Gems’ title hopes to be determined in final winner-take-all matchup after being shut out by Paints

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — It all comes down to one.

An offensive explosion in the first game of the Prospect League championship series  by the Quincy Gems put them one victory away from their first title since 2014. An offensive dearth in Game 2 now leaves them one final chance to make an historic run complete.

That opportunity comes with a 5:05 p.m. first pitch Sunday.

The Gems were held to one hit over seven innings Saturday night by Chillicothe Paints starter Nick Falter and suffered a 12-0 loss in the second game of the best-of-three Prospect League championship series at VA Memorial Stadium.

Quincy won the series opener 18-12 on Thursday at QU Stadium.

Game 2 didn’t get rolling quite the way Game 1 did when the Gems scored eight runs in the first inning. This time, the Gems got a two-out double from designated hitter Kyle Hvidsten in the top of the first, and third baseman Lucas Loos followed with a walk. Falter avoided any damage by getting Jaison Andujar to ground out to second base.

Only one batter reached base safely thereafter — Hvidsten walked leading off the fourth inning — as Falter retired the Gems in order in the final three innings and five of the seven innings overall. He threw 93 pitches and finished with seven strikeouts and two walks.

Meanwhile, Quincy starter Anthony Ribes didn’t get out of the second inning.

The Paints scored a run in the bottom of the first inning as Tyler Shaneyfelt led off with a single, stole second and scored on Cameron Bowen’s single. Ribes stranded runners at second and third, but he couldn’t avoid danger in the second inning.

The Paints loaded the bases on a bunt single, two walks and a balk before a fielder’s choice on a groundball drove in one run. A two-run double by Bowen forced Gems manager Brad Gyorkos to pull the plug on Ribes and bring in Quincy Notre Dame graduate Jake Schisler.

Schisler walked the first batter he faced and then allowed a grand slam to Paints first baseman Victor Figueroa. Chillicothe’s CJ Dean added a two-run homer as part of an eight-run inning that gave the Paints a 9-0 lead.

They added three runs in the third inning as Schisler pitched 3 ⅔ innings with one strikeout and three walks. Right-hander Connor Schwindeler pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning.

Quincy is attempting to complete a title run as the visiting team in every level of the playoffs. They won the Great River Division championship with a 6-5 victory at the Clinton LumberKings and captured the Western Conference title with a 13-6 victory at the Thrillville Thrillbillies.