HENSLEE IS THE HERALDS HERO IN WIN OVER EAGLES

Photo Credit: Joclyn Nicholas

Ashtabula, OH- It was a back and forth nail-biter on Saturday as the St. John Heralds secured a thrilling 10-9 victory over the Geneva Eagles in a dramatic walk-off finish. Down 9-8 in the bottom of the seventh inning, AJ Henslee’s clutch single drove in two runs, sealing the win for the Heralds.

Despite facing an early four-run deficit in the second inning, the Geneva Eagles fought back fiercely, closing the gap with a flurry of singles and a sacrifice fly.

An early error allowed the Geneva Eagles to take the lead in the top of the first inning, but the Heralds responded swiftly, scoring three runs in the bottom of the inning courtesy of hits from Ryan Williams, Kyle Hejduk, and Brady Cole.

The Heralds extended their lead in the second inning after an error by the Eagles, but Geneva rallied back to regain the lead in the fourth inning with timely hits from Hewitt Wilt and Andrew Oros.

In a back-and-forth affair, the Heralds retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, only for Geneva to tie the game again in the sixth inning with a key single from Curtis Maier.

With the score tied at eight in the seventh inning, Oros’s single briefly gave the Eagles the lead, but the Heralds rallied one final time, culminating in Henslee’s game-winning hit.

On the mound, Will Anderson started for the Heralds, while Shea Arkenburg took the mound for the Eagles. Both teams displayed resilience throughout the game, with standout performances from various players on both sides.

The Heralds’ offense was led by Henslee, who drove in two crucial runs, and Anthony Severino, Kyle Hejduk, Will Anderson, and Bryce Venetti, each contributing two hits.

For the Eagles, Maier and Oros stood out with two hits apiece, with each driving in two runs.

With the thrilling win secured, the St. John Heralds look ahead to their next matchup against Windham on Monday, aiming to carry the momentum forward.