher Brett Kuebler in the bottom of the seventh. Jose Paez led off with a single and then David Wynkoop blooped a single into right field which got away from Kenny Sutter and eventually led to Paez scoring and Wynkoop winding up on third. Wynkoop then scored on a throwing error by the Gold’s third baseman. Kuebler worked himself out of the jam with the Gold team clinging to a 5-4 lead.

“Kuebler made some big pitches and got some big outs today,” Bergfeld said. “He (Kuebler) and Alexander have been our work horses and every time I give them the ball I know they will get the job done. “

The ball was then handed to Justin Root to close out the game.

“We took a little gamble putting Root in because he’s normally not used a pitcher,” Bergfeld exclaimed. “But he throws hard and throws strikes so I had all the confidence in the world in him.”

Root started the bottom of the ninth by striking out Tim Seigfried. He then walked John Carey who was later thrown out by Jack Mackinnon trying to steal second base. Root then finished the game by striking out Justin Oaks.

Salazar, Root, and Thompson were the big heroes for the Gold team. Pauwels led the Blue team by going 2-3 with an RBI double and a stolen base.

Alexander picked up the win for the Gold team while Root picked up the save. Flagg took the loss for the Blue team.

With a 2-1 series lead, the Gold team is going into game four with hopes of a victory and a series championship. However, they know that the Blue team will not go down without a fight.

Game four will be played at 3:45 p.m Thursday afternoon at the SHU Baseball Field.