East Plays Winning Baseball for Eight Frames Before Perry Meridian Rallies in Extras

Columbus East's pitching staff shines, but late-inning collapse hands Olympians another loss

Apr. 3, 2026 at 4:07am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball game, with overlapping planes of navy, green, and red conveying the tension and energy of the late-inning comeback.A cubist interpretation of the dramatic final innings that saw Perry Meridian rally to defeat Columbus East in extra frames.Columbus Today

Despite a strong pitching performance from JD Rotert and Ryker Stott, the Columbus East baseball team was unable to hold on as Perry Meridian scored five runs in the top of the ninth inning to defeat the Olympians 6-1 in extra innings.

Why it matters

This game highlighted East's ability to compete with one of the top teams in the area, but also exposed their struggles to finish off close games. As the Olympians search for their first win of the season, learning how to close out tight contests will be crucial to their development.

The details

East matched Perry Meridian pitch-for-pitch through the first eight innings, with Rotert and Stott combining for seven scoreless frames. The Olympians even put themselves in position to win in the bottom of the eighth, loading the bases with two outs, but were unable to capitalize. In the ninth, Perry Meridian broke through against Stott, scoring five runs to take a 6-1 lead that East could not overcome.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, April 3, 2026.
  • East and Perry Meridian were tied 1-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning.
  • Perry Meridian scored five runs in the top of the ninth inning to take a 6-1 lead.

The players

JD Rotert

The Columbus East pitcher threw three perfect innings and kept his team in the game.

Ryker Stott

The East relief pitcher added two more perfect innings before struggling in the ninth.

Zander Weatherford

The East hitter singled, stole second, and scored the team's lone run in the third inning.

Kaden Arnholt

The East pinch-hitter delivered a key single in the eighth inning to put the Olympians in position to win the game.

Drew Justice

The Perry Meridian relief pitcher escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning to keep the game tied.

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What they’re saying

“This was not a game where the Olympians were overrun. It was a game they played well enough to win for eight innings, then let get away in one rough burst.”

— Jeremy Giggy, Sports Director, White River Broadcasting

What’s next

East will look to bounce back from this tough loss when they take on rival Bloomington North in their next game on April 7th.

The takeaway

While the Olympians came up short, this game showed that they have the pitching and composure to compete with top teams in the area. Learning how to close out tight games will be a crucial next step in their development as they search for their first win of the season.