Van Buren rallies for 2 in 7th to top O-G

VAN BUREN 2 O-GLANDORF 1 VAN BUREN – Van Buren's James Patton delivered a clutch RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Black Knights a 2-1 win over Ottawa-Glandorf in Wednesday's Division III sectional baseball battle. O-G led 1-0 on Grant Leopold's RBI single in the third inning. Pitching and defense then dominated play, until the last of the seventh. Sophomore second baseman Will Rampe reached base with his third hit of the night and later scored to tie the game 1-1. Cale Henry walked and Paton sent him home with the game-winning run and sent Van Buren (20-5) into Friday's D-III sectional final at Liberty-Benton (19-4). L-B won the regular season Blanchard Valley Conference matchup between the two teams, 15-2. Both teams got excellent pitching. Van Buren's Grady Mason gave up just one run on four hits and struck out seven in upping his record to 7-2. O-G starter Austin Koch gave up just two runs on six hits. In other baseball tournament games on Wednesday, Allen East edged Columbus Grove 3-2, Elmwood advanced with a 5-3 win over Spencerville, and in Division IV, Pandora-Gilboa beat Ada 3-1. O-Glandorf &emsp;&emsp;001 &emsp;&emsp;000 &emsp;&emsp;0—1 4 &emsp;&emsp;6 Van Buren &emsp;&emsp;000 &emsp;&emsp;000 &emsp;&emsp;2—2 6 &emsp;&emsp;0 WP—G. Mason (7-2). LP—Koch. TOP HITTERS: (O-G) G. Leopold 1B, RBI; Schroeder 2B; C. Leopold 2B. (VB) Patton 2B, RBI; Rampe 3-1B. BLUFFTON 5CAREY 1CAREY-- Bluffton's Tyler Cupples had himself a day on the mound, pitching the full seven innings, giving up six hits, one earned run, and striking out seven. Cupples' pitching propelled the Pirates to a 5-1 victory, securing their spot in the OHSAA sectional finals on Friday against Coldwater.Bluffton's Gavin Bogart had two hits, one of those being a solo home run. Luke Jebsen and Braeden Jordan added on to the score with one RBI apiece.Carey's Bostyn Ritter had two hits and drove in its only run on Wednesday.The Blue Devils dropped to 8-12 on the season.Bluffton 110 102 0 5 9 0Carey 000 000 1 1 6 2WP--Cupples LP--Plott. TOP HITTERS: (BLFF) Bogart HR, 1B, RBI; Jebsen 2-1B, RBI; Jordan 1B, RBI; Anderson 2-1B. (CRY) Ritter 2-1B, RBI; Puckett 2-1B; Plott 1B.