Fort Loramie’s Jace Ruhenkamp throws a pitch during Friday’s District 4 ACME game in Celina
Ryan Harless | Sidney Daily News
CELINA — Fort Loramie battled through defensive woes as they beat Marion Local 3-1 on Friday in Celina.
Both teams had quiet first innings as Fort Loramie’s starter Jace Ruhenkamp allowed one baserunner in the top half of the inning. Fort Loramie attempted to get something started in the bottom half with Sammy Goubeaux leading off with a walk before he was caught stealing.
Dylan Meyer and Luis Hart also singled in the first but were stranded.
In the top of the second Fort Loramie had their first error of the night. An error from shortstop Chase Bornhorst allowed the batter to reach base, but Marion Local was quickly stifled by a strikeout for Ruhenkamp.
“We haven’t played many games on turf,” Fort Loramie head coach Jeff Sanders said. “There’s an adjustment to it. It’s a lot easier to keep the spirits up when we’ve got Jace pitching.”
Fort Loramie got the offense started in the bottom half of the second after a leadoff walk for Bornhorst and two fielder’s choice plays, Zach Dues stepped to the plate and grounded out to third. This allowed Spencer Knouff to score, giving Fort Loramie an early 1-0 lead.
Goubeaux was next to bat and slapped a single that scored Dues, helping Fort Loramie take a 2-0 lead into the third.
Another error in the third was negated by a great inning on the mound for Ruhenkamp as he added two more punchouts to his total.
After a few innings where neither team could seem to get much going at the plate, Fort Loramie rallied in the bottom of the fifth. Goubeaux led off the inning with a single, Gabe Hart walked and Louis Hart singled to load the bases.
Ruhenkamp then hit into a fielder’s choice that gave himself a 3-0 lead with two more to play.
Marion Local fought back in the top of the sixth, getting one run back on two hits, and a massive two error play when Dues bobbled a ground ball and then overthrew first baseman Gabe Hart. Pitcher Ruhenkamp chased a grounder up the first base line and tossed to first to limit the damage to one run.
In the bottom of the sixth, Dues laid a perfect bunt down the third base line to reach first. He then stole second but was stranded when Goubeaux lined out to first on a well-struck ball.
Ruhenkamp took care of business with a two run lead in the top of the seventh, notching another strikeout before getting the next two batters on a flyout to center and a line-out to right respectively.
Ruhenkamp threw a complete game on six strikeouts, four hits and one walk while allowing zero earned runs and was named the player of the game.
Goubeaux went two-for-three with an RBI and Louis Hart was two-for-three at the plate as well.
“This group does a good job of going one game at a time,” Sanders said. “We don’t know who we’re going to play tomorrow, but we’re going to go out and take it one day at a time.”
Fort Loramie will be back in action at 11 a.m. on Saturday in Celina with more games TBA.
