Dylan Hefflinger
PBR Senior Writer and Northwest scout

LIMA - Coldwater and Lima Central Catholic know each other well, as they play each other during the regular season every year, and normally meet up at some point in the tournament. Last season LCC eliminated Coldwater from the tournament. On Thursday the T-Birds tried to do it again. Or will the 11th-ranked Cavaliers get over the hump like they did during the regular season against the T-Birds as you can read here.

It ended in a repeat of last year's tournament game with LCC claiming a 5-1 victory.

Coldwater got on top first scoring one in the bottom of the first, but there could have been more. Sophomore lead-off hitter Brody Hoying drew a walk and stole second. With one out and Hoying on second, talented freshman three-hole hitter Malave Bettinger drove the ball to deep center where the T-Birds' center fielder Sam Huffman appeared to catch the ball, only to lose control in his exchange. Hoying tagged up from second and rounded third, heading home for the Cavaliers first run.

But it turned out to be their only run of the game.

Coldwater head coach Brian Harlamert argued that Huffman never had control of the ball but his argument did not change the call. 

Coldwater had another scoring opportunnity in the first as junior first baseman Mitch Hayne had a two-out single and stole second. Senior Matt Selhorst then drove a ball to right where the T-Birds' Corey O'Dowd made a nice play to end the Cavaliers' threat.

"We got one and that was huge and I think if that second one falls in for a base hit for Matt Selhorst that (Mitch Heyne) run scores and I think we got two and I think we are a bit more comfortable and then the baseball kinda plays a different way out," Harlamert said.

LCC answered the Cavs' run in the top of the second. Senior DH Connor Dee led the frame off with a single, later scoring on a fielder's choice by sophomore left fielder Jacob Judy to knot the game at 1-1.

The T-Birds added two more runs in the third as freshman nine-hole hitter Ethan O'Connor was plunked and moved up to second on a Colin Stolly single. An error on Cavaliers' starter Christian Schramm during a sacrifice bunt attempt from Huffman loaded the bases and, with the bases juiced, Defiance College recruit Nick Watkins was hit by a Schramm fastball scoring O'Connor and putting an end to Schramm's day on the mound.

Dee greeted the new Coldwater pitcher Matt Selhorst with a sacrifice fly to put the T-Birds up 3-1. Selhorst did a good job getting out of the jam after that to keep the Cavs in shooting distance.

However, the T-Birds only would have needed two runs to win this game as junior ace Colin Stolly (pictured) blanked the Cavaliers the rest of the way, pitching around baserunners and keeping the Coldwater hitters off balance all game.

In six of the seven innings, the Cavaliers left at least one baserunner stranded, finishing the game with seven stranded on the bases.

“I actually felt better late in the game,” Stolly said. “I got here (at the game) kind of late, went through stretching kind of fast. But, I started feeling really good. The arm was feeling really good.”

Stolly went the distance allowing one run on six hits and two walks while striking out five.

LCC head coach John Schnieders said Thursday’s performance from his team was something he had been waiting to see for quite some time.

“Our guys played a complete ball game, in all three phases,” Schnieders said. “We talked about it before the game, that we needed all three phases to win. And gosh darn, I’ve waited for my guys to play this type of game for a couple weeks now. And I’m just really proud of them.”

LCC added one more run in both the fourth and seventh innings. Stolly had a sacrifice fly to plate Jacob Judy in the fourth. In the seventh, senior pinch-hitter Tom Judy came through with an RBI single to plate Dee (pictured).
 

Coldwater coach Harlamert was impressed with LCC.

“They’re a good team,” Harlamert said. “We knew Colin was going to throw well. …He threw strikes and pounded the zone. I think, for the most part, both teams were equal in hitting. But, unfortunately, a few of theirs fell in and a few of ours didn’t. But tip your hat to Colin and coach Schnieders’ team. …They played well.”

Cavaliers' unsigned senior starter Schramm (pictured) went just two-plus innings. In the first the righty was sitting 81-83, but for some reason in the second and third he was 78-80 and had to be lifted in the third. Selhorst came in for Schramm and worked one inning with junior righty Muhlenkamp working the final four innings for the Cavaliers. Muhlenkamp gave up two runs, while striking out three and walking three.

LCC (16-12) will play 18th-ranked Ottawa-Glandorf at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at UNOH in a district semifinal.

Coldwater (22-5) bows out of the tournament, but should keep their heads high as they had a tremendous season.

"Our guys are upset right now, but our program has had a good year," Harlamert said. "Right now all we can do is go back to work this summer. We are going to keep working hard as a team. We lose two great seniors in Schramm and Selhorst. We tip our hats to them and now we walk off this field with pride and get at it next year."

To view scouting notes from this game, please visit the Ohio High School Scouting Blog. The blog gets updated throughout the week.