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By Dylan Hefflinger and PBR Staff
Ohio Editor in Chief/NW Scout

Top 12 Stories for The Year 2014

PBR Ohio started up on May 3rd, 2011 as seen here. From that day, Chris Valentine has had a goal to promote high school baseball in Ohio at the highest level possible. Chris has been able to do this thanks to the help of parents, coaches, and the talented players throughout the state of Ohio.

Chris has also built a staff that has the drive to make Ohio one of, if not the top viewed website for Prep Baseball Report as well as put on some of the best showcases in the nation to help promote the high school talent that resides in the Buckeye State.

Dylan Hefflinger, PBR Ohio Editor in Chief/NW Scout, along with JD Heilmann, PBR Ohio Director Scouting take a look back at the year in review and put together a list of the top stories for 2014.

To start off the countdown, we chose a piece that touches JD, the Midland Baseball Organization, and the city of Cincinnati at heart, as one of the most well respected men in all of baseball passed away this year.

To follow that up we looked at "The Recruiting Trail" which updates where all the prospects across the state have been visiting, who they are getting attention from, and who they have committed to.

After that we looked at the "Cam Varga Experience" as well as a story about Adam no longer being a "One-Man Wolfpack".

Then we took an in-depth look at a heartfelt story of losing a brother and a great young man. After that was a look at the 26 players from Ohio that were drafted and then a look at the new Scouting Director, JD Heilmann.

Now we start to look at the OHSAA state finals in Columbus.

To start off we looked at the 2014 dominance that was Bloom-Carroll, next was the Division III championship by Coldwater and then a look at a first time state champion in Massillon Jackson.

Now up is the Division IV Thriller for the Rams.

Each day we will reveal the next story on the list. A hint for the final story are the words "Thank You".

A rundown of the stories: Note: We will be conducting a Twitter contest to vote on the top 12 stories for 2014 once the 12 stories have been posted.

• A Tribute To Papa Joe Hayden
• The Ohio Recruiting Trail
• The Cam Varga Experience
• Adam No Longer A "One-Man Wolfpack"
• Montoya ATV Accident Brings Family Closer
• 26 Ohio Players Selected In 2014 MLB Draft
• JD Heilmann Takes Over As Scouting Director
• The Bloom-Carroll Bulldogs Are Dominant In 2014
• Coldwater Wins 6th State Championship In School History
• A First State Championship In School History For The Polar Bears

The Tinora Rams Steal Home in Semis (Twice) and Walk-Off in Finals

Two of the most exciting games that I have ever covered happened in Columbus at the 2014 OHSAA State Tournament, and both featured the Tinora Rams.

The Rams reached Columbus three seasons in a row (2011, 12, 13) but had never won a game at the state Final Four ... until 2014. 

For the fourth consecutive year the Rams reached Columbus with one of, if not the, most talented team in school history.

Tinora featured a trio of seniors that could have started for any team at state in any division. Clay Pittman (C/RHP, San Jacinto commit), Derek Drewes (SS, BGSU commit) and Reid Renollet (LHP/CF, Findlay commit) had all been to Columbus three times prior to 2014 and were hungry to get their first win at state.

The Rams also featured some talented underclassmen in E.J. Kissel (2015, RHP/C, Lincoln Trail commit), Brevin Renollet (2016, 3B/RHP) and Dakota Stark (2016, INF).

Tinora also had a coach in Brent Renollet who has won more than 300 games in his coaching career.

The Rams, in spite of a number of injuries, finished the regular season 16-4 and were primed to make another tournament run.

After breezing through the sectional final 10-0, the Rams had to claw to a 7-6 victory over Hicksville. It was a game Tinora trailed 6-5 heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Brevin Renollet led off the frame with a single and a strikeout/passed ball and a walk loaded the bases. However, a strikeout and foul out left the bases full with two outs. On a 1-2 pitch to Kissel, a balk resulted in the tying run crossing home plate. Kissel eventually reached on a free pass to reload the bases and Reid Renollet walked on a 3-2 pitch to give Tinora the win.

It was a sign of things to come later on in the tournament for the Rams.

In the district finals, Pittman was brilliant, as the righty threw a one-hit shutout against rival and No. 14 ranked Ayersville as seen here.

