BOARDMAN HOLDS OFF THE BULLDOGS
BOARDMAN OH- What a nail-biter of a baseball game it was at Boardman High School on Thursday night! The Boardman Spartans pulled off a heart-stopping victory in the bottom of the seventh, edging out the Lakeview 4-3 in dramatic walk-off fashion.
It all came down to the wire, with the game tied at three in the bottom of the seventh inning. That’s when Dylan Barrett stepped up to the plate and delivered a clutch sacrifice fly, bringing home the winning run and sending the Spartans into a frenzy.
But let’s backtrack a bit. Lakeview drew first blood in the third inning, but Boardman quickly responded, with Ryan Conti’s single in the fourth knotting things up at one apiece. Then, Grayson Eicher’s single in the fifth gave the Spartans a 3-1 lead, but Lakeview battled back, tying it up in the sixth with some timely doubles.
Ryan Neifer came in clutch on the mound for Boardman, earning the win with a solid relief performance. Meanwhile, Brandon Toot took the loss for Lakeview, despite a valiant effort on the hill.
Eicher was the offensive standout for Boardman, driving in two crucial runs, while Conti and Landon Whippo each collected two hits. The Spartans also made their presence felt on the basepaths, racking up four stolen bases and turning two key double plays in the field.
Lakeview put up a fight with 11 hits, with players like Andrew Brown and Jake Nicholas leading the charge. But in the end, it was Boardman’s day to shine, thanks to some late-game heroics and a gritty team effort that secured the thrilling victory.
