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2019 OHSAA TOURNAMENT: DIVISION III STATE SEMIFINAL - NO. 4 Coldwater vs No. 25 Roger Bacon

AKRON - After losing a four-run lead, Coldwater responded like a winning team does. The Cavaliers scored seven runs in the bottom of the third and went on to defeat Roger Bacon 12-7 in the Division III state semifinals on Saturday.

A Zack McKibben bases-loaded bunt single tied the game at 6-6 and two runs came home on a Roger Bacon error, one of five in the game by the Spartans. A Jake Wenning sac fly made it 9-6 and, after a wild pitch increased the advantage to 10-6, Jake Hemmelgarn - who flew out to start the inning - capped the seven-run frame with a two-run single to right-center field.

Trailing 1-0, Coldwater tallied five in the bottom of the second with Ross Weigel and Myles Blasingame each producing a run-scoring single to go along with a pair of Roger Bacon errors.

But the Spartans, at state for the first time since 1968, regained the lead with a five-spot in the top of the third.with Dylan Polk, Tyler Bullock and Chris McDaniel hitting consecutive RBI singles to force Coldwater head coach Brian Harlamert to bring in Wenning in relief of starting pitcher Cole Frilling. After a foul out, freshman George Janzen put Roger Bacon back in the lead with a two-run hit to left before Wenning managed to escape further disaster

Once Coldwater took back the lead with seven in the third, Frilling returned to the mound and gave up just one run on three hits over the final four innings.

In moving on to the state championship game for the third time in six years, fourth-ranked Coldwater was outhit by the 25th-rated Spartans 8-6, but scored 11 unearned runs off of three Roger Bacon hurlers.

Blasingame had a single and double for the Cavs while Janzen had two singles and three RBIs for Bacon.

HOT TAKES

Gutsy performance: Although not on his game, Frilling showed the guts needed in coming through for Coldwater, going 6.1 innings while allowing seven runs and five hits. But it was what he did after coming out of the game and then returning that proved vital for the Cavs.

Players of the game: With a total team effort, the award goes to the bottom of the Coldwater lineup for combining for three of the six team hits, scoring five runs and driving in a pair. Number seven hitter Will Broering had a single and scored twice, Weigel had a base hit, scored two runs and drove in one out of the eight-hole and McKibben had the bunt single to tie the game in the third and also scored once batting ninth for the Cavaliers.

Odd stat: Eleven unearned runs is likely a state record, though no stat is kept on it. The Roger Bacon three pitchers Evan Webb, Bullock and Dillon Fischer deserved better, though five combined walks and two hit batters by the trio did not help matters.

What’s next?: Seven starters are back including two freshmen and a sophomore for Roger Bacon and the top four pitchers are also returning. If the pitching can make strides, the Spartans could be a team to deal with in 2020 led by Evan Kelsey, Chris Hoffman, Bullock, Janzen, Webb and Jake Tschida.

LINESCORE

Roger Bacon       105 010 0 - 7 8  5
Coldwater            057 000 x - 12 6 2

Records: Coldwater 26-6, Roger Bacon 18-10.

Winning Pitcher: Jake Wenning (0.2 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 strikeouts, 0 walks). Other: Cole Frilling (6.1 innings, 7 runs, 6 earned, 7 hits, 5 strikeouts, 5 walks).

Losing Pitcher: Tyler Bullock (1 inning, 6 runs, 1 earned, 0 strikeouts, 2 walks). Others: Evan Webb (1.1 innings, 5 runs, 0 earned, 2 hits, 2 strikeouts, 1 walk), Dillon Fischer (3.2 innings, 1 run, 0 earned, 2 hits, 0 strikeouts, 2 walks).

Leading Hitters: (Roger Bacon) - Evan Kelsey single, 2 runs; Chris Hoffman single; Dylan Polk single; Tyler Bullock single, 2 runs; Chris McDaniel single; Evan Webb single; George Janzen 2 singles, 3 RBIs. (Coldwater) - Austin Riethman 2 runs; Myles Blasingame single, double; Jake Hemmelgarn single, 2 RBIs; Cole Frilling 2 runs; Will Broering single, 2 runs; Ross Weigel single, 2 runs; Zack McKibben single.