Wild pitch ends T’bolts postseason bid

Northmont's Connor Price slides in safe to third base.

Photos Rob Kiser | Miami Valley Today

Northmont third baseman Christian Pendleton dives for a foul pop-up as pitcher Nate Teller looks on.

Northmont's Brady Lupton dives back into first base as a Piqua first baseman Trenton Rudd reaches for the throw.

Northmont's Nate Teller fires a strike.

PIQUA — In a wild game at Hardman Field Tuesday in D-I sectional action, seventh seed Piqua opened an 8-0 lead over Northmont after five innings, then needed a walk-off run on a wild pitch in the home eighth inning to come away with a 9-8 victory.

Piqua advances to play at sixth seed Beavercreek Thursday at 5 p.m.

Northmont drops to 15-11 on the season.

Brady Ouhl had reached on a fielder's choice in the eighth inning after Trenton Rudd had walked.

Ouhl was stealing on a pitch that went to the backstop and went all the way to third base.

With two outs after a strikeout, another wild pitch scored Ouhl and set off a Piqua celebration.

Piqua seemed to be in control through five innings, with starter Hunter Steinke allowing just one hit and no runs.

The Indians had scored two unearned runs in the first when Zane Pratt singled, Northmont threw the ball away on Rudd's sacrifice bunt and Ouhl reached on an error, scoring Pratt. Rudd would score on Mickey Anderson's fielder's choice.

In the second, Piqua took advantage of three walks to score twice and make it 4-0.

Cohen Brown scored on a wild pitch and Pratt had a RBI single.

Piqua made it 5-0 in third when Steinke's fielder's choice scored a run.

Piqua scored three more in fifth to make it 8-0, including a two-run single by Pratt.

Northmont countered with four runs in the sixth and four in the seventh to force extra innings.

In the sixth, one run scored on an error, Jacob Beck and Christian Pendleton had RBI singles and Brandon Hoops had a sacrifice fly.

In the seventh, Andrew Shingler had a RBI double and AJ Conti and Hoops had RBI singles and with two out, Brady Lupton tied the game with a RBI single.

Piqua had two runners on in the home seventh with one out before Drew Carver came in for Northmont to get the final two outs.

Northmont went down in order in the top of the eighth, before two wild pitches allowed Piqua to escape with the win.

Steinke, Pratt and Mason Davis combined on an eight-hitter for Piqua, striking out six and walking five.

Nate Teller, Connor Price, Carver and Dylan Allamon combined on a six-hitter for Northmont, striking out seven and walking eight.

Reach Rob Kiser at [email protected].