BRYAN — On a hot day at Bryan’s Sumpter Field, Defiance Jr. ACME didn’t have enough to overcome Perrysburg, falling to the Yellow Jackets in the state semifinals for the second-straight year, 10-1.

The game came after a comeback victory for the Bulldogs (21-9) against Archbold the day prior, which saw them score four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to down the Bluestreaks 6-3.

DHS had no such luck on Sunday afternoon, battling back to make it 2-1 with a Parker Salyers RBI double in the second after a two-RBI single by Owen Gazarek in the first inning gave Perrysburg (12-12) the early 2-0 lead.

The Yellow Jackets added one insurance in the third and six in the fourth, stretching their lead to 9-1. The six fourth inning runs game on RBI singles from Preston McClain and and Gazarek before a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases and an error at third base and two bases loaded walks made it 9-1.

“They outplayed us,” 21-year Jr. ACME head coach Jeff Oberlin said. “We made a few mental errors and we just couldn’t find the zone that umpire liked. It was really hard to find a place where they were going to be consistent strikes.”

The Bulldogs gave up eight walks to Perrysburg’s five and switched pitchers three times in the game, twice in the six-run fourth alone. Nate Hayman took the loss on the mound and was taken out with one out in the fourth. Salyers came in and threw 14 pitches, both walks, and was replaced with Kasen Parks.

Perrysburg added one more run on a single to leadoff the inning and a wild pitch. Matt Helman threw six innings and gave up one run (not earned) on three hits, striking out six and walking five. Jonah Hoelter gave up two hits in the seventh but closed the game off unscathed. Owen Gazarek went 2-for-4 with three RBIs at the plate.

Salyers and Graysen Cox each doubled and had two hits, making up four of the Bulldogs’ five.

“These kids didn’t have as good of a freshman season as they would have liked, but I knew they were good athletes,” Oberlin said of this group, which played 29 games this summer and won 21 games, nine games better than last season’s Jr. ACME team which finished 14-4. “We had three kids that got moved up to ACME early in the season and we played without them this weekend because I didn’t want to bring them back and take somebody else’s spot.

“But these kids were nothing but great. I absolutely loved this group.”

Perrysburg moves on to state finals tomorrow back at Bryan at 6 p.m. in a rematch of last year’s state final with St. Henry (6-0), which beat Miller City 10-6 in the second state semifinal of the day.

Miller City (9-5) led 4-3 going to the bottom of the third after a three run top of the frame before St. Henry scored two in the bottom to take the lead, and four in the fourth inning to extend it.

The Wildcats were held to just two hits as they worked eight walks and saw St. Henry commit three errors. Sam Otto suffered the loss on the mound, walking none and striking out one over three innings but giving up five earned runs on seven hits.

State Jr. ACME

Semifinals

Defiance;001;000;0;-;1;5;4

Perrysburg;201;601;x;-;10;7;2

Records: Defiance 21-9, Perrysburg 12-12.

Winning pitcher: Matt Helman (6 innings, 3 hits, 1 run, 0 earned, 6 strikeouts, 5 walks). Others: Jonah Hoelter.

Losing pitcher: Nate Hayman (3.1 innings, 5 hits, 9 runs, 6 earned, 2 strikeout, 5 walks). Others: Parker Salyers, Kasen Parks, Jack Foster.

Leading hitters: (Defiance) – Graysen Cox double, single; Parker Salyers double, single. (Perrysburg) – Lane Gazarek 2 runs; Preston McClain 2 singles, 2 runs; Owen Gazarek 2 singles, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Jaxon Myers 2 RBIs.

Miller City;013;000;2;-;6;2;4

St. Henry;122;401;x;-;10;10;3

Records: Miller City 9-5, St. Henry 6-0.

Winning pitcher: Will Beyke (3 innings, 1 hit, 4 runs, 3 earned, 4 strikeouts, 5 walks). Others: Ethan May.

Losing pitcher: Sam Otto (3 innings, 7 hits, 5 runs, 5 earned, 1 strikeout, 0 walks). Others: Braydon Brown.

Leading hitters: (Miller City) – 2 hits. (St. Henry) – Will Nietfeld triple, 2 runs; Ian Schwieterman double, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Owen Werling double; Drew Buschur 2 singles; Noah Horstman 2 runs; Braden Wourms double single, 2 runs; Winston Jones 2 RBIs.