HS Baseball: Avon Eagles and Kenston Bombers Battle to 6-6 Tie

A back-and-forth affair at Mercy Health Stadium between the Avon Eagles (1-0-1) and the Kenston Bombers (2-2-1) ended in a 6-6 tie after the game was called due to darkness. Both squads were still working out some early-season jitters as walks and wild pitches ruled the day.

Fresh off a trip to Tennessee, the Bombers had two runners reach base in the first inning via walk, but starting pitcher Cole Ropelewski ended the threat by inducing a groundout to short. In the home half of the inning, Robby Sykora drew a lead-off walk, and Ryan Sudbrook followed it up with a single. A single from Joey Griffiths brought home Sykora and a groundout from Ethan Eibel plated Sudbrook, giving the Eagles an early 2-0 lead.

The second inning went without much drama, except for a diving catch in center field by Bridger Bischof to end the Eagles at-bat. In the top of the third, Grady Flynn drew a leadoff walk and would come around to score on a two-out wild pitch. With the bases loaded, Bischof hit a double to center, bringing in L.A. Mighton and Jimmy Cerha to give Kenston a 3-2 lead. Sudbrook reached base on an error, but Bischof made another stunning play in center, turning a double play when he beat a tagging Sudbrook to third to end the inning.

With two outs in the fourth, Grant Beclay, Mighton, and Cerha drew consecutive walks to load the bases for the Bombers. Pitcher Chris Egger induced a pop-up to the catcher to end the threat and keep the score 3-2. The Eagles had Garret Espey reach base on an error, but starting pitcher Lucas Kaltenbach forced a groundout to end the inning. Wes Toth hit a one-out single in the top of the fifth, but back-to-back flyouts to center field ended the Bombers’ at-bat.

Leading off the bottom of the fifth, Colten Fitch drew a walk, and a sacrifice bunt from Sykora moved him up to second. Walks to Sudbrook and Ian Cain loaded the bases for the Eagles with just one out. Griffiths drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Fitch, and wild pitches brought in Sudbrook, Cain, and Griffiths to give Avon a 6-3 lead heading into the sixth inning.

Kenston wasted no time responding in the top half of the sixth. Tommy Pecoraro led things off with a single, and Beclay and Mighton followed by drawing walks. Cerha grounded into a fielder’s choice, bringing home Pecoraro. Beclay and Cerha would come around to score later in the inning to even the score at 6-6. In the home half, Griffin Marcoguiseppe retired the Avon batters in order on just 11 pitches.

Grady Flynn drew a one-out walk for the Bombers in the seventh but was left stranded. The Eagles went quickly in the bottom of the seventh as Marcoguiseppe retired the heart of the Avon order 1-2-3. With darkness setting in, the game was called and ended in a 6-6 tie.

Up Next

Next up for Kenston is a home Saturday doubleheader against the defending Division IV Champion Berlin Hiland Hawks (2-0).

Avon is back in action Monday when they travel to North Ridgeville (3-0) to take on the Rangers in a Southwestern Conference showdown.

Players of the Game

Kenston

Bridger Bischof: 1-4 2B 2 RBI

Avon

Ryan Sudbrook: 1-3 BB 2 R