Paints Down Aviators 8-7

The Basics
Score: Chillicothe Paints 8, Lafayette Aviators 7
Records: Chillicothe (13-8), Lafayette (12-8)
Location: VA Memorial Stadium - Chillicothe, Ohio

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - The Chillicothe Paints, presented by CohenOrthopedic, downed the Lafayette Aviators 8-7 Sunday at VA Memorial Stadium to finish 4-1 on their now-completed five-game homestand. 

Zack Henderson led off the bottom of the first with a walk, scoring on a groundout and giving the Paints an early 1-0 lead. 

Lafayette answered with two in the top of the second, scoring on a wild pitch and a bases-loaded walk to make it 2-1 Aviators.

The Paints tied it back up in the bottom of the second, as Michael Patellis drove home Colin West on a sacrifice fly.

The Aviators took the lead again in the top of the third, scoring two runs on one hit, three hit batters and a groundout, making it 4-2 in favor of fthe visitors. 

In the bottom of the sixth, Zane Vitense singled home Carson Cox and Jacob Buysse, tying the game at 4-4.

Henderson singled home Micah Geise and Alex Bemis plated Henderson on a grounout in the bottom of the seventh to put the Paints back in front at 6-4. They added two more in the eighth on Geise's two-run double in the eighth, making it 8-4.

Lafayette was able to plate three in the ninth, but stranded the game-winning run at third base.

Turning Point
Will Rodriguez steadied the ship for Chillicothe, entering to pitch in the third inning after Paints pitchers had given up four runs on one hit, nine walks, three hit batters and two wild pitches in the first two innings. 

Inside The Box Score

• Cal Chase collected a hit in his first at-bat of the season after previously only being used as a pitcher

• Michael Patellis (SS) and Cal Chase (2B) combined to turn two double plays in their first appearances of the summer at those positions

• Alex Bemis (2-4), Colin West (2-3) and Micah Geise (2-4) each had a two-hit night

• Zane Vitense and Micah Geise each drove in two runs

Notes

• Sunday's game was the second of four exhibitions between the Paints and Aviators, the final two will be in Lafayette July 4 and 5.

• Chillicothe falls one-half game back of Johnstown in the first half standings, as Johnstown beat Champion City

• Lafayette drops to two games back in the Northeast Division

Up Next
The Paints kick off a six-game road trip, their longest of the season, in Lafayette Monday at 7 p.m. against the Aviators. The can be heard on 100.9 Hank FM, ChillicothePaints.com and the Total Media Radio app. Fans can watch the game for a fee at ProspectLeagueNetwork.com.