Division I - Sylvania Northview Claims First Baseball State Title
AKRON, Ohio – Sylvania Northview defeated Grove City 6-1 in the Division I state championship game at Canal Park. The win gives Northview (21-8) its first baseball state championship in school history, and third state title as a school.
Northview senior Blake Bradford threw all seven innings on the mound and earned the win, striking out six and holding Grove City to one run.
Trailing 1-0 going into the third inning, Northview senior Brody Acres hit a two run double, scoring junior Benny Seals and senior Braden Tackett. Senior Garrett Draper had two RBI’s, scoring senior Alex Prymas and Junior Alex Dupree. Dupree then hit an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to extend the lead five runs.
Grove City (26-8) collected four hits, including a double by senior Ty Clifton and a triple by senior Jackson Ware. The Greyhounds scored one run in the first inning off a throwing error.
Division II - Chardon Rallies Late to Defeat Defending State Champions
AKRON, Ohio – Chardon won its first baseball state championship and defeated defending state champion Akron Archbishop Hoban in the OHSAA Division II state championship Saturday at Canal Park. The Hilltoppers took control of the game in the sixth inning, scoring five runs and defeating the Knights 8-5.
Neither team was able to build a significant lead throughout most of the ballgame. Both teams scored two runs in the second inning. Hoban scored a run in the third inning. In the fourth inning, Chardon and Hoban each scored a run, giving Hoban a one run lead going into the sixth inning.
Chardon took control in the top of the sixth inning, scoring five runs. Senior Christian Hall started things off for the Hilltoppers with an RBI single to center field. Junior Nolan Kirsh was hit by pitch with the bases loaded, scoring junior Ethan Faber. Then a second wild pitch with the bases loaded gave Chardon another run. Junior Jake Barker then singled to left field, scoring Kirsh and Hall, giving the Hilltoppers the 8-5 lead.
The Knights were unable to score in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings. This was Hoban’s sixth time to the state tournament and third state runner-up title.
Division III - Waynedale Wins First State Championship
AKRON, Ohio – Apple Creek Waynedale defeated Milan Edison 2-1 Saturday in the Division III baseball state championship game at Canal Park. It was the Golden Bears’ second state appearance (first in 2016) and first state championship.
Waynedale scored early as senior Josiah Raber ran home on a throwing error in the first inning. Edison answered back late in the fifth inning as senior Thomas Simon hit an RBI single, scoring senior Bryce Michaelis.
The game remained tied 1-1 after seven innings. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Waynedale junior Connor Gatti had a walkoff RBI single, scoring Josiah Raber to win the game.
Sophomore Otto Solorzano threw a complete game for Waynedale, allowing nine hits and one run, while striking out seven. For Edison, junior Ben Bates allowed six hits and two runs, and struck out nine.
Division IV - Russia Runs Away from Lincolnview in Division IV Title Game
AKRON, Ohio – Russia scored seven runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull away from Van Wert Lincolnview, 10-4, Saturday in the OHSAA Division IV baseball state championship game at Canal Park.
It marks the second baseball state title for Russia (25-6), which was making its fourth trip to the state tournament. The Raiders first won the state championship in 1971.
Junior Xavier Phlipot went the distance on the mound for Russia, striking out five and scattering eight hits, with only one walk.
Russia pounded out 13 hits, with three each coming from sophomore Hayden Quinter, freshman Braylon Cordonnier and senior Aiden Shappie.
Junior Zane Shappie, sophomore Jude Counts and Aiden Shappie all had RBI base hits early in the game to give Russia a 3-2 lead, which is where the score would remain heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. With two outs in the sixth, Phlipot walked with the bases loaded, then Quinter hit a two-run single and Cordonnier hit a two-run triple. Aiden Shappie had another RBI single and a single by senior Grant Saunders resulted in another run.
Lincolnview (24-7) finishes as the state runner-up for the second-consecutive season. The Lancers were state champs in 1962 and were making their fourth appearance in the Final Four. Senior Landon Price, senior Cole Binkley and sophomore Austin Bockrath all had two hits for Lincolnview.