Haren Lifts Louisville Past Canton South in Extra Innings
Louisville 7, Canton South 6
The Louisville Leopards earned a walk-off 7-6 extra inning victory over the visiting Canton South Wildcats Tuesday Evening at LHS. With the win, Louisville improves to 8-5 overall and 5-1 in the NBC.
Brock Haren’s bases loaded, RBI single down the left field line brought home Adam Nyland for the game-winning score in the bottom of the eighth inning. The hit sent the Leopards players into a frenzy as Haren was mobbed at first base. The Junior Outfielder finished the evening 2-for-4 and also cracked a 2-run single in the fourth to knot the game at 4-4.
After Haren’s game-tying single, Joe Crank helped produce two more Louisville runs in the bottom of the 
fourth to take a 6-4 advantage. With two outs, Crank dived head first into first base just before the Canton South fielder tapped the bag for his second hit of the game. This allowed Reis Rankin to come home from third. Then Crank distracted the defense by getting into a run-down between first and second. Haren stole home while the pickle was happening and Crank slid safely back into first anyways.
The Wildcats answered with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 6-6. Kaleb Devaul singled home Mike Russell and DJ Wilson’s sacrifice fly brought home Ty McKinney. Wilson would finish 3-for-3 at the plate with 3 RBIs & 2 runs scored and Devaul would finish 3-for-4 at the plate with 2 runs scored to lead the Wildcats. Canton South is now 6-4 overall and 3-2 in conference play.
Louisville’s Alex Hewitt pitched the first seven innings, gave up just 2 earned runs on 8 hits, and fanned 8 Wildcats. In the top of the seventh, Canton South loaded the bases with 2 outs. Hewitt got behind 3-0 on Garrett Crum, but worked his way back with 2 straight strikes. On the next pitch, Crum flied out to Rankin in right to end the threat.
Nyland took over after Hewitt and struck out 2 of the 3 batters he faced in a 1-2-3 eighth inning. He picked up the victory as well improving to 3-2 on the season.
In the bottom of the eighth, Nyland used his bat to begin the frame with a single to left. He then advanced to second on Dalton Deckerd’s sacrifice bunt. After that, Rankin belted his second single of the game to load the bases for Haren.
Earlier on, Stephen Kerzan launched a rocket to left-center field driving in Tyler Adams. He sped around second and slid into third for a triple. The ensuing throw by the Wildcats defense landed in the Leopards dugout and Kerzan walked home for the Inside-The-Park roundtripper.
Despite committing 7 errors in the field, the Leps won their 7th straight game after starting he season 1-5. The victory is Louisville’s first against Canton South since a 4-2 home win on April 25, 2013. The series is an even 6-6 in the last 12 regular season meetings between the two squads.
UP NEXT: The Leopards will next travel to Barberton to take on the Magics on Wednesday, April 22 at 5:00 PM.
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