By Dylan Hefflinger
Managing Editor/NW Scout 

COLUMBUS, OH – Defiance Tinora won its first game in walk-off fashion on a steal home. In the state championship the Rams won in equally dramatic fashion, on a two-out walk-off single by Clay Pittman (pictured right) to defeat perennial power Newark Catholic 4-3.

In the seventh inning with the Rams up 3-2 and Newark Catholic down to its final three outs, the Green Wave found a way to score one and tie the game.

A lead-off walk by sophomore Mitch Lohr and sacrifice bunt by senior Mike Lohr started the frame.

After a fly out, BGSU commit Hunter Nance came to the plate and on a 2-2 pitch, he dribbled a high hopper over Pittman on the mound to sophomore second baseman Brevin Renollet who made a nice play to field the ball and make a quick throw to first, but the throw was off line a bit with Hunter reaching on an infield single..

The throw allowed Mitch Lohr to score from second, tying the game at 3-3 to set up a drama-filled bottom of the seventh.

After two quick outs in the seventh, the Rams were back at the top of the lineup and junior E.J. Kissel was hit by a pitch in the shoulder on a 2-1 pitch to bring up unsigned senior Reid Renollet.

This at bat will be talked about at Newark Catholic for years as on a 0-1 pitch (after a dropped pop up in foul territory that could have gotten the Green Wave out of the inning) Renollet squared to bunt, pulled the bat back and was hit on the foot to put two on with Pittman coming to the plate.

*****I hear from people who have watched the video and saw with their own eyes that say the ball never hit Renollet. I know Reid Renollet pretty well, he said the ball hit him. I believe the young student-athlete and watched the video myself in slow-mo more than 20 times and feel it glanced off the top of his cleat. But those at Newark Catholic surely remain uncertain.

The game went on with Pittman at the plate and on an 0-1 count the San Jacinto JUCO commit laced a single to left and Kissel raced around third without any hesitation. The throw from left bounced in front of the Newark Catholic third baseman and Kissel was able to slidd in to score the winning run (pictured below).
Tinora got on top in the bottom of the first with two runs.

Kissel singled to center and advanced to second on a fielder's choice and Pittman drove Kissel home on a single to right. Talented unsigned senior Derek Drewes legged out an infield single in the hole to put runners on the corners before Drewes stole second to put two in scoring position.

Brevin Renollet hit a sacrifice fly to score Pittman, putting the Rams on top 2-0.

Newark Catholic scored one in the fourth but left three on base in what could've been a bigger inning.

A one-out double by Nance started the frame and Morris hit a single to left. Thomas brought Nance home with the third hit of the inning by Newark Catholic.

However, a big play of the game then happened as Morris got picked off at second by Pittman behind the plate, who threw to Brevin Renollet at second, who gunned down Morris at third.