The Tigers sent 15 batters to the plate and scored 10 runs in the top of the fifth inning, punctuating a 14-1 run-rule triumph by the Midwest Athletic Conference champions.
“We’ve had a lot of games this year where we’ve gotten that three-run lead, and then for whatever reason we haven’t played add on,” Versailles coach Mitch Hoying said. “Luckily they had a little lapse defensively, and we took advantage of it.”
The Falcons did contribute their share of mistakes to the VHS cause. The fifth should have been a 1-2-3 inning for Fenwick starter Derek Coffey, but two outfield errors proved costly.
Ethan Bruns pitched a three-hitter for the Tigers (24-7).
Mike Rutschilling, Damien Richard, Kyle Niekamp, Mitch Gigandet and Bruns all plated two runs.
Versailles will meet Hamilton Badin in a 2 p.m. regional semifinal Thursday at the Athletes in Action complex in Xenia.
“Give them a lot of credit,” Falcons coach Bob Sherlock said. “Yeah, we could’ve made some plays that we didn’t make that may have stemmed the tide, but they’re an outstanding team. We kind of left the door open when we didn’t get some big hits early in the ballgame.”
Bruns struck out six and walked two in five innings. The senior right-hander allowed an unearned run and stranded three Falcons on base in the second.
“Ethan doesn’t overpower anybody,” Hoying said. “He gets two pitches over, and hopefully we pick it up in the infield.”
Fenwick (15-13) knocked off a pair of state-ranked squads (Carlisle and Madison) to reach its first district final since 2008.
“Great season,” said designated hitter Alex Holman, one of three seniors on the Falcons’ roster. “Win or lose, those guys are like my brothers. It’s something you can’t really describe. It’s an awesome feeling.”
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