Norwalk tops Clyde; will play for Lake title on Thursday

CLYDE — The Norwalk High School baseball team has earned its shot. The state-ranked Truckers have been down two games in the loss column for the last three-plus weeks of the regular season in the SBC Lake Division. After a 6-0 loss at Perkins on April 20, Norwalk fell to 2-3 in the Lake. But since then, the Division II No. 18-ranked Truckers have reeled off six straight league wins — including Wednesday's 5-2 win at Clyde. Thanks to Div. II No. 6-ranked Tiffin Columbian's loss to Bellevue on Monday, the Truckers now get a shot at a league title share. Norwalk (14-6, 8-3) will travel to Columbian (16-4, 8-2) on Thursday with a chance to draw even atop the standings. The Tornadoes won the first meeting, 4-2, on April 5 in Norwalk. Columbian also leads Perkins (12-5, 7-4) by a 1-0 score in the fourth inning of a game that will be resumed on Friday. In Wednesday's win for Norwalk, senior Ian Minor went six strong innings. He allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits with three strikeouts and four walks. Kelton Chapin pitched a scoreless seventh, allowing one hit on nine pitches. The Truckers took a 2-1 lead into the top of the fifth, then put up three runs to take control. Sam Battles was hit by a pitch and Minor drew a walk. With one out, Bray Malson sacrifice bunted to first base, allowing Battles to score. With two outs, Chapin then delivered an RBI single to center, and Ryan Fox followed with an RBI double to center for a 5-1 lead. Battles, Chapin and Fox each had two hits for the Truckers. Ben Rothhaar also singled. Norwalk 101 030 0 — 5 7 3 Clyde 010 001 0 — 2 6 1 WP: Minor; LP: Schwochow 2B: (N) Battles, Fox