A look back at the 2013 season in the Buckeye state
March 11, 2014
Dylan Hefflinger
PBR Northwest Scout and Senior Writer
Before showcasing our 2014 preseason rankings and preseason all-state teams in the next couple of weeks, we will take look back at the 2013 season in the Buckeye State.
Division I
Cincinnati Moeller started the 2013 season as the number one team in D-I and the preseason favorite to win it all and the Crusaders did not disappoint. The D-I Final Four included Cincinnati Moeller, Cleveland St. Ignatius, Aurora and Gahanna-Lincoln. For the 2014 preseason rankings, St. Ignatius, Aurora and Gahanna-Lincoln will find a spot while Moeller will start the season ranked................ number....... one... where else would they start with a roster like the Crusaders have?
As seen here Moeller eased past Aurora in the state semifinals 13-1. Gus Ragland (Miami Ohio commit for football) went six innings, allowing one run on six hits while striking out seven. Kentucky Recruit, Riley Mahan had five singles and three RBIs to pace the Crusaders at the plate.
In the other semifinal matchup, Cleveland St. Ignatius topped Gahanna-Lincoln 7-5 thanks to a two-run triple by Dan Rowbottom (Illinois commit) in the sixth inning as seen here. This set up a matchup of Cincinnati and Cleveland in the division I state final game.
In the finals matchup of Moeller and St. Ignatius, Kentucky recruit Zach Logue tossed a two-hitter to help the Crusaders to a 7-1 victory as seen here. Moeller collected 12 hits in the finals, led by Mahan's two singles. The Crusaders earned back-to-back state titles for the first time in 17 years for a D-I program.
Division II
The Defiance Bulldogs started the season as the number three team in D-II and finished the season as the number one team after winning their first state championship since 1992. The Bulldogs outscored its opponents 48-6 in the tournament. The D-II Final Four included Defiance, Jonathan Alder, Akron Hoban and Harrison Central. For the 2014 season, Defiance will be well represented towards the top of the rankings while Alder will find a place in the preseason rankings as well. Harrison Central moved down to D-III after an impressive tournament run.
Defiance eased past Akron Hoban in the semifinals 5-1. Lincoln Trail recruit Weston Rivers blasted a bases clearing triple that hit right underneath the 318 sign on the 22-foot wall in right to help give the Bulldogs a 4-0 lead after one inning of play. Giving Kentucky recruit Rob Zeigler a 4-0 lead normally guarantees a victory, and that was the case in the semis and Zeigler went the distance allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out 14. The story on the game can be seen here.
In the other semifinal matchup, Jonathan Alder handed it to Harrison Central 11-1 as seen here. Alder's Ben Miller went the distance allowing just one run on six hits while striking out eight. The Pioneers' Casey Graber paced Alder with a single, double and four RBIs.
In the D-II state finals Defiance captured the state championship after defeated Jonathan Alder 8-2 as seen here. Weston Rivers was as dominant a pitcher as there has ever been in a state championship. The 6-foot-4 lefty flirted with Ohio High School baseball history, as he had a perfect game through 5 1/3 innings and a no-hitter into the bottom of the seventh, before allowing four hits in the seventh. Rivers went the distance allowing two runs on four hits while striking out 15, including the last batter on his patented, unhittable knuckleball.
Division III
The Wheelersburg Pirates started the season as the number four team in the preseason rankings, and finished the 2013 season as the number one team in D-III after a thrilling victory in the state finals. The Pirates' outscored its opponents 32-8 in the tournament. The D-III Final Four included Wheelersburg, Bloom-Carroll, Hamilton Badin and Youngstown Ursuline, and also produced three games that were won by teams scoring in the final inning of play. For the 2014 season, Wheelersburg, Badin and Ursuline are all still in D-III and will be highly rated, but Bloom-Carroll moves up to D-II and with a talented club will be ranked high, but how high?
Wheelersburg faces Youngstown Ursuline in the semis and it was a fantastic matchup as Wheelersburg defeated Ursuline 2-0 in eight innings, capitalizing on Urusline's lone error in the eighth as seen here. Wheelersburg' s Derek Moore (Shawnee state commit) and Sam Donko (Iowa Western commit) each battled throughout the game to produce a classic pitcher's duel. Moore went 7 1/3 innings allowing zero runs on five hits while striking out six and improving to 35-0 in his career. Donko went all eight innings allowing two runs on 10 hits while striking out six.
In the other semi final matchup, Bloom-Carroll defeated Hamilton Badin in dramatic walk-off fashion as seen here. Bloom-Carroll sophomore pitcher Corey Stanley kept the Bulldogs in the game as he went six innings, allowing just one run on seven hits and one walk. Badin's Michael Davis went 6 2/3 innings allowing three runs on just four hits (three in the sixth). The righty walked four while striking out six.
In the state championship game, Wheelersburg defeated Bloom-Carroll 5-4 on a walk-off passed ball as seen here. 2015 recruit Wade Martin when six innings allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out three. The Pirates Derek Moore came in for the final frame and after a walk-off win. The win improved his high school pitching record to an unreal 36-0 and claims the longest winning streak in OHSAA history, supplanting the previous mark of 32-straight wins by West Salem Northwestern’s Dean Chance from 1958-1959.
Division IV
Newark Catholic began the season as the No. 2 ranked team in D-IV and finished the season as the state champion. After a grueling regular season and impressive tournament run (outscoring its opponents 110-8) the perennial power ended the season with a record of 24-10. The Division IV Final Four consisted of Newark Catholic, New Middletown Springfield, Tinora and Crestview. In 2014 three of these teams will all be represented well in the preseason D-IV team rankings, but where is the question. Why did I say three? Because New Middletown Springfield has moved up to D-III for the 2014 season.
The Green Wave cruised past Crestview with a 9-1 victory in the state semifinals as seen here. Drew Buchanan went the distance allowing just one run on four hits while striking out two. Newark Catholic pounded out 14 hits led by Hunter Nance's (BGSU commit) three singles.
In game two of the D-IV semifinals, New Middletown Springfield defeated Tinora 13-7 in a high scoring contest seen here. The Tigers pounded out 16 hits led by Ryan Kohler's two singles, double and triple. The Rams were led by Reid Renollet's two doubles.
In the state championship, Newark Catholic defeated New Middletown Springfield 2-1 thanks to David Meurer's RBI double in the fourth. On the mound Ashland commit Mitch Cox went the distance allowing just one run on eight hits while striking out seven. This was the Green Wave's seventh state championship and fifth since 2002, story seen here.
Other 2013 Articles:
Final Regular Season Team Rankings
Division I 2013 Regional Preview
Division II 2013 Regional Preview
Division III 2013 Regional Preview
Division IV 2013 Regional Preview