Dylan Hefflinger
PBR Senior Writer and Northwest scout

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DIVISION IV

Copley Regional

Cuyahoga Heights (13-8) vs. No. 20 Dalton (21-7)

The state runner-up from last year, losing 5-4 to Minster in the state title game, is led by head coach Marc Lowther's son Zac, a junior pitcher and first baseman who is 7-2 with a 0.62 ERA on the mound, averaging more than 13 Ks a game while hitting .362 with 19 RBIs. The Redskins, in the regionals for the third time in four years, have gotten outstanding production at the plate from seniors Ryan Rosenlieb (.278, 24 runs, 16 stolen bases) and Jason Kleppel (.349, 12 RBIs). Sophomore Grayson Thacker is 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA as the number two pitcher with senior Nick Orlowski another arm Cuyahoga Heights can count on.

Few teams making regionals is more surprising than Dalton, which was 1-19 two years ago and 7-19 last season under then first-year head coach Zach McFarren. A large group of underclassmen are getting it done for the Bulldogs, which made it to state back in 2005. Junior Ty Husted moved to 6-4 on the season with a five-hitter in a 5-1 win over Rittman in the district semis before sophomore Logan Swartzentruder won the district finals 7-1 over Windham. Husted also threw a three-hit shutout with 10 Ks in the sectional finals against Central Christian. Pitchers have issued just four walks and gone the distance in three tourney games. Sophomore Zach Ryder is another top pitcher at 6-0 with a 1.75 ERA and also hits .344. Junior right fielder Brandon Bowers and sophomore center fielder Jesse Mann each are batting .352 while Mann has 15 stolen bases. Junior left fielder Cody Huth leads the team with 18 base swipes. Other contributors include junior Jake Gregory, sophomore catcher Eddie Fogel and sophomore shortstop/pitcher Patrick McGinty.

 

No. 17 New Middletown Springfield (18-7) vs. No. 7 Attica Seneca East (23-4)

A familiar face is back in the regionals as New Middletown Springfield is in the field for the fourth time in five years. After a pair of shutouts in the sectionals (10-0 and 12-0), the Tigers relied on their offense to beat Lowellville 11-8 and McDonald 10-6 to win districts for the third year in a row. The Tigers are averaging 11 hits a game in the tourney. Two sophomores have carried the pitching staff. Dalton Donachie is 6-1 with a 2.13 ERA, fanning 60 in 42 2/3 innings while allowing opponents to hit just .136. Jordan Peterson has a 2.50 ERA in 36 1/3 innings for Springfield, which lost three of its last four regular-season games prior to the tourney. Last year the Tigers were beaten by Cuyahoga Heights 11-0 in the regional semis.

Like New Middletown Springfield, Seneca East lost to Cuyahoga Heights in regional play last year, falling 9-0 in the regional finals after knocking off Mogadore 9-1 in the regional semis. This year's squad, which has nine seniors on the roster, has set a school record with 23 wins. Frank Lamoreaux is in his 28th year at the helm of the Tigers with a 359-260 record. First baseman Dalton Wise and shortstop/pitcher Jordan Bowerman were first team Midland Athletic League and first team District 9 this season. Other top players include seniors Darin Baldosser (second base), Adam Bauman (catcher) and Daniel Bartley (third base/outfield) along with juniors Mason McWilliams (pitcher/outfield) and Ethan Caudill (third base/pitcher). Seneca East, which won districts by beating North Robinson Colonel Crawford 6-3 in the finals, is hitting .344 on the season with an ERA of 1.40. 

 

Hamler Regional

Northwood (17-10) vs. Delphos St. John's (11-14)

Northwood beat nemesis Ottawa Hills in the districts after losing to them twice during the regular season and 20-2 in the districts a year ago. The Rangers feature five players hitting .350 or better led by Nick Russell, who is hitting a robust .512 with five home runs, 36 RBIs and 36 runs scored while also seeing time on the mound. Northwood finished third in the Toledo Area Athletic Conference behind Cardinal Stritch and Ottawa Hills.

Delphos is the only team in the regionals in any division with a losing record but the Blue Jays may have the best pitcher in this region in Curtis Geise. The junior right-hander has fanned 25 batters thus far in tournament action, displaying an 86 MPH fastball. Geise is also one of the top hitters on the team and plays shortstop when not on the mound.Troy Warnecke threw a two-hitter to get DSJ past Miller City 3-1 in the district finals. The Jays came in sixth place in the Midwest Athletic Conference with a 3-6 record, but are the lone team remaining in the tournament in the always-powerful MAC.

 

No. 4 Defiance Tinora (17-7) vs. McComb (15-8)

The top five batters in the Tinora lineup have been on base 41 of 53 plate appearances in three tournament victories making the Rams a favorite in this regional. Number-two hitter Reid Renollet, a talented junior left-handed hitter, is 8-for-9 at the plate with eight runs, two walks and a triple. Star junior clean-up batter Derek Drewes (pictured left), the shortstop, has been on base 9-of-11 at-bats with a home run, two triples, two walks, five runs and nine RBIs. Talented junior Clay Pittman (pictured right) is the leading hitter on the season for Tinora at .500, and has also been the winning pitcher in two of three tourney games, including a one-hitter in the district semifinals against Edon. The top six in the lineup are all underclassmen and all batting .390 or better for the Rams, attempting to get back to state for the third year in a row. Gifted freshman Brevin Renollet, the younger brother of Reid and son of head coach Brent Renollet, is the number two hurler for the Rams while also hitting .397 on the season. Talented sophomore lead-off hitter EJ Kissel (.413) and freshman Dakota Stark (.390) round out the top hitters for a Tinora team that has just one senior, outfielder/pitcher Dylan Rumbaugh, on the roster.

