Regional and State Semi-Finals

High School Sports | Article published Saturday, May 31, 2003
HIGH SCHOOLS
Jackets 1-up Berea
Perrysburg remains alive with 11th narrow victory

By STEVE JUNGA
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

SHELBY, Ohio. - Perrysburg’s version of the Cardiac Kids moved one step closer to the school’s first trip to the state baseball semifinals yesterday, prevailing in yet another one-run decision, 5-4 in eight innings over Berea in a Division I regional semifinal at Shelby High School.

Marc St. John delivered on a second chance in the bottom of the eighth inning when his Texas-League single to left-center plated Brent Register with the winning run, giving the Yellow Jackets their 11th win in 12 one-run games this season.

"I’ve never seen a better Texas Leaguer in my life," Perrysburg coach Dave Hall said. "I was just hoping it was getting down [in time to fall], and it did."

Perrysburg won its district semifinal 1-0 over second-ranked Findlay, and its district final 5-4 over eighth-ranked Mansfield Madison on a game-winning hit in the bottom of the seventh by Dusty Baughman, who was hitting .210.

Perrysburg (22-7) faces defending state champion Cleveland St. Ignatius (23-6) in the regional final here today at 1 p.m.

St. John’s hit came after leadoff hitter and starting pitcher Steve Calevro (61/3 innings, seven hits, nine strikeouts) was walked to put runners at first and second with two out, the identical situation he had with the game tied in the sixth inning. That time he grounded out.

"It didn’t come the first time, but this time it was different," St. John said of chance No. 2. "I was ready for it. Even though it wasn’t a great hit, it was still a hit and I got the job done. Whatever it takes, we get it done."

"He’s a gamer," Hall said of St. John. "He won the Maumee [league] game with a home run, the only one in his life. Between Calevro, St. John and [Kurt] Wells, those guys carry us. They’re our offense. And the big thing today was our 8 and 9 hitters coming through."

Register, a junior second baseman hitting in the No. 9 spot, was a pleasant surprise. Just 9-for-58 (.155 batting average) coming in, he spent the prior seven games with a designated hitter taking his turns.

But Hall liked what he saw from Register in batting practice Thursday and inserted him, a decision that paid huge dividends.

After Berea took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third, Perrysburg answered with two runs in its half.

Eighth hitter Matt Kuhl doubled to left-center, and the lefty-swinging Register ripped an RBI double down the left field line, then scored on St. John’s one-out double to right.

"I haven’t been hitting well recently but I thought I could get up there and give it my best shot," Register said. "That first hit gave me a lot of confidence. That was a big momentum shifter. We just wanted to win the inning. I’m just glad we got the win. That’s all that matters."

Berea (17-8) added two runs on three hits off Calevro in the fifth, but Perrysburg right fielder Adam Gumpf prevented further damage by firing a strike to catcher Mark Badenhop to nail Will Vazquez for the third out after Sean Nieman’s single.

Register opened the Jacket fifth doubling off the top of the fence in left-center to chase Berea starter Dan Yaniga.

St. John (3-for-5) reached on an infield single, and reliever Tom Farmer threw a wild pitch to score Register and move St. John to second.

After walks to Kurt Wells and pinch-hitter Matt Hoelter loaded the bases, Badenhop put the Jackets up 4-3 with a sacrifice fly.

Berea tied it with a run in the sixth off Calevro, who was relieved by Gumpf with one out and a runner at second in the seventh.

Gumpf closed the door from there and got the win.

"He’s got ice in his veins," Hall said of Gumpf. "He can come in anytime with people on and it doesn’t faze him. He’s great in that situation."

Register started the winning rally in the eighth, drawing a two-out walk and stealing second.

Did Hall use a crystal ball to see Register’s heroics in advance?

"No, we’re just lucky," he said. "At this stage it’s just kids working hard and luck."

Glove hands Jackets loss
St. Xavier third baseman makes sparkling plays

By STEVE JUNGA
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

COLUMBUS - Down San Antonio way in Texas they say "Remember the Alamo," because of the infamous attack there in 1836.

After yesterday’s 4-1 loss to Cincinnati St. Xavier in the Division I state baseball semifinals at Cooper Stadium, the Perrysburg Yellow Jackets and coach Dave Hall may well be saying "forget Bubba O’Donnell."

That’s because, despite his two early errors in the field, the Bombers’ third baseman made four big defensive plays that left the 23-8 Jackets wondering "what if?"

"That’s not only me, that’s the team," O’Donnell said "We’ve been playing good defense all year, and getting good pitching. Luckily I was able to make a play or two today. Nothing major. I was just lucky the ball was hit at me."

The 5-10 junior, formally known as Patrick, had already tripled to left-center and scored what proved to be St. Xavier’s winning run in the second inning, then added a single in the third, before he began to steal the show, along with Perrysburg’s potential thunder, in the fourth.

First came a diving stab to his left on a hot grounder by Jacket catcher Mark Badenhop, who was nipped at first by a strong throw.

Next he ranged to his left to grab Matt Kuhl’s grounder leading off the fifth and made another strong throw for an out.

O’Donnell then ended that inning - after consecutive one-out singles by Brent Register and Steve Calevro - with perhaps the game’s pivotal play.

On the first pitch from St. Xavier starter and winner Nick Ornella (8-2), Perrysburg left fielder Marc St. John ripped a hard liner to O’Donnell, who doubled Register off second for the third out.

Left stranded in the on-deck circle was Yellow Jacket slugger Kurt Wells along with his .510 batting average, eight home runs, school-record 41 RBIs and Perrsburg’s potential for a big inning.

"There were runners that probably would have scored," St. John said of his ill-fated drive, "and then Wells would have been up. I’m sure he would’ve brought us in. That could have brought the game within a run or so, so that kind of demoralized us."

"[O’Donnell] probably gobbled up at least four or five runs," Hall said. "We hit the ball as hard as we’ve hit the ball [all year]. Kurt Wells hit two shots where playing on a bigger field hurt us, and that line drive down the line. If that gets by, anything can happen."

Finally - after Jacket DH Evan Calvin singled with one out in the sixth and moved to second on a throwing error - Badenhop fought off an inside 3-2 pitch and smacked a sharp grounder over third base.

O’Donnell ranged right to glove it, retired Badenhop at first, and pinch-runner Matt Hoelter was caught in a rundown to end the inning.

"He’s done it all year," Bombers coach Bill Slinger said of O’Donnell. "None of us were surprised, because he’s made plays. But I don’t know if he’s made four in one game like that.

"If you watched Perrysburg, they were just demoralized. They hit the ball hard and the kid picks it up and throws you out. An inning later you hit it hard and he turns it into a double play. It meant a heck of a lot to us, but it also put those guys down. Defense won that game."

St. Xavier (23-9) has won 13 straight games by an average score of 10-5.

"Our kids played with composure," Hall said. "They could’ve rolled over after those first two innings, but Adam [Gumpf] came in and calmed us down and worked out of some jams. They were just a better ballclub today."

Perrysburg’s only run came in the seventh. Dusty Baughman drew a leadoff walk, and one out later moved to second on a Kuhl single. With two outs, Calevro scored Baughman on a bloop double to left.