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Rams fall in extra innings to Versailles

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BROOKVILLE — The underdog Greeneview Rams battled back from a two-run deficit, and then had several chances to win the game — including one run that was taken away from them — only to fall 3-2 to Versailles in nine innings, in a Division III district semifinal high school baseball game at Brookville High School.

“That’s been us all year, we just keep fighting and battling back,” Greeneview High coach Dale Vinson said. “Nobody gets down when we fall behind, we just keep fighting. That’s what I love about this group.”

Greeneview, the tournament’s 19th seeded team, trailed sixth seeded Versailles 2-0 after five innings of play. Rams third baseman Hunter Anderson hustled for an infield single to start off the sixth inning. he then moved to second on Mitchell Hines’ deep single to center field.

Anderson scored on Brayden Dobney’s single to left, then Hines raced home on Tommy Rawlins’ sacrifice fly to right field to even up the score at two apiece.

The Rams (11-15) threatened in the seventh when they loaded the bases, and then Taylor Stinson appeared to have been hit by a pitch to score Zack Hackney with the go-ahead run. But the home plate umpire brought Stinson back to bat and nullified the run.

“What the umpire told me was that the batter had leaned into the pitch in order to get hit. That he put his arm out,” Vinson explained. “But we’ve been saying all season long that it’s our jobs to score runs, so that calls like that and the game’s results are not in the umpire’s hands. If we score runs, the umpires don’t have to make that call.

“It didn’t happen for us tonight, but that’s how we are going to continue to play this game in the future.”

With one out in the eighth inning, Greeneview sent Brayden Dobney around from first base on Kristopher Phillips’ triple into left, but Versailles’ left fielder Nathan Wagner launched a near-perfect throw to Tigers catcher Kyle Pothast to gun down Dobney way out in front of the plate. The Rams also had Jack Nix in scoring position at second in the ninth, but couldn’t bring him home.

In the bottom of the ninth, Versailles’ Wagner reached base on an infield single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, went to third on Ethan Kremer’s sacrifice bunt, then scored on a deep line-drive single to left by Zach Schlater for the game-winning run.

Most of the Rams varsity roster was comprised of seniors. Greeneview’s roster lists Nix, Jon Brakeall, Taylor Stinson, Josh Robinson, Ian Tamplin, Zach Hackney, Tommy Rawlins, Dobney and Wade Wilson as seniors on the team.

“We’ve got a lot of guys on this team who have been a part of this program for many years, and it’s been both a blessing and a privilege to be around those guys,” Vinson said.

Versailles advances to take on Dayton Christian in the next round, a 5 p.m. scheduled game May 22 at Kenton Ridge High School.

Greeenview’s Tommy Rawlins watches his game tying sacrifice fly take off for right field, in the sixth inning of Monday’s Division III district semifinal game at Brookville High School.
https://www.xeniagazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2019/05/web1_RawlinsSacFly_PS.jpgGreeenview’s Tommy Rawlins watches his game tying sacrifice fly take off for right field, in the sixth inning of Monday’s Division III district semifinal game at Brookville High School. John Bombatch | Greene County News

Greeneview pitcher Tommy Rawlins fires a pitch, May 20, in a Division III high school district semifinal baseball game against Versailles, in Brookville.
https://www.xeniagazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2019/05/web1_GVIEWSTOMMYRAWLINS_PS.jpgGreeneview pitcher Tommy Rawlins fires a pitch, May 20, in a Division III high school district semifinal baseball game against Versailles, in Brookville. John Bombatch | Greene County News

Versailles fans look on as Rams catcher Josh Robinson catches a foul ball for the Versailles Tigers’ third out in the third inning of Monday’s Division III tournament game, held at Brookville High School.
https://www.xeniagazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2019/05/web1_JoshRobinson_PS.jpgVersailles fans look on as Rams catcher Josh Robinson catches a foul ball for the Versailles Tigers’ third out in the third inning of Monday’s Division III tournament game, held at Brookville High School. John Bombatch | Greene County News

Versailles catcher Kyle Pothast takes a near-perfect throw from Tigers left fielder Nathan Wagner to gun down Greeneview’s Brayden Dobney, in the eighth inning of Monday’s Division III district semifinal game in Brookville.
https://www.xeniagazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2019/05/web1_GV15KylePothast_PS.jpgVersailles catcher Kyle Pothast takes a near-perfect throw from Tigers left fielder Nathan Wagner to gun down Greeneview’s Brayden Dobney, in the eighth inning of Monday’s Division III district semifinal game in Brookville. John Bombatch | Greene County News

By John Bombatch

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Contact John Bombatch at 937-372-4444, Ext. 2123.