North Canton, Ohio – After two hours and forty-five minutes of baseball, twenty combined runs off of twenty-six combined hits, the Stark County Terriers found themselves still alive in the Great Lakes League Playoff race after defeating the Licking County Settlers 11-9. The Terriers found themselves down seven runs in the fifth inning after the Settlers batted through the order two innings before. But even with their backs against the walls, the Terriers rallied back, scoring eight runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, taking the lead and never looking back.

It was the Settlers who struck first Saturday, scoring two runs in the top of the second inning. The Settlers lead off the inning with a double to the wall in left field and a five pitch walk. Both runners would advance on a double steal and score on a double to the gap in right field, giving the Settlers a early two run lead.

The Terriers would answer back in the bottom half of the inning, scoring one run on two hits and a sacrifice fly. With one out, Tyler Maag (Southern Arkansas University) reached first safely on a infield single. Maag (Southern Arkansas University) would steal second and third base during Phil Bednar's (University of Akron). Bednar (University of Akron) would work a walk and put runners on the corners for Terriers designated hitter, Kevin Haas (University of Akron). Haas (University of Akron) would come through with a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Maag (Southern Arkansas University) and cutting the Settler lead in half.

In the top of the third inning, the Settlers would break the game open, scoring five runs on four hits and two walks while batting through the entire order, giving the Settlers a six run lead. The Settlers would extend their lead to seven after Eric Flynn hit a solo home run in the fifth inning.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Terriers would rally back, batting through the order while scoring eight runs in the inning, giving them their first lead off the game. The Terriers would have six hits in the inning; two doubles, a home run and a couple singles. Brandon White (Kent State University) would lead off the inning with a bloop single to right field. White (Kent State University) would score a batter later when Ross Yoder (Mount Vernon Nazarene University) blasted a two run home run over the left field wall. Blake Chaffee (Miami of Ohio) would bat next and double into the gap. Dennis Vaughn (Bowling Green State University) would single, advancing Chaffee (Miami of Ohio) to third and putting runners at the corners for Cory Hindel (Wake Forest University). Hindel would reach base on a throwing error, scoring Chaffee (Miami of Ohio) and bringing up Jason Patton (Kent State University). Patton (Kent State University) would answer with a RBI single, scoring Vaughn (Bowling Green State University) and advancing Hindel (Wake Forest University) to second base. Tyler Maag (Southern Arkansas University) would bat next and reach base on throwing error by the third baseman, scoring Hindel (Wake Forest University) and putting runners on second and third. The next batter, Phil Bednar (University of Akron) would get hit by a pitch and loading the bases for Kevin Haas (University of Akron). Haas would ground out to first base, scoring Patton (Kent State University). The next batter, Brandon White (Kent State University), who led off the inning, rocked two run double to the wall in left center fielder, capping a eight run inning for the Terriers, giving the Terriers their first lead off the game.

The Terriers would add two insurance runs in the six inning off the bat of Chris Niro (Miami of Ohio). With Dennis Vaughn (Bowling Green State University) on second base after leading off the inning with a single and advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cory Hindel (Wake Forest University), Niro (Miami of Ohio) would deliverer a monstrous two run home run over the left field wall that would reach the street behind the fence at Walsh University.

The Terriers pitching staff would shut down the Settlers bats and pitch four strong innings of baseball giving Jeff Cinadr (University of Toledo) his second win of the season, improving him to 2-2 on the season. Frank Turocy (University of Akron) earned his second save of the season.

With the win, the Terriers improve to 17-18 and keep their playoff hopes alive. The Terriers take on the Lake Erie Monarchs Sunday, July 22^nd, in a must win double header starting at 1:00 PM at Walsh University.