Tribe routs Redmen for title

FORT RECOVERY — Ian Homan didn’t have a hit in his last two games.

Ben Homan was in a bit of a slump as well.

They broke out in big fashion Friday, collecting two singles and three RBIs apiece in helping the Fort Recovery High School baseball team to a 10-0 victory in five innings against the Fostoria Redmen in the Division III Elida District sectional final.

“I’ve been on a struggle bus lately,” said Ben Homan, who was 3-for-17 (.176) with four strikeouts in his previous six games, including four straight contests without a hit. “Second season, tournament, no stats bother you.

“We came out here, I wasn’t the only one getting RBIs. Everyone is getting base hits. Whole team effort.”

Fort Recovery (19-4), which has won a sectional title for the fifth straight year and is ranked seventh in the state, advances to the district semifinal at 4 p.m. Thursday against the Ottawa-Glandorf Titans at Elida’s Ed Sandy Field. The Titans, who are defending district champions, beat Lakota 5-0 to win their sectional.

Sixth-ranked Coldwater and Van Buren meet in the 1 p.m. district semifinal.

The Indians brought out the bats early in the tilt against Fostoria (4-22). Cade Wendel drew a leadoff walk in the home half of the first inning and then the Tribe rattled off six consecutive singles. Nick Thwaits, who also started on the hill, hit a two-run single for the game’s first runs, and two batters later Ben Homan hit a blooper over the infield to drive in a run. Ian Homan singled, and Riley Post drove in a run on a sacrifice fly with bases loaded.

“It’s great to get ahead five-nothing in a baseball game,” said FRHS coach Jerry Kaup. “It’s especially true in the tournament because what you’re really looking to do is get to play another game.

“We got off to a great start.”

Fort Recovery didn’t have a runner advance past second over the next three innings before striking for five more runs in the fifth to get the run-rule victory.

Will Homan (two singles, two runs) led off the frame with a single, and back-to-back walks by Thwaits — which chased Redmen starter Dylan Sheets from the game — and Reese Rogers loaded the bases. Ben Homan rifled a 0-1 pitch from reliever Jacob Counts to right field to drive in a pair, and after a Kody Shinabery walk Ian Homan singled in two more runs to make it 9-0.

Then, with runners on second and third, Riley Post (two RBIs) hit a sharp grounder to short that got by the fielder and pinch runner Owen Schoen scored from third for the game-winner.

The top five batters in the Indians’ lineup accounted for six hits and five RBIs, while the bottom four, which included Ian Homan and Post, had the same production.

“We need to challenge every inning,” Kaup said. “We do need some production out of the bottom of the lineup. Riley was on base three times (in a 5-1 win Thursday against St. Marys Memorial) and he again today, he had a nice ball game out of the No. 9 spot.

“Ian is getting more confidence at the plate and it shows … Then we have the top five which has been pretty solid all year.”

Thwaits, a Kent State signee, shined again on the bump for the Indians. He scattered three hits over five innings, struck out nine, didn’t allow a walk and lowered his ERA to 0.87 on the year.

The right-hander got in a bit of a jam in the fourth inning after Jesus Garcia reached second on a two-base error and moved to third on a two-out Alex Sierra single. But the future Golden Flash struck out Colin Drake for the second time to strand runners at the corners.

“He competes and we try to put a team behind him that will compete with him,” Kaup said.

Ben Homan, the Tribe’s second baseman, loves when Thwaits is on the mound.

“It’s fun,” he said. “It takes a lot of stress off of you. He’s a good pitcher. You still have to make the plays if the ball gets to you. It’s nice having a pitcher like him on our team. Not only him, but we have Cade (five wins) and Reese (four). It’s always nice to have a good pitcher on the team.

“It’s fun playing defense, I enjoy it a lot.”