Fulton County Ohio Media

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The Swanton Bulldogs wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard by plating two runs in the first inning and five more in the second for a 7-0 lead on their way to an 8-2 OHSAA DV Sectional Title victory over the Tinora Rams at Tinora High School on Saturday.  In a recent regular season game on the same field, the Rams defeated the Bulldogs 18-8 in an unsarcastically poor Swanton showing.  “We’ve been preaching it for about two weeks now and it was one of those day where it all clicked.  They beat us up pretty good about a week and a half ago.  I don’t think they were expecting what they got,” said Swanton head coach Josh Siewert commenting on his team’s turnaround performance.

Adam Lemon started the Bulldog scoring barrage with a two-run single in the first inning to bring home Luke Marlow who had singled to lead off the game and Carson Lemons who followed with a double.  After adding another run in the top of the second to go up 3-0, Swanton loaded the bases with nobody out, bringing Isaiah Bolyard to the plate.  Bolyard drove a fastball into the right-center field gap for a double, pushing the Swanton lead to 5-0 and surprising the co-champions of the Green Meadows League.  “I was behind on the count a little bit, expecting the curve ball and I was sitting back a little bit, got a fastball and hit it,” said Bolyard detailing his big hit.  “Right when I hit it, I knew it was down.  It knocked in two runs and that was huge.”

The sudden deficit led to a pitching change by the Rams’ coach Brent Renollet who brought in Hunter Bostleman for starting pitcher Mason McQuillen.  Lemons greeted Bostelman with double to drive home Marlow and Bolyard, giving the Dogs a 7-run advantage, stunning the Tinora faithful.

Swanton starting pitcher, Marlow, who had breezed through the first inning, gave up three hits and one run in the bottom of the second, but was otherwise brilliant on the mound, throwing four more innings with no more hits or runs.  He did walk three batters but also struck out three hitters in picking up the win.  “The team really backed me up today.  We had 12 or 13 hits, kept putting the ball in play and did what we do best. And the defense saved my butt out there a few times,” said Marlow crediting his teammates.

For those who know this Bulldog team, Marlow was a surprise starter over Swanton ace, Adam Lemon, but Coach Siewert explained his strategy.  “These guys (Tinora) have been taking pitches all year.  They’ve had 30 walks in the last three games,” said Siewert.  “Adam was good for us all year but Marlow is more efficient out of the gate.”

With the Sectional Championship now in hand, Swanton moves on to face the Eastwood Eagles, champions of the Northern Buckeye Conference, in the District Semi-Finals on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. at Defiance High School.  When it was mentioned to Coach Siewert that Eastwood is a very good team, he replied, “So was Tinora.”

Click on the link above to access photos from the game. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.