Staff Report

 

COLUMBUS — The Wheelersburg Pirates scored an unearned run and blanked Lima Central Catholic 1-0 Saturday to win the Division III state baseball championship.

Wade Martin pitched a one-hitter for the Pirates who won their second state title. He struck out nine and walked one.

Nick Watkins gave up just two hits, struck out one and did not walk a batter in taking the loss.

Wheelersburg (30-2) scored the only run of the game in the fourth inning.

Austin Boyer singled, moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Ben Arnold, took third on a wild pitch and scored when Garrett Carmichael was safe on a throwing error.

Lima Catholic (22-9) threatened in the seventh when Travis Clark hit a one-out triple but was thrown out trying to score on a ground ball to second.

Lima Central 000 000 0 = 0 1 1

Wheelersburg 000 100 x = 1 2 0

Nick Watkins and Connor Dee. Wade Martin and Dylan Miller. W-Martin (K-9, BB-1). L-Watkins (K-1, BB-0). 3B-Lima: Travis Clark. Hitting-Lima: Travis Clark 1-3; Wheelersburg: Austin Boyer 1-3, Brett Hood 1-2.