After defeating Toledo Christian 10-0 in the regional semis and the 18th-ranked Patrick Henry Patriots 14-0 in the regional final, the Rams were off to their fourth consecutive trip to the state Final Four.

But this time it was going to be different for Tinora.

In the state semifinals, the Rams did the impossible and stole home twice in one game in a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over No. 10 ranked Convoy Crestview.

In the sixth inning and down 3-1, Pittman started the frame off with a single to center and moved to second on a single by Drewes. Brevin Renollet laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up with the Rams trailing by two. 

Stark flew out to right field allowing Pittman to score and Drewes to move up to third which set up something special.

On a 3-0 pitch, Drewes saw that Crestview LHP Damian Helm was working from the windup and decided to pull his best "Benny 'The Jet' Rodriguez" and stole home, sliding in safely just as the ball crossed the plate. The amazing steal of home tied the state semifinal at 3-3. 

But that was not even the most dramatic moment of the game, that was still an inning away.

With the bases loaded and a 1-2 count with two outs and the scored deadlocked 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Tinora senior Logan Dickerson (who led off the inning with a double) attempted to steal home. Dickerson appeared to be a dead duck, but Crestview catcher Nate Owens was unable to handle the ball allowing Dickerson to slide in safely with the game-winning run, moving Tinora into the state finals. To view the steal of home click here. (Thanks to Jordan Strack for the excellent footage). To view the whole game story please click here.

Now after that thrilling victory in the state semifinals, the Rams had to go up against state power Newark Catholic (7 state championships, 14 state appearances).

This also pitted the top two teams in the preseason rankings, as the Green Wave started the season at number one while the Rams were ranked second as seen here. At the end of the regular season, the Green Wave were ranked 10th (due to an extremely hard schedule) and the Rams were ranked 3rd. To view the final regular season rankings please click here.

In a game between the two most talented teams in Division IV, the state finals lived up to the hype as the D-IV championship had one of the most dramatic finishes in state final history.

In the seventh inning with the Rams up 3-2 and Newark Catholic down to its final three outs, the Green Wave found a way to score one run and tie the game.

A lead-off walk by sophomore Mitch Lohr and a sacrifice bunt by senior Mike Lohr started the frame.

After a fly out, BGSU commit Hunter Nance came to the plate and on a 2-2 pitch dribbled a high hopper over Pittman on the mound to second baseman Brevin Renollet, who made a nice play to field the ball. However, on the quick throw to first was off line a bit allowing Hunter to reach on an infield single.

The throw allowed Mitch Lohr to score from second, tying the game at 3-3 to set up a drama-filled bottom of the seventh.

After two quick outs in the last of the seventh, the Rams were back at the top of the lineup where junior E.J. Kissel was hit by a pitch in the shoulder on a 2-1 pitch to bring up Reid Renollet.

This at-bat will be talked about at Newark Catholic for years, as on a 0-1 pitch (after a dropped pop up in foul territory that could have gotten the Green Wave out of the inning) Renollet squared to bunt, pulled the bat back and was hit on the foot to put two on with Pittman coming to the plate.

*****I hear from people who have watched the video and saw with their own eyes that say the ball never hit Renollet. I know Reid pretty well, he said the ball hit him. I believe the young student-athlete and watched the video myself in slow-mo more than 20 times and feel it glanced off the top of his cleat. But those at Newark Catholic surely remain uncertain.

The game went on with Pittman at the plate and on an 0-1 count the San Jacinto JUCO commit laced a single to left. Kissel raced around third without any hesitation and headed for home. The throw from left bounced in front of the Newark Catholic third baseman and Kissel was able to slide in to score the winning run (pictured below). To read the entire state final story please click here.

On the season, the Rams outscored their opponents 269-79 including 58-13 during their tournament run. Clay Pittman took home the Top 22 All-Tournament Team MVP while Derek Drewes, E.J. Kissel and Brevin Renollet all made the all-tourney team.

The 2015 Rams will look quite different from the 2014 squad as they lose seven seniors including Drewes, Pittman and Reid Renollet. But Tinora has proven that they are one of the top teams in Division IV and will look to be just that again as they return Kissel, Brevin Renollet, Stark, Logan Bailey, Reid Anders and Mathias Grube among others.