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Galion and Margaretta swapped punches for nine innings at Shelby in their Division III district semifinal baseball game before the Polar Bears’ James Fisher delivered the knockout blow – a two-run, walk-off homer for a 7-5 win over the Tigers.
The Tigers struck first when Will Donahue drove home Ryan Talbott with a sacrifice fly. Donahue later gave the Tigers a 3-0 edge with a two-run single in the third.
The Polar Bears took the lead with two-run, two-out rallies in the third and fifth innings. Leading 4-3, the Polar Bears added a run in the sixth for a 5-3 lead heading into the seventh.
Galion got its offense in gear when Devon Baughn led off the inning by reaching on a throwing error and the next Tiger at the plate, Chase Castline, was hit by a pitch. Ryan Utz drove home one run with a base hit and Mac Spears the tying run with a single.
The score stayed at 5-5 until the bottom of the ninth, when Fisher delivered the majestic blow high and deep to left off of Talbott who was pitching for the second time in the game.
Garrett Kuns was the pitcher of record for Galion. Fisher was credited with the win in relief. Kuns, Utz and Spears each had three hits for the Tigers. Donahue finished with three RBIs.
Fisher drove in four runs on a single, double and home run for Margaretta.