ELIDA – Ottawa Glandorf put up nine runs in their first two at bats and launched two home runs as they defeated host Elida on Thursday evening 13-2 to earn their first WBL victory of the season.
Working through a 26 mile per hour wind blowing toward the fences at Ed Sandy Field the Titans slugged their first home run of the season with a pair of runners on in the first off the bat of Nate Maag. Ottawa Glandorf’s clean up hitter slugged the tenth pitch of the at bat from Bulldog starter Cam Howard over the left centerfield fence to push the blue and gold ahead 3-0 with just one out in the opening frame.
OG would add two more runs in the inning, taking a 5-0 lead into the bottom of the first on runs scored by Kaleb Yoder and Landen Jordan thanks to Bulldog errors.
Elida’s Tyler Carter reached on an errant throw to begin the bottom half of the frame but was unable to move around the bases thanks to a strikeout and pair of lineouts from Titan hurler Nate Maag who would finish the day by striking out 10 orange and black hitters.
Ottawa Glandorf’s second inning was nearly as fruitful as their first thanks to a single by Carter Schimmoeller and a walk to Ty Buckland off of relief pitcher Larkin Henderson.
Left fielder Alex Macke became the second visiting hitter to place a ball beyond the fence in the game as he slashed a Henderson offering through the sky for a three run shot to give the Titans an 8-0 advantage with no outs. Landen Jordan singled in Yoder moments later with an RBI single to the outfield to push the lead to 9-0 and give OG their second straight inning sending nine batters to the plate.
Elida dented the scoreboard for the first and second runs of the game to cut the deficit to 9-2 in their second turn at the bat on a single by Mike Niebel and a full count walk to Brady Kirk when pitcher Larkin Henderson singled and Tyler Carter doubled to bring the two Bulldogs across the plate.
Relief pitchers Larkin Henderson and Zach Suever worked through seven OG hitters in the third and fourth inning and allowed just a single base runner to threaten while teaming up to keep their opponents off the scoreboard any further on the defensive end for Elida.
Though he allowed a pair of runners to begin the home third, Maag settled down through the rest of the inning as he finished the threat by striking out the side on 11 pitches to send his squad into the fifth still leading 9-2.
Ten Ottawa Glandorf hitters saw pitches in what would be the final at bat for the Titans in the fifth. Walks to Carter Schimmoeller and Ty Buckland and a fielders choice play that saw Alex Macke reach set the stage for Maag himself to add to the lead with a double before his battery mate Yoder brought home two with a single for a 12-2 lead.
The final marker of the game for the visitors came thanks to a single by Carter Duling to give the Titans a 13-2 lead.
Five substitute hitters for Elida mustered a runner by error and a walk from Maag in the final half inning but were unable to add any runs as the OG senior induced a pair of ground balls to second to finish off a two hour battle with a run rule victory.
Elida (2-4, 0-2) starter Cam Howard finished with eight runs allowed over his inning of work while surrendering six hits, a walk, a hit by pitch, and a pair of strikeouts while taking the loss. Next up for the Bulldogs is a Saturday afternoon non-league doubleheader against visiting Spencerville beginning at noon.
OG’s (2-3, 1-2) Nate Maag improves his record on the year to 1-1 as he struck out 10 Elida hitters over five innings while giving up two runs on four hits with a pair of walks and a pair of hit by pitches on the evening. Maag drove in four runs with the bat as well by virtue of his home run and double at the plate.
The Titans return to action at Memorial Field on Saturday morning with an 11am tilt against Wauseon.