After falling behind 1-0 in the first, Olentangy Orange scored a run in each of the final three innings to beat the Anthony Wayne Generals 3-2 and advance to Saturday’s Division I Championship. With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth, Keegan Knupp laid down a sacrifice bunt and Cole Cahill hustled home to beat the throw and keep the Pioneers state title hopes alive.
Generals Take Early Lead
Photo by Al Kornspan
Leading off the game in the top of the first, Bryce Anderson started things off for the Generals with a single to center. After a sacrifice bunt from Marco Morrison to give Anthony Wayne runners on the corners with one out. Anderson would come home to score on a fielder’s choice by Jack Behnfeldt to put the Generals up 1-0.
In the bottom of the third, Olentangy Orange finally got their first hit of the game, a bunt single from Ian Dando. After Charlie Scholvin was hit by a pitch, the Pioneers had the bases loaded with one out. Anthony Wayne got out of the jam thanks to a flyout and big strikeout to end the inning, preserving their 1-0 lead.
Pitcher’s Duel
Photo by Al Kornspan
Though both teams would have runners reach base in the middle innings, neither offense was able to crack the tough pitching from both sides. For Anthony Wayne, starting pitcher Brayden Weis went five innings allowing just two hits and a walk. The Generals would hold the lead until the bottom of the seventh.
Photo by Al Kornspan
With their backs against the wall in potentially their final at-bat, Gabe Miller drew a leadoff walk, followed by a walk to Jacob Lattig. After both runners advanced on a wild pitch, Dando was walked to load the bases with nobody out. Scholvin drew a walk of his own, scoring Miller and forcing extra innings with the game tied at 1-1.
Pioneers Walk-Off in Extras
Photo by Al Kornspan
After leading for most of the game, the Anthony Wayne offense answered the bell in the eigth inning. Like he did in the first, Anderson led off the inning with a single to the outfield. Following back-to-back groundouts, Behnfeldt came through once again with an RBI, this time a single, to score Anderson and put the Generals back on top 2-1. In the bottom of the eighth, Keegan Knupp hit a single through the right side of the infield to score Evan Eichel, who walked, to tie things up at 2-2 and send the game into the ninth inning.
After Jacob Tabor retired the side in order in the top half of the inning, Cahill would triple to right center to lead off the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Anthony Wayne elected to intentionally walk Tyler Fuller and Eichel to load the bases. With the winning run at third, Knupp laid down a bunt and Cahill came screaming down the line from third, and slid safely into homeplate, giving the Pioneers a win and a shot at the first baseball state championship in school history, 3-2.
Championship Game Set
The victory puts the Olentagny Orange Pioneers into the state title game for the first time in school history. It won’t be easy, as awaiting them is preseason and season long #1 Archbishop Moeller. The Pioneers and Crusaders will square off in the Division I Championship game Saturday at 10 am at Canal Park in Akron.
Photo by Al Kornspan
Top Performers
Anthony Wayne
Brayden Weis: 5 IP 2 H 1 BB 1 K 0 ER
Bryce Anderson: 2-4 2 R
Marco Morrison: 2-4
Jack Behnfeldt: 1-4 2 RBI
Olentangy Orange
Cole Cahill: 8 IP 6 H 2 BB 3 K 2 ER 1-5 3B R
Ian Dando: 1-2 RBI BB
Charlie Scholvin: 1-2 RBI BB
Keegan Knupp: 1-3 RBI
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | R | H | E | |
| Anthony Wayne | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| Olentangy Orange | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
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