Zehnle closes door on Indians’ one-run victory over Mustangs

MENDON, Ill. — As the strings tightened, Raulin Zehnle stayed composed.

Zehnle retired the final four batters he faced in a one-run game and stranded the tying run on base in the sixth to help the Payson Seymour baseball team beat Mendon Unity 2-1 on Friday.

Zehnle took the ball from Connor Howell with the Indians leading 2-0, a runner at second and two outs in the bottom of the sixth. The first batter Zehnle faced, Skylor Goudschaal, reached on an error by second baseman Dalton Phillips, allowing Johnathan Lucie to score and Goudschaal to reach first. Zehnle then got Adler Gray to ground into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

The Indians got runners to first and second with one out in the top of the seventh, but Nick Boone grounded into a double play to send the game to the bottom of the seventh still separated by one run.

That was problem for Zehnle. He got Blake Arnsman to pop out, Brym Parrish to fly out and Avery Frese to ground out, sealing the Indians’ fifth win in their last seven games.

The teams combined for just seven hits, and no player on either team had multiple hits. The Indians (10-12) will face Quincy High School on Saturday, while the Mustangs (10-10) will take on West Hancock on Monday.