7/19/2025
By George Lucas
The Champion City Kings did something Saturday night they haven’t done all season—that is to defeat the Johnstown Mill Rats. The Kings scored just enough to knock off the Mill Rats 2-1 for their first win in eight tries Saturday at Sargent’s Stadium at The Point.
Johnstown had won all seven previous meetings outscoring Champion City 82-28 and averaging more than 11 runs per game. But on this night, the Rats’ bats went cold and balls they did hit found Kings’ defenders catching them on the other end.
The Mill Rats opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. Wilder Puertas doubled and knocked in Brennon Seigler for the 1-0 lead.
Champion City responded in their half of the second. D. C. Ruth’s single to right knocked home Garrett Esposito with the game-tying run.
The score remained tied until the sixth. Esposito singled to right and scored Kyler Hickman to put the Kings ahead for good at 2-1.
The Rats threatened in the fifth and again in the eighth but could not score. In the fifth, Caden Buxton and Ben Robinson both reached with no outs. Robinson was picked off for the first out. Tyler Giordano grounded out for out number two. After a Jace Essig base-on-balls, Cooper Rasmussen flied out to end the threat.
In the eighth, the Rats’ Tyler Giordano walked and was pushed to third on a Rasmussen double. Giordano was later thrown out at home trying to score on a Seigler ground ball. With two outs and the tying and winning runs on base, pinch hitter Brady Gavula lined out to end the inning.
Champion City’s Landen Browning earned his first win throwing seven innings and giving up just one run on four hits. Joe Stone picked up his second save.
The Rats’ John Hojnowski evened his record at 4-4 with the loss. He gave up two runs on three hits over six innings.
Champion City improved to 10-8 in the second half and are two wins off the pace of division-leading Lafayette for the Northeast Division lead.
Johnstown’s record falls to 6-11. Johnstown is in fourth place in the division.
The two teams battle again Sunday afternoon at 3:00pm at Sargent’s Stadium at The Point.