By Dylan Hefflinger

BRYAN- Bryan captured its fifth straight outright Northwest Ohio Athletic League title with a 7-6 victory over rival Archbold in eight innings. The win was the Golden Bears' 40th straight in the NWOAL.

With a 2-0 count to senior Tanner Vollmer, who was 0-4 before the plate appearance, Blue Streaks' righty Taylor Price delivered a fastball on the outer half and Vollmer went with it. Archbold right fielder, junior Tyson Dietrich, charged and delivered a strike to senior catcher Tanner Wyse. Junior Collin Bacon raced around third and looked to be out at home, but the ball fell out of  Wyse's glove right when Bacon reached the plate.

Archbold got out of the gates with three runs to start the game. Bryan cut the deficit to 3-2 with runs by Bacon and Heidelberg recruit Derek Hug.

Archbold put two more runs on the board off of Bryan's starter, senior Joe Borland. Senior Chandler Tuckerman and sophomore Tyson Schnitkey scored the runs to put the score at 5-2, before coach Jeff Inselmann removed Borland putting sophomore Austin Martin on the mound. The move paid off as Martin allowed just one run the rest of the way.

The 6-2 Martin, who is third on the Bears in innings pitched this season and has a 1.45 ERA, went 5 1/3 innings allowing just one run on two hits, while walking one. The sophomore showed some composure on the mound, considering the pressure of hurling in such a huge contest.

Bryan matched Archbold's two runs with two of their own. Vollmer and sophomore Joe Bostater scored in the bottom of the third to make the score 5-4. Bacon and Hug put the Golden Bears on top in the bottom of the 4th each crossing home safely.

Senior Zach Driver tied the game at 6-6 in the 7th with a deep sacrifice fly to center scoring Wyse.

Hug led the Golden Bears with a single and double, while Dietrich had a triple for Archbold

No. 7 Bryan (16-3) faces No. 17 Wauseon (15-4) on Wednesday at Defiance at 7:30 for a Division II sectional championship, while Archbold plays against Liberty Center on Wednesday at 4:30 for a Division III sectional title at Archbold.