Paints Rally Late for Sixth-Straight Win, Beat Aviators 7-5 in Lafayette

Recap courtesy of the Chillicothe Paints:

LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Chillicothe Paints, presented by Adena Health System, used a four-run ninth to erase a late deficit, beating the Lafayette Aviators Thursday night at Loeb Stadium.

Tre Hondras hit a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the first to put Lafayette (1-1, 15-17) in front 1-0 early.

Chillicothe (2-0, 23-10) tied the game in the top of the third. Cameron Bowen singled with one out, scoring on a two-out double by Tim Orr.

The Paints took the lead in the sixth. Brett Carson led off with a hit, scoring from first base on a double by Ben Gbur. With two outs, Tim Orr reached on an infield hit, scoring Gbur and giving the Paints a 3-1 lead. It didn't last long.

In the bottom of the inning, Justin Bigard led off with a single, scoring two batters later on a Tanner Craig single. After a walk, Mike Snyder hit a ground ball that looked like it could be an inning-ending double play, but after the out at second, Bowen's throw to first was wide and went out of play, scoring Craig and tying the game at 3-3.

The Aviators took the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. Craig hit a one-out double, scoring on a single by Ethan Bedgood, making it 4-3 Lafayette.

In the ninth, Owen Wilson led off with a fly ball down the right field line, lafayette outfielder Zamaurion Hatcher made a diving effort, but came up empty and the ball bounced out of play for a ground-rule double. After a wild pitch moved Wilson to third, he scored on an RBI triple by Hunter Klotz that ripped down the first-base and right-field line, tying the game at 4. After a pitching change, Bowen singled, scoring Klotz, giving the Paints the lead back at 5-4. Jeron Williams followed with a triple of his own, scoring Bowen. Williams scored on an RBI groundout by Carson, making it 7-4.

The Aviators got a home run from Drew Behling in the bottom of the ninth, but they left runners at second and third when Craig flied out to end the ballgame.

Both starters were solid in the game. Chillicothe's Brandon Bergert allowed two runs on three hits, walking two and striking out four over 5+ innings. Jackson Dannelley allowed three runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out five over 5 2/3 innings. Both would get a no-decision. Nick Lallathin (5-0) grabbed the win in relief, allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits, while walking two and striking out four over 3 2/3 innings. Bryson Walker (2-2) took the loss for Lafayette, allowing two runs on two hits, striking out four and walking one over 2 1/3 innings. got the final out of the game after giving up a hit, securing his second save of the year and the sixth-straight win for the Paints.

Chillicothe travels to Peru, Ill. Friday to play the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp for the first time this season. First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. EDT.

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Recap courtesy of the Lafayette Aviators:

LAFAYETTE, Ind. - With a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth inning, Lafayette was gearing up to defeat the Chillicothe Paints. However, four consecutive hits, four runs, and a pair of triples cost Lafayette the lead and the game. A 7-5 decision gave the Aviators their fifth home loss of the season, but the Fly Boys put up their dukes for a tough matchup.

Lafayette struck first with a Tre Hondras home run to right field. Chillicothe would score the next three runs with an RBI double in the top of the third inning, and a pair of RBI in the sixth inning gave the Paints a 3-1 edge. The Aviators would quickly answer back and score two runs in the bottom of the sixth. An RBI single and an unearned run tied the game 3-3. 

The Aviators seemed to score the game-sealing run with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth when Ethan Bedgood drove in Tanner Craig for a 4-3 lead. Unfortunately, the Paints would prove their skills in the top of the ninth when they would score four runs off four hits for a 7-4 lead. 

The Aviators did not back down at the end of the game. Drew Behling hit his third home run of the season, but it would fall on deaf ears after the second and third outs sealed the victory for Chillicothe. Paint relief pitcher, Nick Lallathan, improved his record to 5-0 while Aviators reliever, Bryson Walker, drops to 2-2.

Lafayette drops to 15-17 and head back on the road tomorrow versus the Terre Haute Rex with the first pitch at 6:30 p.m. EST. Lafayette is 1-2 versus the Rex and is 4-12 on the road.