Senior Trey Schmelzer drove in a pair of runs in the game.
Photos by Drew Terhall | The Daily Advocate
Senior Tucker Miller struck out eight in six innings pitched.
Senior Hudson Hill is one of five seniors graduating from this team.
By Drew Terhall
Dailyadvocate.com
CINCINNATI — The Railroaders baseball season has come to an end. They lost 13-8 to Troy Christian in the OHSAA Division IV Baseball Southwest Regional Semifinals on May 30 at Princeton High School.
The game started out as a pitching duel. Bradford scored one run in the bottom of the first inning off an error.
Senior Tucker Miller and Troy Christian junior Judah Simmons were cruising through the first three innings. Both pitchers racked up strikeouts and didn’t allow many base runners.
Troy Christian broke through in the top of the fourth inning with six runs. With bases loaded, freshman Jacob Grossnickle walked to tie the game.
Senior Andrew Knostman gave the Eagles a lead with a two-run double. With the bases loaded again, senior Camden Koukol doubled to clear the bases and give Troy Christian a 6-1 lead.
Bradford came back with a vengence and tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning.
With two outs, freshman Rallie Wirrig got the rally going with a RBI single. Sophomore Gage Shafer singled in another run after that. Miller followed that up with another RBI single. Senior Trey Schmelzer tied the game with a two-run single.
Troy Christian was quick to retake the lead. In the top of the fifth inning, Knostman drove in a run to give the Eagles a 7-6 lead. Bradford got out of the inning on the same play getting a base runner out at third base.
The Railroaders tried to get that run back in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs and runners at the corners, Bradford tried to do the double steal to score a run. Senior Landon Wills sprinted to home plate, but was tagged out as Koukol got the tag out and held onto the ball as Wills collided with him.
Troy Christian put up another six-run inning in the seventh inning. With bases loaded, senior Carson Dyer walked in a run. Freshman Will Twiss drove in a run on a RBI single to go up 9-6. Koukol and Simmons had back to back two-run hits to give the Eagles a 13-6 lead.
Bradford once again responded in the bottom of the seventh inning, but didn’t scratch enough runs to send the game into extra innings or win.
Junior Treyl Manuel walked in a run and Miller drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. The Railroaders couldn’t keep the rally going as the Eagles got the final out and punched their ticket to the Regional finals.
Miller pitched six innings and had eight strikeouts. Wills and sophomore Owen Canan each had a strikeout on the mound as well.
Bradford finished their season with a 19-10 record and a 7-3 WOAC record. They are District champions for the second straight season.
The team will graduate seniors Garrett Trevino, Hudson Hill, Tucker Miller, Landon Wills and Trey Schmelzer.
Contact Daily Advocate sports editor Drew Terhall at [email protected].
