Gray Dominates as Margaretta Rolls Past Huron in Key SBC Bay Showdown Margaretta Polar Bears continued its march toward a possible Sandusky Bay Conference Bay Division championship Thursday night with an emphatic 9-1 road victory over Huron Tigers. Leading the way once again was junior ace Zach Gray, who turned in another spectacular all-around performance. Just one week after throwing a one-hitter with 14 strikeouts against Vermilion, Gray nearly matched that dominance by striking out 11 batters over 6 1/3 innings while also powering the Polar Bears offensively with two doubles, a triple, two runs scored, and multiple RBIs. Margaretta wasted no time putting pressure on Huron. Gray opened the game by getting hit by a pitch before Bren Smith reached base with a sharp single. Hunter Grahl later reached on an error to load the bases, and Emmett Leibengood followed with an RBI single. Memphis McKenzie then drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Polar Bears a quick 2-0 advantage. Gray was electric on the mound from the opening pitch. He struck out the side in the first inning and recorded strikeouts for six of the first outs he collected. Even after Huron’s Grant Periat doubled in the second inning, Gray responded by striking out the next three hitters to escape the threat. The Polar Bears extended the lead in the second inning when Gavin Berg singled and later scored on Gray’s RBI triple to the wall. Gray eventually crossed the plate on a wild pitch to make it 4-0. Margaretta continued to add runs in nearly every inning, showcasing the depth and consistency of its lineup. Grahl added an RBI single in the fourth inning, Gray delivered an RBI double in the fifth, and Mason Kromer chipped in with an RBI single in the sixth. Bren Smith reached base in all five of his plate appearances, helping keep constant pressure on the Huron defense. Huron’s lone run came in the fifth inning when Landon Hohler singled home a run after Casey Cox and Austin Sas both reached base with singles. However, Gray quickly settled back in and prevented any chance of a larger rally. The victory improved Margaretta’s record to 14-4 overall and 8-1 in SBC Bay play. The Polar Bears have now won six straight games and are closing in on what would be the program’s first conference championship since 1993. Coach Ray Neill praised Gray’s performance and the team’s overall approach after the game, noting how prepared and focused the Polar Bears were from the moment they arrived in Huron. Box Score Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E Margaretta 2 2 1 1 1 2 0 9 14 1 Huron 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 6 3 Pitching WP: Zach Gray LP: Grant Periat Extra Base Hits Margaretta: Zach Gray (2 doubles, triple) Key Performers – Margaretta Zach Gray: 3 extra-base hits, 11 strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings Bren Smith: reached base in all 5 plate appearances Hunter Grahl: RBI single Emmett Leibengood: RBI single Memphis McKenzie: RBI walk Mason Kromer: RBI single Zach Gray BCSN Pancake Player of the Game Interview: Click Here