CHILLICOTHE — It was a battle of two of the three teams then tied atop the Frontier Athletic Conference when Miami Trace’s varsity baseball team made the trip down US 35 to Chillicothe to take on the Cavaliers Saturday afternoon.
The Panthers won the game, 6-4.
The win keeps Miami Trace tied with the Blue Lions of Washington High School, both with records of 6-2.
The loss was the third in the conference for the Cavaliers.
The win marked another milestone in Miami Trace head coach Rob Smith’s career: it was his 350th career coaching victory.
Smith has also been the head varsity baseball coach at Washington, Madison Plains and Fairborn High Schools.
“It was a very good baseball game against a very good team,” Smith said. “Chillicothe is really good this year. They spanked us the first time we played (14-1 back on April 5).
“It was touch and go there,” Smith said. “We were down until the fifth. It was 2-1, then we went up, 4-2 and then 6-2 and then they scored two in the sixth and they had runners on second and third with two outs in the seventh and we coaxed a pop-up.”
Smith spoke about the 350 win milestone.
“Hardly anyone knew about it going in,” Smith said. “I told the kids after the game, when I’m done coaching, I’ll look back on it more. I was more proud of beating Chillicothe. That was a big game for us.
“I mean, it was a special moment,” Smith said. “It was exciting. I got to share it with the kids. As a coach, I’m more concerned about winning the league race right now, than the milestone.
“Yeah, the coach gets credit when he gets 350 wins, but, I didn’t win any of them,” Smith said. “It’s the kids that won those games. You have to have good kids. Good kids can help an old guy like me look good at times.”
Darby Tyree started for the Panthers and was the winning pitcher.
He pitched 5.2 innings with three hits and four runs (two earned). He struck out 10 and walked three.
Dalton Mayer pitched 1.1 innings for the save. He struck out one, walked one and allowed one hit.
Billy DeLeon started for the Cavs and went five innings.
Benson pitched in relief for Chillicothe.
“Darby gave us a very good pitching performance,” Smith said. “Dalton pitched well in relief to earn the save.”
In the first, Josh Gilmore singled and Heath Cockerill singled. Gilmore was running on the play and scored.
In the fifth for the Panthers, Gilmore singled, Austin Brown was hit by a pitch.
With those runners at second and third, Mayer singled for two rbi.
Mayer stole second and third and scored on a wild pitch.
The Panthers put two more on the board in the sixth.
Brady Wallace walked and Drew Batson hit a single. Wallace scored on a wild pitch and Gilmore singled, Batson.
The Panthers’ game with Jackson, scheduled for Monday, was rained out. That game has been rescheduled for Monday, April 30 at MTHS.
The Panthers (11-3 overall) host the Blue Lions Wednesday at 5 p.m.
Washington’s game against McClain, scheduled for Monday, was rained out. No make-up date was announced.
Offensively for Miami Trace: Brady Wallace, 1-2, 1 run, 2 bb; Drew Batson, 1-3, 1 run, hbp; Josh Gilmore, 3-4, 2 runs, 1 rbi; Heath Cockerill, 3-4, 1 rbi; Cody Brightman, 1-4; Austin Brown, 0-3, hbp, 1 sb, 1 run; Dalton Mayer, 1-4, 2 rbi, 1 run, 2 sb; James Munro, 0-3; Austin Mathews, 0-3, 1 bb.
RHE
MT 100 032 0 — 6 10 2
C 200 002 0 — 4 4 0
