PBR Spotlight game: No. 2 Tinora vs. No. 8 Leipsic

HAMLER- New division same results for Tinora, a berth in the state tournament.

The No. 2 Rams had 11 hits and solid pitching in a 10-2 victory over No. 8 Leipsic in the Division IV regional finals to advance to the Final Four at Huntington Park. A year ago Tinora was a state participant in Division III.

Sophomore left-hander Reid Renollet, son of head coach Brent Renollet, did not allow an earned run in four innings of work before giving way to ace Tyler McKenney. The unsigned senior, who threw 61 pitches in five innings of shutout ball a day earlier in a win over Gibsonburg, did not give up a hit in three innings on the hill to close out the victory for Tinora.

The Rams (27-3) scored all the runs they would need in the top of the third. With two on and two away, sophomore Clay Pittman singled in Dylan Rumbaugh who reached on a one-out single. Senior clean-up hitter Nate Beck followed with a two-run double just inside the third-base bag and Chris Wityk capped the frame with an RBI single.

Tinora added three more runs in the fourth, the first on a single by sophomore Derek Drewes which plated Brad Bodenbender who reached with a lead-off hit to right. After Pittman walked, Beck brought home Austin Farrington, who had earlier got on base via a walk, with an infield single and Drewes followed Farrington to the plate on a throwing error.

Leipsic scored its only runs in the bottom of the fourth. The first run came home on a Tinora error and the second when Devin Mangas, a junior left-handed hitting lead-off hitter who bats first for the Vikings, hit an RBI single. On the play, Tinora center fielder Austin Farrington threw the potential third run of the inning out at home.

Pittman and Beck each had RBI doubles in the sixth, the fourth RBI for Beck, to add to the Tinora advantage and the Rams scored a final run in the seventh without the benefit of a hit.

Renollet gave up five hits and two walks while striking out four to pick up the win for Tinora while McKenney retired four on strikes while walking two in not allowing a hit in three innings of relief.

Tinora advances to face defending state champion No. 6 ranked Minster at 4 p.m. on Friday in the state semifinals. Leipsic, which was 22-1 a year ago, closes out at 25-4 for head coach Darren Henry.