Alex Henry gave Findlay High's pitching rotation a needed break Monday. But Lima Shawnee eventually got to the freshman right-hander in an 8-3 non-league win over the Trojans at Flag City Memorial Field.
"We had a doubleheader Saturday and we play every night this week except Wednesday," said FHS coach Jeff Stutzman, who sends the Trojans, alone in first place in the Greater Buckeye Conference standings, into a key league game at Napoleon today.
"Alex has been pitching well at the JV level, so we decided to bring him up and give our other pitchers some rest. He did well the first three innings. But the second time through the lineup they got to him a little bit."
David Gerad and Garrett Black had three hits each and Cody Roberts had two for Lima Shawnee, 17-3 overall and tied for the lead (5-0) in the Western Buckeye League. Jacob Kuhlman had two hits, Danny Bowersox tripled and drove in a run and Drew Mowery had 2 RBI for Findlay (10-4).
Bowersox tripled and scored on Mowery's sacrifice fly in the first inning. Bowersox brought in a run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning and Mowery singled home a run in the seventh.
In other area games:
— Arlington stayed unbeaten and moved within a game of a share of the Blanchard Valley Conference title with a 9-0 win over McComb. Arlington's Trever Gast allowed just 4 hits and struck out 14 to get the shutout win. Jacob Drerup blasted a 3-run homer and added a single for the winners.
Arlington (15-0 overall, 7-0 BVC) can clinch a title share Wednesday when its hosts Van Buren in a 5 p.m. game.
— Mike Howell fired a one-hitter in pitching Pandora-Gilboa to a 10-0 run-rule victory over Hardin Northern.
— Liberty-Benton's Aaron Panning struck out 10 as he ran his record to 6-0 in the Eagles' 11-4 BVC win over Cory-Rawson.
Nick Koenig had a 2-run triple in Liberty-Benton's 5-run sixth inning. He added 3 singles and had 4 RBI. Brett Pasche had 2 RBI on a double for L-B (10-3 overall, 6-1 BVC).
Cory-Rawson (3-9, 2-5) got a double and single from Levi Benner, while Alex Barlekamp had a 2-run triple.
— Leipsic's Jay Maag got the win on the mound and gave his team the lead with a big home run as the Vikings topped Vanlue 7-4 in a BVC game.
Leipsic (10-6 overall, 5-2 BVC) trailed 4-3 when Maag blasted a 2-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to put the Vikings on top for good. Derek Mangas doubled and singled driving in a pair and Jake Schroeder added a pair of singles and 2 RBI.
Josh Simon tripled and doubled for Vanlue (2-12, 0-7).
— Unbeaten Tyler Brown (5-0) limited Fremont St. Joseph to one run one 5 hits and Ian Kuhn tripled and drove in 3 runs as Hopewell-Loudon (14-4 overall, 4-0 MAL) chalked up a key 8-1 Midland Athletic League win over the Streaks (13-4, 4-1).
— Carey avenged its loss to North Baltimore in Saturday's Lucadello Tournament consolation final by beating the Tigers 11-7 in an MAL game. Jay Hahler doubled and singled driving in a run to lead the Blue Devils. Zach Engard smashed a grand slam home run for North Baltimore.
— Fostoria Senior scored 2 runs in both the fifth and sixth innings on its way to defeating Upper Sandusky 10-5 in a Northern Ohio League game at Grant Jackson Field.
The win keeps Fostoria tied with Norwalk for the league lead at 6-2.
Fostoria's Scott Brady and Jordan Bulkowski each had a pair of singles and 2 RBIs for the Redmen (12-5). Teammate Micah Hyde doubled, singled and knocked in a run.
Kenny Elder tripled and drove in a run for the Rams (5-9 overall, 2-6 NOL).
— Patrick Henry knocked Delta from the ranks of the Northwest Ohio Athletic League ranks Monday with a 2-1 decision.
Zach Botjer struck out 7 and walked 5, while allowing just 2 hits. Mitch Leonard tripled for a run in the seventh and Luke George singled in another for the Patriots (13-2 overall, 3-1 NWOAL).
— Delphos Jefferson's Mike Rahrig completely shut down Bluffton as he no-hit the Pirates in Northwest Conference action.
— Elmwood's Adam Sheline fanned 8 and allowed just 3 hits as the Royals remained unbeaten in the Suburban Lakes League with a 2-0 win over Lake.
Sheline also drove in a run on a ground out, Reid Rothenbuhler had a run-scoring single and Nathaniel Fitch had 2 singles for the Royals (14-2 overall, 6-0 SLL).
— Jared Niese fired 1-hitter to lead Miller City to a 10-0 Putnam County League win over Continental. Niese struck out 4 and walked only one in 5 innings of work. Mitch Wenzinger smacked a pair of doubles driving in 3 runs for the Wildcats (6-5).
lima shawnee 8, findlay 3
Lima Shawnee 020 420 0 — 8 10 1
Findlay 100 010 1 — 3 7 2
WP — Strawn. LP — Henry (0-1). top hitters: (LS) Gerad 3-1B, RBI; Black 3-1B, RBI; Roberts 2-1B; Morgan 2B, 3 RBI. (Fin) Kuhlman 2-1B; Bowersox 3B, RBI; Mowery 1B, 2 RBI.