Heading into the Sectional opener, the Rams baseball team knew they had their hands full as they would face a Swanton Bulldogs team that just set a record for wins in a season.

Tinora, the #3 seed, would host Swanton the #5 seed, as the Rams entered at 18-5 while the visiting Bulldogs brought in a school best 18-7 record.

The Bulldogs wasted little time getting things rolling in the first inning as they would jump out to a quick 2-0 advantage. Luke Marlow singled to start the game for Swanton followed by a Carson Lemons double. Both would come around to score on a two run double by Adam Lemon off Tinora starter Mason McQuillin.

Six straight batters would reach base to start the second inning for Swanton as the Bulldogs would chase the Tinora starter McQuillin in the top of the inning as they would plate five runs to take a commanding 7-0 lead over the host Rams.

Brendan Upham would start the five run inning with a single, followed by a walk to Evan Smigelski and a single by Brady O’Shea to load the bases, chasing the starter McQuillin. Hunter Bostelman was summoned to the mound by Tinora’s head coach, Brent Renollet.

Luke Marlow immediately singled off Bostelman for a 3-0 Swanton lead. Isaiah Bulyard’s two RBI double increased thee Bulldogs lead to 5-0. Carson Lemons two run double saw the lead grow to 7-0.

The Rams would start the bottom of the second with a leadoff double from Adam Spychala. Mason McQuillin followed with a single, moving Spychala to third. Owen Ferrell’s sacrifice fly plated Spychala for the first Tinora run. Owen Reynolds would draw a two out walk, a passed ball would move both McQuillin and Reynolds into scoring position with two outs.

Trenton Delarber would send a smash that looked to be headed to right field for a two run single, but Swanton second baseman Isaiah Bolyard would steal the would be hit with a dive, throwing to pitcher Luke Marlow covering first base for the final out, ending the Tinora threat. Swanton lead after two inning, 7-1.

The junior starter Marlow limited the Rams offense over the next four innings, shutting down the Tinora offense, not allowing a run or a hit. Lemon would strike out three Rams in his six inning of work, allowing just three hits.

Swanton’s lead increased to 8-1 with a single run in the top of the fourth inning. Bolyard was hit by pitch to start the inning and eventually come around to score on a RBI by Carson Bond. Logan Stein would come in for Bostelman after the Bond hit. Stein would throw the next 3+ innings, allowing just one hit, a seventh inning single from Bond.

Tinora scored their second and final run in the game in the bottom of the seventh inning of Swanton reliever Adam Lemon. Adam Spychala’s RBI single would score Trenton Delarber.
Lemon would record the final out of the game after Tinora would load the bases with two outs. The Bulldogs would advance with a 8-2 win over Tinora.

Swanton improves to 19-7. They will play Eastwood on Thursday 5/29 at Defiance High School at 6 pm.

Tinora sees their season end at 18-6. The Rams finished with a GMC CHampionship.

Best of luck to the Tinora senior class of Seniors Adam Spychala, Trenton Delarber, Dominic Graziani, Ayden Moser, Mason McQuillin, Hunter Bostelman, Cooper Ferrell, Alec Schaublin, and Dominick Mils.

The fantastic coaching career of Tinora longtime head coach Brent Renollet also came to and end. We wish BR nothing but the best in his retirement. It would be the same without coach at the ballfield.

Coach Renollet ends his career with 26 years at Tinora, 445-196 and in 29 years of coaching Delta and Tinora, 481-221. What a career!

PIC- Nikki Bostelman