Hiland seeks to repeat; Fort Recovery advances for the first time since 1952
By JOHN KEREZY, eyeoncleveland.com founder
AKRON – Two high-powered offenses were held in check for much of the second state semifinal game between Hiland and Russia on Saturday night.
The Hawks’ junior hurler Caden Coblentz yielded just five hits through the first six innings. Raiders pitcher Braylon Cordonnie was a bit better, tossing a no-hitter through five frames.
But momentum swung in a big way to the Hawks’ favor in the sixth. In the top half of the inning, Russia put its first two batters in Michah Grieshop (single) and Felix Francis (error) on board. Coblentz responded by getting his opposite number, Cordonnier, to fly out. Then he struck out the next two Raiders batters to end the threat.
Hiland’s coaching staff came out of the third-base dugout and huddled with the players. Coach Chris Dages had a simple message for his team. “See more pitches in the batter’s box,” he told the Hawks. “Wait for a pitch to drive,” he added.
Hear all of Coach Dages’s post game comments here:
Connor Beachy got the message, and worked Cordonnie for a walk. Two batters later, Caden Coblentz broke up the no-hitter with a single. Next up: OHSBCA All-Ohio centerfielder Cody Yoder, Two on. Two outs.
Russia coach called time, went to the mound, and discussed how to handle Yoder with his team. Dages took advantage of the time out to speak with his star centerfielder. “I talked with Cody, telling him that this is your spot right here. This is what you want.”
Yoder responded by blasted a tailing line drive off a Cordonnie curve ball into right center field for a double, scoring both Wyatt Miller and Caden Coblentz. The game-winning hit thrilled Hiland’s fans and Yoder’s teammates.
“I heard someone saying something about a perfect game, and that kind of made me mad. I was looking to do my job and putting a pretty good swing on the ball,” Yoder said.
Hear Cody Yoder’s post-game comments here:
That was all Hiland needed.
Caden Coblentz hurled a 1-2-3 seventh inning, and the Hawks advanced. There was no hoopla or celebration afterwards, as Hiland left the field triumphant but almost in a business-like manner. By comparison, Fort Recovery’s team held a huge celebration following its 3-1 triumph over Hillsdale in the opening game (see more below).
For the game, Coblentz fanned nine Russa batters while allowing just five hits. He didn’t walk a single batter, and worked out of trouble multiple times.
“Caden did an awesome job, all around on the mound,” Dages said afterward. “He stayed focused, stayed composed, and got outs.”
Additionally, Caden Coblentz sprinted home from first base on Yoder’s double, accounting for the second Hiland run.
* * * * *
In the first OHSAA Division IV title game, Fort Recovery’s Cinderella run in the playoffs continues. Reece Evers’ RBI single in the second inning, and Caden Toman’s sacrifice fly and Gavin Faller’s RBI double in the third helped propel Fort Recovery to a 3-1 victory over the Hillsdale Falcons.
Alex Dues, the Indians’ top pitcher for the season, demonstrated why he earned that distinction by hurling a complete-game six hitter against Hillsdale. He worked out of trouble multiple times, and was also helped by some outstanding defensive plays from leftfielder Reece Wendel. catcher Riggs Tobe, and Faller at first base.
In the home half of the second, Fort Recovery shortstop Alex Gaerke singled to left, took second on an error and scored on a Reece Evers single. It was one of Gaerke’s two hits of the day.
“We scored first. That was huge. That helped us relax a bit,” Fort Recovery Coach Kevin Eyink said.
The Indians added two more runs in the third when Troy Homan, who had gotten on base with a double, just beat a throw home on Caden Homan’s fly ball out. Later Gaerke came across the plate on the Faller double. That ended the scoring for Fort Recovery, but it was more than enough.
Dues also worked out of a bases loaded, one out, situation in the fourth inning. He allowed a run on a Jack Fickes single, but then shut the door on the Falcons on what turned out to be their last serious threat of the game.
“They had some guys on, but he worked his way out of it,” “He was getting stronger here (as the game went on.)” Eyink explained.
Alex Gaerke had two hits and scored two runs for Fort Recovery, who ended the game with 10 hits from eight different players in the line up. “We (also) had … guys who hit the ball hard, and that just didn’t drop,” Eyink added.
Catcher Tobe was also an essential part of Fort Recovery’s triumph with two hits. He also made one of the team’s key defensive plays by throwing out a runner at third base on a Hillsdale bunt attempt.
Hoopla abounded on the field when Fort Recovery recorded the final outs. Players hurled the gloves and caps in the air and celebrated near the pitcher’s mound. Their unlikely quest for a state title continues.
The Indians know what they will have to do in order to dethrone Hiland and win a state crown on Sunday night.