McComb is in the regionals for the first time in school history with a team that has only two seniors. Defense and pitching have carried McComb thus far, with opponents scoring just four runs in three tournament victories. Dalton Buck (.428) and Mitch Schroeder (.372) are the top two hitters for head coach Rob Quiroga. The Panthers have relied on 6-4 sophomore Clay Grubb (4-2, 2.79 ERA) and junior righty Taylor Reardon (6-2, 3.79 ERA) on the mound in the three tournament wins. But left-handers Cody Wilson (3-1, 2.14 ERA, senior) and Andrew Adams (3-0, 1.20 ERA, sophomore) give Quiroga plenty of options. 

  

Lancaster Regional

No. 3 New Philadelphia Tuscarawas C.C. (22-5) vs. No. 19 Mowerystown Whiteoak (21-7)

Tuscarawas scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to get by Toronto 4-1 in the district finals to make it three regional appearances in the past four years. Andrew Cugliari is the main pitcher for Tuscarawas while Gage Miller and Alex Lawless are other top players for the Saints, which beat Steubenville Catholic Central 7-3 in the district semifinals.

Mowerystown Whiteoak has amazingly not permitted a run through three tournament games, outscoring the opponents 22-0. Glouster Trimble was the only team to make a game of it, losing 1-0 in the district semifinals.

No. 11 Newark Catholic (20-9) vs. No. 6 Racine Southern (24-5)

Newark Catholic has outscored the opposition 77-4 in four five-inning tournament wins, the only runs coming in a 14-4 win over Worthington Christian in the district finals. Newark Catholic has now won eight straight district titles, the last four with Ashland University recruit Mitch Cox on the mound in the district championship game. Head coach John Cannizzaro has taken the Green Wave to nine state tournaments, just missing out on a trip last year when his team lost to Berlin Hiland 5-4 in the regional finals. Junior outfielder Hunter Nance (pictured right) is the top hitter on the squad and has help from shortstop James Thomas (pictured left, Walsh University recruit).

Racine Southern is hoping to end a trend that has found the Tornadoes losing six straight regional games to Newark Catholic at Lancaster's Beavers Field, site of the regional. Last year Newark Catholic was a 7-2 winner over a 27-0 Racine Southern squad in the regional semis.

 

Springfield Regional

No. 15 Russia (22-7) vs. Arcanum (18-7-1)

Russia has gotten good pitching and defense in earning a regional berth for the third time in four years. Senior right-handers Treg Francis (pictured left, 6-1, 0.95 ERA) and Trevor Sherman (5-2, 1.31 ERA) along with sophomore lefty Nolan Francis (pictured right, 5-2, 2.56 ERA) have provided quality pitching. Junior shortstop Cole McEldowney (.405, 18 RBIs, 29 runs) and junior outfielder Bailey Francis (.402, 28 RBIs) lead a potent offensive attack that also features Sherman (.386, 2 home runs, 18 RBIs, 34 runs), senior center fielder Brad McMaken (.353) and junior first baseman Isaiah Counts (.338). When not pitching, Sherman provides a solid target behind the plate. Other starters include senior Austin Geriety at third, sophomore Bryce Cordonnier at second and junior Bryan Drees in right. Russia tied Fort Loramie at 10-2 for the Shelby County Athletic League title.

Arcanum struggled to survive in the districts, beating South Charleston Southeastern 7-6 in nine innings in the semis before topping Sidney Lehman Catholic 8-4 for a trip to regionals.

Lewisburg Tri-County North (16-9) vs. No. 23 Convoy Crestview (17-6)

Lewisburg was lucky to get out of districts, beating Cedarville 2-0 in the semifinals before getting past Fairfield Cincinnati Christian 5-4 in 10 innings to advance to regionals.

The Northwest Conference champions were the surprise winners of the Coldwater District that featured two-time defending state champion Minster and St. Henry. The Knights not only beat the two MAC powers, but did so in impressive fashion with a 10-2 win over Minster in the district semis and an 11-3 romp over St. Henry in the district title game. Junior left-hander Damian Helm (8-0, 0.71 ERA, 49 2/3 innings, 72 strikeouts, 5 walks, 2 saves) was the winning pitcher against Minster and headlines a staff that also includes Bryce Richardson (5-0, 1.94 ERA) and Venice Roberts (1-3, .48 ERA). The Knights, which beat 2012 state runner-up Lima Central Catholic in NWC play, have lost six games by a combined seven runs. Crestview, which started the season 2-3 before winning 10 in a row, has two senior starters in first baseman Jake Harmon (.441) and Roberts (.299). Junior starters include Helm (.368), centerfielder Cam Etzler (.309), shortstop Richardson (.358), third baseman Isaiah Simerman (.310) and second baseman Brock Rolsten (.237). Sophomore catcher Nate Owens (.274) and sophomore right fielder Jordan Roop (.246) round out the starters for a team that has not given up more than six runs in a game all season, that coming to Delphos St. John's in the season opener.