The Washington Blue Lion varsity baseball team was scheduled to be at Chillicothe Friday to take on the Cavaliers.
When their field proved not ready for the game, the site was switched to Washington High School.
The Blue Lions fell behind 3-0 after the first half inning, but scored 11 runs before Chillicothe scored two in the seventh to post an 11-5 victory.
The win lifts the Blue Lions to 1-1 in the SCOL, 3-1 overall.
Aaron Greer started and pitched 5.1 innings for Washington to record the victory. He allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits. He walked five and struck out four.
Jordan Flowers came on in relief, pitching the final 1.2 innings with three hits, two runs (both earned) and one strikeout.
Lechner took the loss in relief for Chillicothe.
He pitched one inning (the fifth) allowed four runs (all earned) on three hits awith one walk and two strikeouts.
Haller started and pitched four innings for the Cavaliers. He allowed five runs (four earned) on three hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
Benson pitched the sixth inning for Chillicothe, with two earned runs on two hits with two walks and one strikeout.
The Blue Lions, after committing six errors at Clinton-Massie on Wednesday, bounced back defensively, with just two errors Friday.
Washington had eight hits, led by Caden Cluxton going 3 for 4 with two runs and one rbi.
The Cavaliers jumped out to a 3-0 lead after their first turn at bat.
Washington got on the board with two runs in the third.
Kyler Mount was hit by a pitch and stole second.
Cluxton had an infield hit.
A delayed double steal allowed Mount to score.
Jarett Patton had a single that scored Cluxton to make it 3-2.
In the fourth inning, Brian Wilson led off and reached on an error. The errant throw bounced over the fence, allowing Wilson to take second.
Greer followed with a ground out, moving Wilson to third.
With Nick Barrett at the plate, it appeared a play was on.
Wilson came well down the third base line and was caught, it seemed, in no-man’s land.
With some heads-up base-running, Wilson was able to get through the run down and was safe at home.
After setting Chillicothe down in order in the top of the fifth, the Blue Lions had a bountiful bottom of the inning, sending nine to the plate and scoring six runs.
Conner Chrisman led off with a walk and Cluxton followed with single through the hole into left field.
At this point, Haller was lifted in favor of Lechner.
He struck out the first batter he faced, then plunked Tim Robinson.
With the bases loaded, Cole Massie walked, forcing in Chrisman to give the Blue Lions a 4-3 lead.
Wilson sliced a single into right, scoring Cluxton to make it 5-3.
Greer ripped a single over the shortstop, scoring Robinson for a 6-3 tally.
After the second out was recorded, Trevor Mustain laced a double, clearing the bases with Massie, Wilson and Greer scoring to make it 9-3.
Mustain was out on the tail end of the play trying to reach third.
Greer faced two batters in the sixth, including the first to ground out.
The next batter had an infield hit and head coach Tyler Rhodus went to his bullpen to bring on Jordan Flowers.
Flowers got a strikeout and a fly out to end the inning.
Washington scored two in the bottom of the sixth when Chrisman led off with a triple to right field.
Cluxton drove him in with a single and Patton walked. An error allowed Patton to go to second. Cluxton would later score to make it 11-3.
The Cavaliers hit back-to-back doubles to right-center and also a single, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the seventh.
“We started the game off with not a lot of focus or composure,” Rhodus said. “We were up and down, emotionally.
“Aaron was really a little wound up for his first start of the season,” Rhodus said. “He settled down and threw strikes and let the defense work.
“At the plate, we struggled to make adjustments,” Rhodus said. “In the middle innings, four, five and six, we finally started hitting the ball. We finally made the adjustments, it just took a while.
“Jordan came in and gave us and one and two-thirds and pitched well,” Rhodus said. “It was a big improvement from Wednesday to tonight, defensively for us.”
The Blue Lions are off Saturday and will host four games next week, beginning with East Clinton on Monday.
Offensively for Washington: Caden Cluxton, 3-4, 2 runs, 1 rbi, 1 sb; Jarett Patton, 1-3, 1 run, 1 rbi, 1 bb, 2 sb; Tim Robinson, 0-3, 1 run; Cole Massie, 0-2, 1 run, 1 rbi, 2 bb, 2 sb; Brian Wilson, 1-4, 2 runs, 1 rbi, 1 sb; Aaron Greer, 1-1, 1 run, 1 rbi, 1 bb, 1 sac.; Nick Barrett, 0-3; Trevor Mustain, 1-3, 3 rbi; Kyler Mount, 0-0, 1 hbp, 1 run; Conner Chrisman, 1-1, 2 runs, 1 bb, 1 3b. Left on base: 3.
Offensively for Chillicothe: Busch, 0-3, 1 bb; Mathis, 2-4, 2 runs, 1 2b, 1 sb; Jones, 1-2, 2 runs, 1 rbi, 2 bb, 1 2b; Jackson, 2-4, 1 run, 2 rbi; Corbin, 0-0; Valentine, 1-3, 1 rbi, 1 bb; Woods, 0-4; Lechner, 1-3; Nihiser, 0-3; Benson, 0-2.
RHE
C 300 000 2 — 5 7 4
W 002 162 x — 11 8 2
