BRYAN — The quarterfinals of the State Jr. ACME tournament took place on Saturday and it saw two area squads advance to the semifinals with Defiance orchestrating a comeback win over Archbold to kick off the four-game slate.

The Bulldogs (21-7) trailed 3-2 entering the fourth inning before getting a four-run sixth inning to ultimately defeat the Bluestreaks (12-4) 6-3, making DHS 2-1 against Archbold this summer.

The sixth inning rally for Defiance all came with two outs, as Nate Hayman reached on an error, advanced to second on a Cameron Schultz single and scored on a Jarrett Tolbert RBI single. The inning continued after after a dropped third strike allowed Noah Leonard to reach first and allowed Schultz to score to take the lead. Parker Salyers singled in two insurance runs.

Hayman relieved Graysen Cox, who started and threw 114 pitches, allowing three earned on five hits with eight strikeouts and four walks in six innings. Archbold was only able to get a walk off of Hayman in the seventh.

Elijah Verhoff went the distance for Archbold and suffered the loss while going 2-for-4 with an RBI at the plate.

Defiance moves on to play Perrysburg (11-12) on Sunday at 1 p.m. back at Sumpter Field in Bryan, setting up a rematch of a semifinal in state Jr. ACME last season which saw the Bulldogs fall 5-1 to the Yellow Jackets.

Perrysburg, the reigning state champions, downed Wayne Trace (3-9-1) 2-1 to advance to the semifinals for a second-straight year. The Raiders could only muster two hits and one run off of Perrysburg starter Matt Helman, who went the distance, striking out nine and walking one. Wayne Trace starter Carter Nofziger threw all six and allowed two unearned runs on four hits. Lane Gazarek was 2-for-4 for Perrysburg.

In the final game of the day, Miller City (9-3) topped hosts Bryan (1-3) 4-0 to advance to play the defending state runners up St. Henry (5-0), which beat Van Buren 9-8 in the other quarterfinal. The Wildcats got a complete game shutout from Brayden Tobe. He allowed no runs and three hits over seven frames. 

A three-run third, which saw Monterae Williams Jr. score on a passed ball and Aiden Michel bring in two more on a double the next pitch, was enough to give Miller City control.

Miller City and St. Henry are scheduled to clash back at Bryan on Sunday at 3:30 p.m., or, following the end of the first semifinal at 1 p.m.

State Jr. ACME

Quarterfinals

Archbold;000;120;0;-;3;6;3

Defiance;020;004;x;-;6;8;0

Records: Archbold 12-4, Defiance 21-7. 

Winning pitcher: Graysen Cox (6 innings, 6 hits, 3 runs, 8 strikeouts, 4 walks). Others: Nate Hayman.

Losing pitcher: Elijah Verhoff (6 innings, 8 hits, 6 runs, 1 earned, 2 strikeouts, 3 walks).

Leading hitters: (Archbold) – Elijah Verhoff 2 singles; Eli Krueger 2 singles. (Defiance) – Parker Salyers 2 singles, 2 RBIs; Nate Hayman 2 RBIs; Cameron Schultz 2 singles.

Wayne Trace;001;000;0;-;1;2;2

Perrysburg;000;200;x;-;2;4;1

Records: Wayne Trace 4-10-1, Perrysburg 11-12.

Winning pitcher: Matt Helman (7 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 9 strikeouts, 3 walks).

Losing pitcher: Carter Noffsinger (6 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs, 0 earned, 2 strikeouts, 2 walks).

Leading hitters: (Wayne Trace) – 2 hits. (Perrysburg) – Preston McClain double; Lane Gazarek 2 singles.

Bryan;000;000;0;-;0;3;3

M. City;003;010;x;-;4;7;1

Records: Bryan 1-3, Miller City 9-3.

Winning pitcher: Brayden Tobe (7 innings, 3 hits, 0 runs, 2 strikeouts, 2 walks).

Losing pitcher: Mason Grime (6 innings, 7 hits, 4 runs, 2 earned, 7 strikeouts, 1 walk).

Leading hitters: (Bryan) – 3 hits. (Miller City) – Aiden Michel double, 2 RBIs; Monterae Williams Jr. 2 singles; Brayden Tobe 2 singles, 2 runs.