Spurgeon tops Ports to force Game 3

WOOSTER -- Spurgeon Chevrolet made the most of its three hits in the Denton Fuller Memorial Wooster City Series Majors Division Wednesday at Miller Fields.

A walk, a triple to the fence in right by Darren Bishop and a two- run homer over the fence in left by Brock Sigler knotted the game at 3-3 in the third inning.

Then, a walk, two wild pitches and a groundout plated the go- ahead run in the fourth for Spurgeon in a 5-3 triumph over Ports Petroleum to even up the best-of-three series at one game apiece. It forced a decisive championship game tonight at 6 p.m. at Miller Field.

Sigler, who sported an ear-to-ear grin after the game, said he felt pretty good after hitting the game-tying clout, his second home run of the season.

"I felt happy," he said. "I just hoped we would win."

Ports Petroleum jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning when Spurgeon starter, southpaw Christopher Franks, had trouble finding the strike zone, issuing a pair of walks. Joe Lyons then blooped a two-run double to left field. Lyons moved up to third on a wild pitch and scored on an errant throw by Franks for a 3-0 lead.

"Joey Lyons has killed us the last two years," said Spurgeon coach Chris Franks, who's also the Wooster Youth Baseball, Inc., president. "We just can't seem to get that kid out."

Lyons had two of the seven hits collected by Ports, whose record dipped to 13-5 on the season, the same record as Spurgeon.

Ports starting pitcher Tyrus Older was throwing darts at Spurgeon, striking out five in the first two innings. The hard- throwing righty finished with six strikeouts, but he walked four and his defense didn't help him out as they committed three errors behind him. But he kept Spurgeon off the board until two outs in the third inning when Drew Mills worked a walk.

Bishop blasted a liner to the fence in right, and Sigler followed with his bomb over the fence in left to knot the score.

Older walked the first batter to lead off the fourth inning, and his work on the mound was done. Lyons replaced him on the mound but uncorked a pair of wild pitches that moved the runner to third. MacGuire Corbin's groundout to short scored Adam Smith with the go- ahead run for Spurgeon, and it took two good throws in the top of the next frame to keep the score 4-3.

After Spurgeon relief pitcher Rain Scheibert retired the first two batters in the top of the fourth, he walked Brad Moses, and gave up a single to Garrett Knapic.

Lyons launched a rocket to left that one-hopped the fielder, who bobbled it the ball.

Ports coach Tom Montelione saw the ball bobbled and sent Moses home, hoping to tie the game at 4-4.

"It took two good throws and they made them," Montelione said. "The good thing is, we get to play another game (today). Every game we've played with these guys has been close.

"Christopher did a nice job pitching," the coach continued. "He didn't let that first inning bother him and he settled in nicely."

Franks earned the win, throwing four innings of four-hit ball. He fanned five and walked four.

Spurgeon tacked on an unearned insurance run in the fifth on a walk to Mills, two wild pitches and an error.

Scheibert gave up a lead-off single to Jim Lyons to lead off the sixth inning, but he retired the next three batters on two ground balls and a pop up that he snared himself to record the save.

"Rain came in and threw strikes," Franks said. "We'll see who has the deepest team with all our top pitchers unable to pitch (today). Regardless of what happens (today), this has been a great season for these kids."