CLARK – Groton was involved in its second close contest in the past four days, this time suffering a walk-off loss to Lennox 5-4 in the opening round of the Clark Rotary Tournament in American Legion baseball action on Thursday.

Groton, which won an 11-inning contest on Monday, had a back-and-forth battle against Lennox.

Lennox jumped in front with a first-inning run, before Groton briefly tied the score in the third when Brevin Fliehs doubled and came in on a Dillon Abeln single.

Lennox regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth on the first of three run-scoring singles by Connor Eich.

Groton took the lead in the sixth when Ryan Groeblinghoff doubled in a pair of runs. Lennox tied the game in the bottom half of the frame on another Eich single.

That set the stage for a wild finish. Groton scored once in the top of the ninth on an RBI single from Cole Simon. Groton had the bases loaded with just one out, but could not add an insurance run.

Lennox tied the game in the bottom of the ninth on another Eich single, and then walked off with a win in the 10th on a bunt single by Ethan Larsen.

Eich finished with four hits and drove in three, while Jaxon Bittner had three hits for Lennox.

Ablen, Bradin Althoff, and Colby Dunker each had two hits for Groton.

Groton 000 102 001 0 – 4 11 1

Lennox 100 101 001 1 – 5 12 0

Dillon Abeln, Brevin Fliehs (6) and Karsten Fliehs; Braxon Musser, C. Spieler (8) and Sawyer Bowers. 2B – Groton, Bradin Althoff, Fliehs, Ryan Groeblinghoff; Lennox, Connor Eich, Spieler, J. Anniker.