MAC title slips away from No. 1 Tribe

St. Henry had its leadoff hitter on base with one out during each of the first two innings, but Fort Recovery (19-3, 6-2 MAC) got out of the jam both times by inducing double plays.
On this occasion, however, the Redskins took advantage of the opportunities that were given to them.
Lefeld scored on a fielding error by Tribe shortstop Jacob Homan off the bat of Josh Osterholt, and Andrew Lundvall and Derek Lange hit back-to-back singles to bring Osterholt around to the plate for the only runs St. Henry needed.
“You know there aren’t going to be very many runs scored in the game, you’ve got two of the area’s best pitchers going against each other,” St. Henry coach John Dorner said. Mikesell improved to 6-1 on the bump this season with an ERA of 1.60 and 61 strikeouts. Hobbs fell to 6-1, but now boasts a 0.69 ERA. 
“You’re on the road, you have to take advantage of mistakes, and we were able to do that,” Dorner said. “(Mikesell) struggled a little bit early getting ahead in the count, but being the veteran pitcher he was, he started getting ahead in the count as the game progressed and he got stronger.”
Mikesell finished with seven strikeouts and one walk, and scattered three hits.
“His curve ball from the second inning on, he was able to throw it for strikes and I think that was key for him to keep them off balance,” Dorner said.
Fort Recovery had a runner on second in each of the first three innings, but it wasn’t able to get the big hit it needed. The Tribe had runners on first and second with one out in the first but Mikesell got a strikeout and induced a fielder’s choice.
With one gone in the second, Mikesell got Ben Will to pop out to second base and Chase Bruns to ground out. Fort Recovery got back-to-back one-out hits from Cole Wendel and Hobbs in the third, but the reigning MAC first-teamer struck out the side to end the threat.
“We got a couple of guys on early,” Kaup said. Mitch Stammen was hit by a pitch in the first inning, and Hobbs walked two batters later. Nate Lochtefeld hit an infield single in the second before Wendel and Hobbs went back-to-back. “We had some chances in the early innings and we didn’t come through.”
The two strikeouts in the third sparked Mikesell’s dominance over the Indians for the remainder of the game. The 6-foot, 7-inch righty retired the final 14 batters as he faced five more than the minimum 21 batters.
St. Henry had chances to pad its lead with base runners in each of the final three innings — even loading the bases with two outs in the seventh — but Hobbs was able to prevent further damage.
“He challenged batters, and he doesn’t always challenge with a fastball,” Dorner said of Hobbs. “He would be able to do it with a curveball too.”
But Dorner said the Redskins were able to figure out the junior right-hander by being selective with pitches to hit, keeping hands back and attacking the strike zone. It resulted in six hits for the visitors, including three in the two-run third.
“I can’t say enough about Jerry Kaup,” said Dorner, reigning MAC co-coach of the year. “What he’s done with this program — to be No. 1 in the state and be in the position in the last week of the season to (have) a chance for a title run — as far as I’m concerned he’ is the MAC coach of the year.”