SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – Trailing 8-4 in the top of the ninth, the Johnstown Mill Rats rallied for four runs to force extra innings and scored twice in the top of the 10th to claim a 10-8 victory over the Champion City Kings in a Prospect League matchup on Monday night.
In the 10th, Justin Kapuscinski was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to put the Mill Rats ahead, and Lukas Torres hit a sacrifice fly for the insurance run.
Joe Alcorn tallied three hits, while Jake Casey and Matt Santarelli each had two hits to top the Mill Rats. D.J. Alexander scored three times. Santarelli and Lukas Torres drove in two runs apiece.
Alex Ryan led the Kings offensively, going 4-for-5 with two home runs, five RBIs and three runs scored. Ethan Krizen, J.R. Heavilin and Jayson Zmejkoski each tallied multiple hits for Champion City.
The Mill Rats recorded leadoff home runs in three consecutive innings, with Johnstown going yard to begin the fifth, sixth and seventh frames. Casey’s home run in the fifth gave the Mill Rats a 2-1 lead, and after the Kings tied the game, Alexander put Johnstown in front 3-2 in the sixth before Andrew Kribbs added another tally in the seventh.
Johnstown hit three home runs in the contest after getting just one over its first four games.
Champion City tied the game in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run home run by Ryan before going ahead in the bottom of the eighth courtesy of an error and Ryan’s second home run of the game. The Mill Rats then rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth on just one hit to tie the game at 8-8.
Lukas Torres drew a bases loaded walk, Alcorn scored on a wild pitch and Santarelli delivered a game-tying two-out, two-run single. Will Knight earned the win in relief for the Mill Rats after throwing 2 ⅔ innings, allowing three hits while walking one and striking out four.
Johnstown (4-1) will visit the Lafayette Aviators for the first of a two-game series on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
