Russia’s Braylon Cordonnier fires a pitch in an 11-5 victory over Miller City at Russia High School on Friday in a non-league game.
Ryan Harless | Sidney Daily News
RUSSIA — The Russia Raiders took down the Miller City Wildcats 11-5 on Friday at Russia High School in a non-league contest.
Raiders (11-5, 8-1) senior Braylon Cordonnier got his first outing on the mound this season in the game and threw five innings of one-run baseball on three hits and one walk while striking out eight Wildcats.
“That first inning was a breeze for him and then he labored a bit in the next couple of innings,” Russia head coach Kevin Phlipot said. “He wasn’t as crisp. He gave up an 0-2 fastball right down the middle, and they were able to do some damage. I was telling him we’re not expecting you to hit your spots, so just make pitches.”
Cordonnier’s return to the rotation helps to add some depth to an already battle-tested pitching staff.
The Raiders scored three runs in the first two innings with some small ball before the floodgates opened in the third.
“We did all the little things,” Phlipot said. “We executed the bunt, and we put balls in the gaps. It was about small ball early, but then we showed that we can swing it as well. I’m very happy in all aspects of it.”
Cordonnier opened the bottom of the third inning with a first-pitch solo home run to right field to extend the Russia lead to 4-1.
The Raiders capitalized on the momentum and scored three more runs in the inning on two singles, three walks, and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Quinn Hoying. Russia ended the inning with a 7-1 lead.
It added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to pull within one run of a run-rule victory, but was unable to get anything going in the bottom half of the fifth.
In the top of the sixth, senior Zeb Borchers took over on the mound. He gave up two singles to open up the inning, which were followed by a two-run double that made it a 10-3 game.
He got a ground out for the first out of the inning, but another RBI single and an error by Russia right fielder L Pleiman made the score 10-5.
After allowing a walk, Borchers was pulled for Cooper Unverferth, who got out of the inning with back-to-back fly outs.
The Raiders scored another run in the bottom of the sixth, and Unverferth took them down in the seventh 1-2-3 to end the game.
“Cooper was outstanding to shut them down,” Phlipot said. “After that hiccup there, we jumped right back on it and pretty much squashed any kind of momentum they had, which was another thing I like to see. It got quiet out there when they had that big inning, but Coop stopped it.”
The win makes for six in a row for Russia as it currently sits in second place in the Shelby County Athletic League with a half game to make up to catch Fort Loramie.
“Our offense is coming on,” Phlipot said of his team. “The last few games, I’ve liked how we’re swinging it aggressively. And then our pitching, we feel, is healthy. Hopefully, as long as there are no setbacks, we’re about as full strength as we’ve seen all season. We’ve got guys who aren’t quite ready to go all the way yet, but we’re close.”
The Raiders are back in action on Saturday when they travel to take on Graham at 11 a.m. before returning to SCAL play on Monday against the Botkins Trojans.
Reach assistant editor/sports writer Ryan Harless at 937-538-4651 or follow @RyanHarless_ on X.