The Wittenberg Tigers Baseball team concluded their fall season Friday night with the annual Tiger Cup game. This 10-inning back and forth affair came down to the last couple of innings with the Red team holding on for the victory and bragging rights. Thatcher Dietz (SO-OF) got the Red Team on the board in the first inning with an RBI single to start his big day at the ballpark. However, the Black Team would strike back in the bottom of the second inning with a Charlie Marando (FR-C) RBI single to even the game at 1. After a scoreless third inning the Red Team exploded with a 3-run inning in the 4^th followed by a 2-run inning in the 5^th. Jalen Williams (SR-OF) led the fourth off with a single and was brought home two batters later by a Parker Gryzkevich (SR-C) double. Dietz then followed that up by yet again driving in a run scoring Gryzkevich before later scoring himself on a Black Team error. The 5^th inning was capped off by an Elliot Schmidt (FR-P/OF) backside double extending the score to 6-1.

Black would not go away quietly though with Chris Dawson (FR-RHP) throwing two scoreless innings striking out 6 giving his team a chance to climb back in it. The Black Team did just that by taking advantage of a few Red Team miscues which led to three runs of their own to shrink the deficit to just two runs at 6-4 in the bottom of the 5th. Then the Black Team would strike again in the the 6^th to take their first lead of the day. Alex Nemunaitis (JR-P/INF) led the inning off with a walk followed by a Rocco Royer (SR-C/OF) two run shot to tie the game at 6!  Wade Thewes (FR-P/INF) then doubled and later scored on a Quinten Applegate (JR-OF/C) sacrifice fly giving the Black Team a 7-6 advantage. The Red team went scoreless in the top of 7^th allowing the Black Team the opportunity in the bottom half to add to their lead and did just that with a Gavin Lones (SO-P/OF) long ball to make it 8-6 after 7 innings of play.

Over the final 3 innings of play the Red Team finished in dominating fashion. Red pitchers did not allow another runner to cross home plate the remainder of the game, highlighted by Nate Floyd’s (SR-RHP) scoreless 2 innings of work. This gave the Red Team their chance to now flip the score themselves and did just that. They tied the game in the top of the 8^th inning on a Trent Bezek (FR-INF) 2-run single up the middle. Then, in the 9^th they struck again on a go-ahead RBI double by Xander Rodriguez (SO-INF). Finally, in the 10^th Dan Gladden (JR-OF) doubled then later scoring on a SAC fly from Cam Gladden (SO-OF) to give the Red Team an insurance run and ultimately the 10-8 victory claiming the 2024 Tiger Cup.

Congratulations to the Red Team senior managers Josh Bobey, Nate Floyd, Parker Gryzkevich, Kyle Mahon and Jalen Williams; and the entire Red Team on their 2024 Tiger Cup championship! 

#TigerUp

POST GAME AWARDS

MVP 

• Thatcher Dietz (SO-OF/Westerville South HS)
• 3 for 4 with a double and 2 runs batted in

PITCHER OF GAME

• Nate Floyd (SR-RHP/Copley HS)
• 2 IP, 3 Ks, 0 R

Black Team Notables

• Chris Dawson   2IP 6K
• Colin Maynard   1IP 0 ER
• Wade Thewes   1IP 0 R and 2/4 2B 
• Rocco Royer   2/4 HR 2RBI
• Charlie Marando   2/4 2RBI

Red Team Notables

• Riley Kearns (FR-RHP)   1IP 0 ER
• Floyd   2IP 0 ER 3K
• Dietz   3/ 4 2B 2RBI
• Schmidt   2/2 2B RBI
• Rodriguez   1/3 2B Go ahead RBI