“We have got to have good pitching again. We’re confident that Caden will keep us in the game,” Eyink said “We have to play clean defensively. Hopefully we take good at bats again, and I think we have a chance.”
Coach Eyink also saluted Fort Recovery for its support of the team. “We have awesome fans. This town is just as excited as can be,” he adds.
Hear all of Coach Kevin Eyink’s post-game comments here:
This is Fort Recovery’s fourth time in the State Tournament, the last appearance being in 2016. The Indians have never been Ohio champions, and advanced to the State Final only once, when Dwight Eisenhower was President and the Korean War was ending in June 1953.
GAME SNIPPETS
“Our goal is still the same. Win the last game,” Coach Dages commented on the comparison between how the two teams, Fort Recovery and Hiland, responded after their respective victories on Saturday night.
PURPLE AND RED
Expect to see an ocean of Fort Recovery and Hiland’s colors at Canal Park tonight. The U.S. Census Bureau (2022 update) lists Fort Recovery’s population as 1,478. Many of them are in or around Akron, planning on returning to Canal Park to root loudly for their Indians. Ft. Recovery High School has an enrollment of 108 boys (grades 9 to 12), coincidentally the same number as Hiland. The village of Berlin has just 1,207 residents; however, the attendance boundary for East Holmes Schools has a much larger. Boosters of both high school teams have printed customized shirts for the occasion. “Why Not Us?” reads the back of the Fort Recovery t-shirt.
The OHSAA statistics sheet listed official attendance for the two State Championship semifinal games at 4,095 Saturday. Expect a similar number of fans today, and don’t be surprised if most of the population of both villages finds themselves at Canal Park in Akron today.
“WIDE ZONE. WIDE ZONE.”
Those were the first words Hiland catcher Danny Hostetler said when he entered the dugout after the home half the first inning. He was right. Home plate umpire Scott Welker had a “wide” strike zone, which allowed pitchers from both teams to work the outside edges of the plate for strikes.
“Caden likes that,” Coach Chris Dages said with a smile in his voice after the game. “Him (he) and Danny will take advantage of that.”
UNUSUAL DOUBLE PLAY
They say a double play is the pitcher’s best friend, and Caden Coblentz put his feet into action to achieve an usual heads-up 9-1 twin killing in the fourth inning. Russia’s Brayden Monnin reached first with a bunt single, and then Hayden Quinter launched a long fly to right. Hawks rightfielder Colin Coblentz made a fine running catch on the ball, then tossed it back to the infield. Monnin, who had already reached second on the drive, now had to furiously scramble back. Backing up the play, Caden ended up taking the throw and then tracked down Monnin, tagging him just before he reached first. “In the beginning, I thought ‘oh no,’ Dages said after the game. “Caden made a great athletic play.”
SPEAKING OF UNUSUAL
Ft. Recovery’s Caden Grisez will be the starting pitcher for the Indians tonight (more below). He also became famous, virally, when Marion centerfielder Griffin Bruns tagged out Grisez — at home plate — on a bloop single in Ft. Recovery’s 11-3 victory over Marion in the District championship game. Marion’s defenders had failed to cover third base or home plate, and Grisez nearly turned the blooper into a round-the-bases run. A story about the play even appeared in the New York Times.
Below is a video link to the “I have never seen that” play, which also appeared on sports reports on television stations all over the country.
DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER AGAIN
No doubt Russia’s players and fans are repeating that phrase, attributed to famed baseball philosopher Yogi Berra . In the 2023 state title game, Cody Yoder lashed a double in the to put Hiland ahead for good enroute to the Hawks’ 14-4 victory over the Raiders. With two on and two out in the last of the sixth inning, Cody was at the plate once again for the Hawks. His double scored two runs, all that Hiland needed for the triumph. No doubt the Raiders are happy about one thing: Cody’s graduation, knowing they won’t face him in the future.
FINN FOR THE WIN VS. CADEN
Hiland’s Finn Schneider gets the ball for tonight’s title game vs. Fort Recovery. Schneider is 6-1 with a 1.88 earned run average (ERA) and a 0.972 walks/hits per innings pitched (WHIP) mark. He’s been a workhorse for the Hawks, pitching 48 1/3 innings. It’ll be his 10th start of the season.
Caden Grisez will receive the pitching assignment for Fort Recovery. He’s 3-0 on the season with a 1.97 ERA and 1.27 WHIP. He’s pitched much fewer innings (21 1/3) and this will be only his third start, but Grisez chalked up important wins for the Indians in both the sectional and regional. He’s one of the key reasons why Ft. Recovery is playing for a state championship today, as he struck out seven and allowed only five hits in the Indians’ 5-1 triumph over favored Leipsic in the Regional on May 30.
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See links at the bottom if you want to revisit more stories about Hiland’s 2024 championship season.
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