GALION — A beautiful day at the Pickle Run Festival turned into a great evening at Heise Park as the Galion Graders defeat the Grand Lake Mariners, 3-2.

Graders Head Coach Taylore Baker summed it: “We just had fun tonight. The energy that we had in the dugout seemed like a different atmosphere.”

It sure did seem that way in the Graders’ big second inning.

Evan Lee started it off with a single, followed by Kevin Schrock, who added a single of his own. Both Lee and Schrock advanced on a bunt from Shawn Tyler. Lee and Schrock scored on a Riley Campbell single. Then Campbell stole second and advanced to third on a Robby Jones single. Campbell later scored the third run for the Graders.

That is all that starting pitcher Chase Boyer needed as he settled in and took the game from there.

“Fantastic outing by Chase Boyer” said Baker.

Boyer gave up two runs, with 9 strikeouts and only two walks in innings.

The defense for the Graders stepped up, too.

Even though there were times the Mariners had runners on base, the Graders seemed to find a way to get out of those inning.

“The difference today? When they had bases loaded, we only gave up one run,”Baker said.

That run came in the seventh inning for the Mariners, who added one more run in the eighth.

In the ninth inning, Graders’ closer Kent Axcell put the Mariners down in order, striking out two of the three batters.

“Everybody had everybody’s back and they have all bought in to what we are doing and just having fun!” Baker said.