CASSTOWN- With the exception of a bad first inning, GTI I pitcher Austin Weimer threw one of his best games of the season.

Weimer threw seven strong innings of baseball Tuesday as Greenville sent Russia to the losers bracket of the summer league baseball tournament, posting an 8-3 victory at Miami East High School.

When the final out had been recorded, Weimer had allowed just two hits, striking out four and walking four.

His biggest glitch came in the first when he hit three batters and allowed two of his three runs.

“He started off really rough,” said GTI coach Tray Wolter. “He struck out the first batter of the game on three pitches and looked good. After that he kind of lost control. After the first inning, he settled down and pitched well.”

Trailing 2-0 with only a half-inning in the books, Greenville plated a run in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single off the bat of Reece Hunt, scoring Alex Hughs, who had doubled to the fence with one out.

GTI took the lead in the very next inning and would never look back.

After a lead-off single from Ethan Clark, Weimer and Tylor Bowman would follow suit with singles to load the bases.

With no outs, Wolter decided to play a little small ball and have Jacob Hounshell squeeze in a run with a bunt.

It worked to perfection as Clark scored from third, leaving the bases loaded for the top of the order and Quinton Wood.

Wood drilled a long fly ball to right for a sacrifice fly RBI.

That would prove to be the game winning run as GTI would take a 3-2 lead.

Greenville got another run in the inning when Bowman would score giving GTI a 4-2 advantage.

Greenville would plate two more runs in the fourth and fifth innings.

Russia would get one more in the sixth, making it an 8-3 score.

On the night, GTI would pound out 14 hits with only one error. A miscue that would not hurt them.

“We came out hitting very aggressively,” said Wolter. “Alex had three hits in three trips and Weimer hit the ball well helping his cause. We executed the bunts and pulled off a squeeze play. The error didn’t hurt us. We’ve played solid defense all summer with the exception of a few fames. We’re making the plays the way they’re supposed to.”

With the victory, GTI will play Piqua Saturday in the double elimination tournament starting a 3 pm.

Earlier this season, GTI lost to the Indians in a game that Wolter said his team should have won.