ELIDA – One run scored in the first inning held up for Elida on Saturday afternoon at Ed Sandy Field as they held off the Kalida Wildcats 1-0 in a non-league affair.
Bulldog leadoff man Gunnar Kuhn worked a 3-2 count from Kalida starting pitcher Justin Siebeneck before acquiring a fourth ball to open the bottom of the first.
Third baseman Ryan McGue slapped a 2-2 offering from Siebeneck into right field to score Kuhn before himself being thrown out attempting to stretch his single into a double. Elida threatened again in the frame with two outs but were unable to bring in a pair of base runners.
Working against Elida starter Brady Kirk the Wildcats were unable to get themselves going offensively through their first two turns at bat and were sat down in order by the right hander including 1-2-3 via strikeout in the second inning.
Kalida’s Colin Hoffman and Carson Klausing were the first two players representing the maroon and gold to reach base after they were each hit in the helmet by a Kirk offering but were left on base when the inning came to a conclusion.
Elida threatened to extend their advantage in the third after a leadoff walk to Kuhn. After Kuhn swiped second base he was picked off the base as part of a double play that began with a line out from teammate Tyler Carter.
The best two opportunities for the Wildcats to reach the scoreboard the rest of the way came in the fifth when a two-out double by Carson Klausing broke up the no hit bid by Kirk and the sixth when Bubba Smith reached on an error to open the frame but was picked off moments later.
Late in the game in their last at bat the Bulldogs put a pair of hitters on the bases thanks to hit by pitches of Mike Niebel and Brady Kirk but were forced to leave them there when the inning ended as Niebel was struck by a Cam Howard line drive moving to third.
Kalida’s final at bats ended with a pair of fly outs to the outfield and a strike out of substitute EJ Miller by Kirk to secure the 1-0 victory.
The Wildcats (1-1) travel to Holgate on Monday for a non-league affair while Elida (2-0) will host league mate Van Wert in a Western Buckeye League clash.
Justin Siebeneck (0-1) took the loss for the visitors as he allowed a single run over four innings of work while striking out three and walking three on 65 pitches. Ryan Klausing tossed three innings of relief for Kalida and surrendered a hit while tallying three strikeouts of Elida hitters.
Brady Kirk (1-0) was victorious for the Bulldogs as he went the distance on the way to nine strikeouts and just a single hit allowed to earn the victory.
Kalida 0-0-0-0-0-0-0 0-1-0
Elida 1-0-0-0-0-0-x 1-5-1