GREENVILLE – The Greenville Green Wave showed grit and resilience Wednesday night at Sater Heights Park, nearly erasing a seven-run deficit before falling just short in an 8-7 loss to the Piqua Indians.
“This one hurts,” said Greenville coach Chad Henry. “To the kids’ credit, they fought. They got into a deficit, they were down 7-0, they came back and tied it up 7-7.”
Piqua wasted no time seizing control, plating three runs in the top of the first on an RBI single and a two-run homer to right. The Indians added four more in the second inning, using a mix of timely hits to build a commanding 7-0 lead.
Facing a steep early deficit, Greenville refused to fold.
The Green Wave chipped away in the bottom of the second, stringing together offense from Michael Fox, a Drew Newland walk, a Troy Lavy single, and capitalizing on a Piqua error. JiJi Jim added a walk and later contributed with a run-scoring fielder’s choice from Chilly Jasenski, trimming the deficit to 7-4.
Greenville completed the comeback in the third inning.
Isaac Kerg worked a leadoff walk, followed by a Fox single. Kerg then stole home to spark the rally, and Jim delivered an RBI single to center. Layden Wion added a base hit, and a Piqua miscue allowed the Wave to even the score at 7-7, swinging momentum firmly to the home side.
“We never say die, but we get to a point where we’ve made one too many mistakes, given away one too many things,” Henry said. “We’ve walked one too many guys, or left someone on second or third — it’s just game after game we’re doing the same thing.”
The game remained tight into the late innings before Piqua broke the tie in the top of the seventh with a go-ahead single that proved to be the difference.
“Ultimately, this completely rests on me getting the guys ready to come out here and be on time,” Henry added. “It’s game after game, we come out, and in that first inning, we’re not ready to play. That’s on me, that’s something I’m going to fix.”
Layden Wion took the loss in relief, pitching four innings and allowing one unearned run on three hits while striking out four and walking five. Drew Newland started for Greenville, surrendering seven runs (four earned) on eight hits over two innings.
At the plate, Fox led Greenville with two hits in three at-bats. Jim, Jasenski, and Gibson Steyer each drove in a run, while Jasenski and Kerg added speed on the basepaths with two stolen bases apiece. As a team, the Wave drew six walks, stole six bases, and turned a double play defensively.
Despite the setback, Greenville’s comeback effort showcased the team’s determination, battling back into contention after an early hole before coming up just one run shy.
BOX SCORE:
123 456 7 R H E
340 000 1 8 12 3 Piqua
043 000 0 7 6 5 Greenville
