Coming in off a Thursday win over state-ranked Columbus Grove, the 13-4 Tinora Rams baseball team again faced one of the area’s better teams, this time welcoming in the DIV IB #18 team, thePatriots of Patrick Henry.
Patrick Henry was coming in after clinching the NWOAL title Thursday at home with an 8-1 win over Liberty Center.
With selection Sunday just a day away, the Rams and Patriots looked to add a quality win to their 2023 resume.
In the last 7 days, Tinora has faced three quality opponents, Kalida, Columbus Grove, and Patrick Henry, entering Saturday, those teams had a combined 43-13 record.
Not much action in the first three innings, as Tinora’s starter Korbin Casteel and Patrick Henry’s starter Logan Hudson both were sending hitters back to the dugout.
The Rams finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth as Mr. Excitement, Dalton Wolfrum, would lead off the bottom of the fourth with a single. Wolfrum would then steal both second and third and come home on a Luke Harris bunt, giving the Rams a 1-0 lead through four innings.
Tinora would add four more runs in the fifth, breaking the game open, taking a 5-0 lead.
The Rams would send 8 hitters to the plate. Mason McQuillin started the rally with a leadoff walk. Eli Plassman would follow with a single. Grady Gustwiller tapped a slow roller to the pitcher, scoring was McQuillin to give Tinora a 2-0 advantage.
Ayden Moser’s opposite field single plated Plassman, Tinora led 3-1. Kayden Radzik added the third single in the inning, and this one plates two Rams, Gustwiller and Moser scored, putting the Rams on top, 5-0 through five innings.
Korbin Castell would retire the Patriots over the next two innings to cap the Tinora win.
Castell would get the shutout, picking up the win, improving to 5-2 on the season, and lowering his ERA to 1.54.
He would walk just one while striking out nine Patriots, allowing just five hits. Casteel would throw 94 pitches, and 64 strikes, in the win.
Patrick Henry 000 000 0 0 runs 5 hits 0 errors
Tinora Rams 000 140 x 5 runs 8 hits 0 errors
L- Hudson
W – Casteel
PH: – Johnson, single; Hudson, single; Meyer, walk, single; Berhman, single; Hieber, single;
Tinora: -Moser single, Radzik 2 singles, SB; Wolfrum single, 2 SB; Harris, RBI; Bostelman, single, Gustwiller, 2 singles, 2 SB; Plassman, single.
The Rams improve to 14-4 with the win. Tinora travels to Wauseon on Tuesday.
Patrick Henry drops to 14-4. The Patriots will host the OG Titans Monday
The Higbea Embroidery Player of the Game went to senior righty, Corbin Casteel. Great job, Corbin.
Watch the win:
https://youtu.be/4gsWdBJIOys
