EDITOR’S NOTE: Cuyahoga Community College’s men’s baseball team won two games yesterday (May 2) against Hocking College, 9-8 and 3-1. This extends the team’s winning streak to 40 consecutive games, the longest at any level of college ball, in 2025. Now through their first playoff series, May 8-9, EYEONCLEVELAND.COM will be featuring daily profiles of the team and some of its key players.

You may want to bookmark and/or subscribe to this past over the next several days if you are a Triceratops baseball fan.

Here is our planned coverage.

TODAY – MAY 3  “replay” of the doubleheader sweep Tri-C had against Bryant & Stratton at Ron Mottl on April 26. (See just below.)

SUNDAY – MAY 4   Profile of Kohan Merritt

MONDAY – MAY 5  Profile of Jackson Boles

TUESDAY – MAY 6  Profile of Keagan Gilbride

WEDNESDAY – MAY 7 Profile of Diddy Farrell

THURSDAY – MAY 8 Profile of Brendan Hazuda

Members of Professor John Kerezy’s MJS 2070 Sports Reporting class and Professor Kerezy are writing the stories.

Cuyahoga Community College is also HOSTING the first round of the National Junior College Athletic Association Region XII playoffs, May 8-9, at Ron Mottl Field.  Eyeoncleveland.com is planning to present coverage of the tournament playoff games as well. The Tops will play beginning at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 8.

Tops season extends to 35 consecutive wins after victory over Bryant & Stratton

By CHRISTINA EASTER

PARMA, April 27, 2025 – After a two-hour rain delay, the Cuyahoga Community College Triceratops (Tops) won 7-4 at home against the Bryant & Stratton (OH) Bobcats in game one of a double header.

The Tops brought 11 players to the plate in the third inning, scoring five runs off four hits and two walks. The Bobcats scored four runs in the sixth inning before Tops pitcher Christopher “Banks” Cox came in and threw one pitch to end the inning. The Tops answered the Bobcats by scoring two more runs to extend their historic game winning streak.

“Today was a really hard-fought game and I’m glad our guys were able to come through with the win,” said Keagan Gilbride, starting pitcher for the Tops.

“We always seem to come up big in the big moments and there’s something really special about this team,” Gilbride added. “I’m proud of the team’s performance, proud of my performance and think we all did well.”

“These guys know that even though we won the conference, we still have a lot of work to do as far as positioning ourselves in the regionals,” said head coach Kyle Stahlberg. “So, I’m glad they came out ready to execute and ready to get things done.”

The Bobcats looked to score early after Brody Puchmajer started off the second inning with a double. But tops pitcher Gilbride struck out two of the next batters.

The Bobcats had an opportunity for a big inning in the third when six batters came to the plate – but Gilbride induced two pop ups to end the inning.

In the bottom of the third, Kyle Figuray walked then stole second before Kohan Merritt hit an RBI double to score the first run of the game. The Tops scored two additional runs on singles from Jackson Boles and Pat Farrell.

With no outs and bases loaded, the Bobcats brought in lefty pitcher Dylan LeFevre. But Vinny Gallaher reached on an infield single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Joey Lehner.

The Tops scored their fifth and last run of the inning, with the bases still loaded, on a single from Ethan Green.

After struggling to score runs early, the Bobcats broke through in the sixth and scored four runs. Puchmajer led the inning off with a single and was followed by Dylan Wimbs who roped a double down the left field line. Darius Ensley, Shane Cope and Gavin McLane each hit RBI singles to bring the score to 5-4.

On this brisk and cloudy afternoon, Gilbride pitched 5 2/3 innings before being relieved by Cox.

“I missed a couple of spots and they got good swings on the ball and you give credit to them for that,” Gilbride said who grew up pitching in the cold. “I grew up around here, so I’m used to throwing in this kind of weather. You have to make some adjustments because it’s cold for us and for them.”

“Keagan is such a good pitcher that I just wanted to give him a break for a minute, take a breather, kind of break the momentum of what’s going on,” Stahlberg said.

The Tops scored two more runs in the sixth after Merritt walked, stole second and third base, then scored on a single by Jackson Boles. Boles scored the final run of the game on a wild pitch.

In the seventh inning, Tops first baseman Ethan Green was involved in a collision with the Bobcat’s Dylan Wimbs who hit a foul ball down the first base line. Both players were taken out of the game.

“He hit a foul ball and when I went to pick it up it started spinning back fair and I fielded it right on the foul line and the batter didn’t stop running and ran right over me,” Green said after the game.

“This team is so dangerous and the thing I like is when the moment is big, they always seem to rise to the occasion and they know we needed a couple of more to give us a little breathing room, and they executed and got it done,” Stahlberg said. “I love that fire and that energy from the dugout, and it all comes together for big innings like that.”

Harder hurls gem, helps Tri-C sweep double header

By MITCHELL WOOD

PARMA, Apirl 27 — Cuyahoga Community College extended its win streak to 36 in a row, dominating rival Bryant & Stratton 11–1 in its final regular season game at Ron Mottl Field Saturday (April 26).

Tri-C’s defense and pitching has been sharp all season, and this game was no different. Starting hurler Mitchell Harder stood out, throwing four perfect innings, earning seven strikeouts while yielding just two hits.

The Tops offense made Bobcats starter Cooper Villareal struggle in the bottom of the first. Villareal gave up two walks, a wild pitch that saw two runners score, and gave up five runs.

Bobcats head coach Austin Szemacs visited the mound early to help calm Villareal down.

When asked about that conversation, Szmacs said. “I was just trying to fire him up a little bit. I wanted to get the best out of him.” This pep talk helped Villareal and the Bobcat defense as they didn’t concede a run until he was replaced.

But the Tops stood out. In the top of the fourth inning, Hudson Gerken had a sure base hit until shortstop Kohen Merrit made an acrobatic jump to field the ball and managed to make a quick throw to first, helping keep Harder’s no-hitter alive.

Harder said, “When the defense is making plays like that it’s really easy to throw the ball

over the plate.”

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Carson Byrne stepped on the mound hoping to keep the Tops’ offense quiet. Instead, the inning unraveled quickly. Byrne only faced five batters, all of whom got on base, while adding three runs to the score before the Bobcats could record an out.

He was replaced by right-handed pitcher Angel Nava, who also struggled, surrendering three hits before he could end the inning. Harder’s no-hitter was spoiled in the top of the fifth thanks to a single from Brody Puchmajer.

After that hit, Harder gave up two more to load the bases for the Bobcats. A sacrifice run from Taleb Al-Zakwani brought Puchmajer home for the Bobcats only run.

Tri-C also beat Bryant & Stratton in the last two games of the series, 11–4 and 8–4, on Sunday (April 27). The sweep over the Bobcats secured a perfect conference record for the Tops (26–0), extended the win streak to 38 games and clinched the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference regular season championship.

While other teams around NJCAA Region XII are still playing games, Tri-C can enjoy some rest before the postseason begins. Tri-C’s next opponent is not yet determined, but whoever they face should be prepared to face a mighty Triceratops team.