LANCASTER, Ohio — After a state legion tournament-opening loss Friday evening, the Napoleon Legion Post #300 baseball team answered with an unblemished run through the weekend, winning three games to reach Monday’s state title game.
But the River Bandits, despite scoring first, conceded a combined six runs across the first three innings and could not recover en route to a 7-2 loss to Yeager-Benson Post #199 in the state championship game Monday morning at Beavers Field.
The Bandits, who have consistently found ways to drive in runs — even with two outs — during the summer, were limited to just two hits in the loss. They were also limited to just two hits by Yeager-Benson in the tournament-opening 7-6 loss Friday.
Elijah Arend (Fairview) doubled and Kenneth Smeltzer (Montpelier) singled for the team’s lone hits. Tripp Langenderfer (Archbold) and Kaden Kreinbrink (Liberty Center) both had an RBI for Post #300, while Zack Boecker (Holgate) had the team’s only walk.
Kreinbrink drove in the game’s first run on a bases loaded fielder’s choice groundout, which was set up by Smeltzer reaching base due to an error before Langenderfer and Cam Bukowski (Bryan) were both walked with one out in the first inning.
The Bandits attempted to spark a rally in the seventh, as Jackson Poynter (North Central) and Boecker, with one out, were hit by a pitch and walked to put a pair of runners on. The game ended after Post #300 struck out and popped out for the final two outs.
Anthony Singer (Fairview) suffered the loss on the mound, allowing five runs on two hits with two walks and zero strikeouts. Owen Reynolds, in four innings of relief, allowed two runs and four hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
The River Bandits finish the summer with a 33-15 record.