BLUFFTON — The only thing that kept Luke Schlosser from finishing what he started was his elevated pitch count.
Clear Fork’s senior ace, Schlosser struck out 15 in 6.2 innings of work as the top-seeded Colts throttled No. 5 Upper Sandusky 8-1 in a Division II district semifinal game Thursday at Bluffton University’s Memorial Field.
The left-handed Schlosser threw 129 pitches and would have thrown more if not for the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s pitch-count rule. A pitcher can throw a maximum of 125 pitches in one day, per the OHSAA rule. Schlosser was able to go beyond the max because the rule allows for a pitcher to finish the at bat in which he reaches the 125-pitch limit.
“I could have definitely finished,” said Schlosser, who gave up just four hits and walked four. “Right now with the adrenaline and it being hot out, my arm doesn’t hurt at all. I’m sure it will be a little sore.”
The Colts (24-4) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Jay Jackson reached on a two-out error and scored on Mason Sansom’s single to center. Clear Fork added a run in the third when Jackson tripled to lead off the inning and scored on Chandler Ball’s sacrifice fly.
Garett Hotz belted a leadoff triple in the fourth and scored on a passed ball to make it 3-0.
“Those runs make my life so much easier,” Schlosser said. “I don’t have to try to be perfect. I don’t have to strike everyone out. I just have to fill up the zone.”
Clear Fork added two more in the fifth on run-scoring singles by Ball and Hotz. The Colts took advantage of a passed ball and an error to plate three more in the sixth for an 8-0 lead.
The Rams (14-7) finally got to Schlosser for a run in the seventh. Justin Heilman singled to lead off the inning and came home on Jacob Halter’s one-out triple. Schlosser then recorded his 15th and final strikeout before walking Ethan Hill on a full count to reach his pitch limit. Hotz came on in relief and needed just one pitch to coax a flyout to end the game.
“I made a mount visit earlier and Luke was like, ‘Coach, I’m good,’ ” Clear Fork coach Gabe Kennedy said. “That’s the type of kid Luke is. He wants the ball.”
Sansom and Hotz each had two hits to lead the Colts. Jackson scored three runs and Ball drove in two.
Clear Fork will play eighth-seeded St. Marys Memorial for the district title at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Roughriders beat Lexington 4-3 in Thursday’s second game.
“That’s one of our goals … to win a district championship,” Kennedy said. “We’re right there. Coaching these guys is a joy.”