By CHIP MAXEY
cnsports@crescent-news.com
COLDWATER " During the first two games of the ACME state tournament, the Patrick Henry Patriots used a pair of rallies to advance to Wednesday's winners' bracket final.

Unfortunately for the Patriots, Northmont turned the tables on Wednesday evening at Coldwater and extinguished a 9-1 PH lead with a nine-run fifth inning to capture a 10-9 triumph.

"We came back the first couple games of the tournament, but they did it to us," stated Patrick Henry head coach Ben Botjer. "We were very confident because we got them flustered a little bit. I think we got a little over confident and let them back in the game."

"It was a crazy game," said Northmont head coach J.T. Thompson. "Hats off to
Patrick Henry, they played great."

It was all going in the Patriots favor as they scored a single run in the top of the fifth inning to take a commanding 9-1 advantage, but that all changed in the bottom of the inning. Corey Jordan led off with a single to center followed by a fielder's choice by Chase Belton. Mark Phillips ripped a single to center to load the bases. With on out Scott Rudmann then singled in Jordan and Belton Phillips with a single before Ian Creager smocked a double to right center to make the score 9-4.

"He is good," said Thompson on Creager's hitting. "I am glad he hit this summer to show people that he can hit, he is tough."

Kevin Tolle then stepped in and laced a single down the left field line to score Rudmann and Creager to make the score 9-6. Andy Starr then hit a single to right center to score Tolle to make the score 9-7.

Marcus Patton then scored on a Belton fielder's choice before Phillips roped a triple to right center to score Jordan and Belton to put the Raiders up for good.

"Early in the game I don't think we were aggressive enough," said Thompson. "He had spotted his pitches real well. We finally started swing the bats and at least made a game out it. I just didn't want to get run ruled."

"Early in the game we started off with off-speed pitches and we got them off balance," stated Botjer. "Then they started timing it, we then tried to mix it up more and our defense made some errors. The inning just kept going and going."

In the seventh it looked as if the Patriots might tie the game after Luke George led off with a single off Creager's leg. Chris Boyer then sacrificed him to second and with two outs. Austin Bower then dug into the batters box with a chance to knot the game but grounded out to end the game.

"They threw off-speed right away and he was a little out in front of it," commented Botjer. "He has been stroking the ball. He will be alright."

After the Patriots (16-6) left four runners on base in the first two innings, the offense got going in the third. George reached base on a Northmont error. Boyer then looked as if he had popped out to the first basemen but the ball was dropped putting runners on first and second with one out. With George on third and Cody Meyer on first, Bower stepped in and ripped an RBI single to right to plate George and moved Meyer to third.

Tyler Phillips then laced a single to right center to score Meyer and move Bower to third still with just one out. Brian Kline then was hit by a pitch to load the bases. With two outs Kasey Spence was hit by a pitch to score Phillips to put the Patriots up 3-0. A wild pitch then scored Kline to make the score 4-0.

"I was thinking that I need to save some pitching for three straight games," commented Thompson on what he was thinking when the Patriots scored four in the third. "We knew we had to stop the bleeding and give ourselves a chance. We knew we could hit the guy (Kline). He (Kline) is a battler, I have read his stats and my hats off to him with pitching all of the innings he does."

Northmont (22-6) came right back and scored a run in the bottom of the third to make the score 4-1 after three innings. Then the Patriot offense went right back to work.

George was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning followed by a Boyer single to center to move George to second. Meyer then made it safely to first on a bunt down the third baseline to load the bases for Bower, who roped a three run double to the right field wall to make the score 7-1. On the play Bower moved to third on a throw home. Phillips then popped out to the first basemen in foul territory, but on the play nobody covered home so Bower raced in to make the score 8-1.

With the loss, the Patriots now move to the loser's bracket finals on Friday at 7 p.m. as they will take on Coldwater, who defeated Lima Bath 10-0 in six innings on Wednesday.

"We are not going to quit," stated Botjer. "We are going to come back with Tyler Phillips on Friday and hopefully get through that. Hopefully we win Saturday (first game) and throw the kitchen sink at them in the second game."

Linescore
Patrick Henry 004 410 0 - 9 10 2
Northmont 001 090 x - 10 13 3

Records: Patrick Henry 16-6, Northmont 22-6.

Winning Pitcher: Mark Phillips (1 1/3 innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 0 strikeouts, 3 walks). Others: Corey Jordan, Ian Creager.
Loosing Pitcher: Brian Kline (6 innings, 10 runs, 13 hits, 4 strikeouts, 0 walks).

Leading Hitters: (Patrick Henry, 10 hits) " Cody Meyer single, double; Chris Boyer 2 singles; Austin Bower 2 singles, double, 5 RBI. (Northmont, 13 hits) " Mark Phillips 2 singles, triple; Corey Jordan 2 singles; Ian Creager double; Scott Rudmann 2 singles; Kevin Tolle 2 singles.