Paints Erase 3-0 Deficit, Beat Kings 8-5

FROM CHILLICOTHE:

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - The Chillicothe Paints, presented by Adena Health System, erased an early 3-0 deficit en-route to a season-opening 8-5 win over the Champion City Kings Thursday night at VA Memorial Stadium.

The Kings (0-1) struck first, putting up three quick runs against Chillicothe (1-0) starter Jake Norris, who allowed three runs on two hits, walked one and struck out one over two innings. Nick Lallathin came on in relief of Norris, throwing four innings and only allowing one hit and one walk.Todd Bangston followed, holding the Kings scoreless for another two innings. Noah Kandel pitched the final inning, allowing a pair of runs on three hits, while walking one and striking one out.

Kade Wroot was the first Paint to collect a hit, singling in the second to start off his 3-4 night. Josh McAlisterhelped lead the offense for Chillicothe with a two-run triple in the bottom of the fourth, spearheading the five-run fourth inning for the Paints. Tim Orr started off the fifth inning with a double that was followed by another from Wroot. Hunter Klotz singled, scoring both.

Chillicothe added three more in the fifth, scoring on a Klotz single, a groundout by McAlister - his third RBI of the game - and a Cameron Bowen single, making it 8-3.

Champion City plated two runs in the ninth, capping the scoring at 8-5.

The Paints are home again Friday against the West Virginia Miners at 7:05 p.m. at VA Memorial Stadium. The first 500 fans receive a free Paints magnetic schedule, courtesy of Maleine Davis / Brewster Real Estate & Auctions. Advance tickets can be purchased at ChillicothePaints.com.

---

FROM CHAMPION CITY (FIRST TWO GAMES):

SPRINGFIELD and CHILLICOTHE, OHIO – The 2022 Prospect League season kicked off on Wednesday, but the weather rained down on the Kings' parade. The first road game went the entire nine, but found Champion City on the wrong side of the scoreboard in Chillicothe.

On Wednesday's game, the Paints raced out to a 2-0 lead after one against Gabe Phipps (Yorktown, IN; Land Lake College), who's back with the Kings from the 2021 season. Chillicothe added two more runs in the second off of Santrel Farmer's second hit, and that's when Mother Nature took over and washed away Opening Night in Springfield. This game will be finished on June 21st when the Paints are back in Springfield, followed by the original-scheduled contest (now just a seven-inning affair.)

For the first road game, it was Connor Lockwood (Libertyville, IL; Valparaiso) getting the nod in Southern Ohio. The first three innings went well for the Champion City starter, but the fourth was when the Paints took the lead with five runs, three earned. The Kings got the lead first with a three-run third. Jayson Zmejkoski (North Port, FL; Tallahassee C.C.) picked up the team's first RBI on the year with a single, followed up with two RBI groundouts from Ethan Krizen (North Port, FL; Tallahassee CC) and Ben Stuart (Mason, OH; Evansville.)

Champion City went to the ninth inning trailing by five runs, and made some noise with the final three outs. Joel Gardner (Poca, WV; West Virginia) picked up a RBI Single, as did Drew Emerson (Springboro, OH; Wright State – Lake Campus) shortly afterwards. That was all the rally could muster, with the Kings falling 8-5 in Chillicothe.

The Kings return home to Carleton Davidson Stadium Friday, June 3rd and Monday, June 6th against the Johnstown Mill Rats, who are 1-0 in their first road game of the year. For tickets, event information, PLTV links, and more, please visit championcitykings.com!