By CHUCK MARTINEZ

martinez@crescent-news.com

The Defiance ACME team had a rough start against Tinora Wednesday in the Defiance County sectional semifinal at Defiance High School. Fortunately for the Bulldogs, Mother Nature gave them a little time to regroup.

With Tinora holding a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth, the game's second lightning/rain delay proved to be the stopping point of the night.

The game will be resumed today at 4:45 with the winner playing Fairview at 8 p.m. In the losers bracket, Hicksville will play the loser of the Defiance/Tinora game at 6 p.m.

In the top of the first, it was Defiance that took advantage of a hyped up Tinora squad.

After Defiance lead-off man Craig Gutman reached on an error, he crossed home plate one batter later on another Tinora infield gaffe.

In the third inning, Defiance again took advantage of a Tinora fielding miscue as Ryan Cordray scored after reaching base with a double.

But just like Defiance, Tinora was able to get a rally going by taking advantage of extra outs.

Lucas Willitzer and John Gerken started the bottom of the second with a walk and a single before a fielding error loaded the bases for Tinora.

After a strikeout, Garret Shaffer brought one run home on a fielder's choice that tied the game at 1.

Taylor Wiemken then gave the Rams the lead with a sharp single up the middle. Gutman, the Defiance second baseman, showed wonderful range and knocked the ball down behind second base, but his throw to first was just a fraction late as Wiemken legged out the single while bringing home Gerken for a 2-1 Tinora lead.

In the third it was Gerken coming up big again this time with a RBI double to fence in right-center as Tinora countered Defiance's run in the third, 4-2.

In the top of the fourth, Tinora hurler Ethan McKenney, who started off shaky, was finding his groove by recording a pair of putouts while fanning his fourth batter to retire the Bulldogs.

In their half of the fourth, the Rams were looking to put the Bulldogs away.

Shaffer started the Rams' at bat by reaching on an error and after a Wiemken single and a walk by Trey Meyer, Shaffer came home on Defiance's fifth error of the game.

"You just can't give the other team the extra outs," said Defiance skipper Eric Sprague. "Little league, high school or major leagues you just can't do that and come out on top. We're in the rain delay now and hopefully we can get it back together."

The walk forced Defiance into a pitching change, but just as play was ready to resume, the rains came forcing the Rams to wait until today to finish the fourth.

The game will resume today at 4:45 p.m. with Ram runners on first and second with no outs with Zac Beilharz stepping into the batter's box.

Earlier in the day, Hicksville survived a loser's bracket battle against Ayersville to stay alive in the hunt for a district berth.

The Eagles topped Ayersville 3-1 thanks to a two-run second inning and a complete-game three hitter by hurler Tyler Sailer.

In Henry County sectional action, both games were suspended due to rain.

At Patrick Henry High School, the host Patriots held an 8-6 edge over Holgate in the top of the sixth while Napoleon led Liberty Center 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth at Napoleon.

Both games are slated to resume play at their respective locations today at 4 p.m. while the winners are scheduled to meet today at 6 p.m. at PHHS.

In Fulton County, Pettisville scored three runs in the bottom o the sixth inning to run rule Delta 11-1 while Archbold and Swanton will play today at 5:30.

The loser of today's Archbold/Swanton matchup will return to the diamond again at 7:30 to take on Wauseon while the winner will play Pettisville Friday at 1 p.m.

Linescores

Completed Games

Hicksville 020 010 0 - 3 7 2

Ayersville 010 000 0 - 1 3 2

Winning pitcher: Tyler Sailer (7 innings, 1 run, 3 hits).

Losing pitcher: Logan Wolfrum (7 innings, 3 runs, 7 hits).

Leading hitters: (Hicksville, 7 hits) - Jasso single, 2 RBI; Slattery 2 singles. (Ayersville, 3 hits) - Fry 2 singles.

Delta 001 000 - 1 4 0

Pettisville 400 223 - 11 15 2

Winning pitcher: Quinn Nofziger (6 innings, 1 run, 4 hits, 3 strikeouts, 0 walks).

Losing pitcher: Austin Gunn (3 2/3 innings, 6 runs, 10 hits, 3 strikeouts, 1 walk). Other: Austin Abbott.

Leading hitters: (Delta, 4 hits). (Pettisville, 15 hits) - Quinn Nofziger double, 3 singles, 2 RBI; Phillip Roth double, 2 singles, RBI; Harris King home run, single, 2 RBI; Jordan Kofenstein triple, 2 RBI; Zane Miller 2 singles, RBI.