EATON — The opening game of the 2016 District Eight tournament for the Washington C.H. 12-year-old all-stars featured many home runs and lots of excitement in a back-and-forth affair.
Washington came away with a hard-earned 10-8 victory over Eaton Wednesday.
Washington will be at home today to host Moraine-West Carrollton at 6 p.m.
Weston Melvin got the pitching victory in relief.
He pitched 1.2 innings with two hits, one run, three strikeouts and one walk.
Melvin went 2-3 with a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning to break an 8-8 tie.
Hugh Silberman started and pitched two innings, with no runs, one hit, one strikeout and two walks.
Alex Boles pitched one inning with five runs, two hits, two strikeouts and two walks.
Gabe Campagna pitched one-third of an inning with two walks and two runs.
Conner Bucher pitched the sixth inning, recording three strikeouts, to earn the save.
Washington scored three runs in the top of the first inning.
Bucher singled and later scored.
Drew Ferguson reached on an error and scored on a home run by Braden Osborne that made it 3-0.
After a scoreless second inning, Washington scored in the top of the third.
Bucher led off with a single to center. He went to second on a passed ball.
Bucher soon stole third and scored on a ground out by Melvin.
Eaton came storming back in the third inning to take a 5-4 lead.
An error and a walk put the first two runners on base.
After a ground out, a single made it 4-1.
A walk loaded the bases and Gabe Puckett hit a grand slam to give Eaton a 5-4 lead.
Washington rallied with two outs in the fourth to score three runs.
Brayden May singled and Dylan Grove and Bucher walked to load the bases.
Karson Runk reached on an error that allowed May and Grove to score and Bucher scored on an infield hit by Melvin.
Washington took a 7-5 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
After the first Eaton batter was retired, the next two drew walks.
Following a second out in the inning, Dawson Blaylock drilled a home run to make it 8-7, Eaton.
In the top of the fifth, Osborne hit a double and Silberman was hit by a pitch.
A wild pitch put runners at second and third.
With one away, Osborne attempted a steal of home, but was tagged out.
Silberman stole third, but May was retired to end the inning.
Eaton loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth on two walks and an infield hit.
The runners at second and third strayed far off their respective bases, in a possible attempt at a delayed steal of home.
The throw went down to second, but was quickly returned to the catcher to tag out that runner and end the inning.
It was clutch time for Washington as they came to bat trailing by one run in the top of the sixth.
Dylan Grove lined back to the pitcher for the first out.
Bucher then picked up his third hit of the game, a solo home run, tying the game, 8-8.
Runk reached on an error and Melvin lifted a high fly to right center that cleared the fence, bouncing into and through a small shelter house for a two-run home run and a 10-8 Washington lead.
Osborne drew a two-out walk, but was left on base.
At this point, Bucher was brought in to hopefully nail it down and that he did, though Eaton did not go quietly.
The first two batters were retired on a strikeout and a fly out to center.
The next batter struck out, but reached first safely on a passed ball.
The following batter reached on an error, bringing the potential winning run to the plate.
Bucher got the strikeout of this batter to preserve the 10-8 victory.
RHE
W 301 303 — 10 8 3
E 005 300 — 8 6 3
