Ross’ Kerry Snyder kept the Red Devils off balance and held them to four hits and one earned run. (Press Pros Feature Photos By Jeff Gilbert)
Hamilton Ross started fast, Tippecanoe started slow. And in five innings the Red Devils’ season was over.
Bellbrook, OH – Cam Dickens’ first reaction to Tippecanoe’s baseball season ending the way it did: “I have the offseason to unpack what happened.”
Veteran columnist Jeff Gilbert writes Ohio State basketball and OHSAA sports for Press Pros Magazine.com.
What happened, to the consternation of everyone in red, was what Dickens called his team not being ready for “moment one.”
Hamilton Ross was. The Rams scored three runs in the first inning, five runs in the second, two in the third and finally two in the fifth to walk off a five-inning, run-rule 12-2 victory over the Red Devils in a Division III district final at Bellbrook High School.
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“Ultimately I don’t think our team was as ready for moment one as I would have liked, and that’s my job, and so I’ll own that one,” Dickens said. “It comes down to a lot of different things. We were a little tentative, especially on fastballs early in the count. We weren’t as sharp on the mound, we didn’t throw as many strikes, and then we just got behind in the counts.”
What surprised even Ross was that it collected 12 hits, including two doubles. The Rams (18-9) have relied on four starting pitchers and winning low-scoring games. They entered the tournament as a No. 7 seed. But they’ve knocked off Cincinnati Turpin and Tipp to advance to Tuesday’s 5 p.m. regional semifinal against Vandalia Butler in Oxford.
“You get to this level, any team that you play is going to be a good enough hitting team, when you get behind in counts, to hit fastballs,” Dickens said. “And that’s what they did. They took advantage of their opportunities.”
Tipp starter Cayden McKinney exited early and said he couldn’t throw his curveball for strikes.
The Rams’ final opportunity came in the bottom of the fifth when they began the inning with single to the outfield and a bunt single. After an out and a passed ball that put the runners in scoring position, Evan Gabbard, who had four RBIs, lined a single to center for the final two runs.
And the chip on the Rams’ shoulder remained firmly in place.
“No disrespect to anybody else,” Ross coach Brad Voegele said. “Our record’s not the same as what other guys’ are. We’re the seven seed – that’s just where we are. But I knew we’d be in a situation to make a run in the tournament because of the way we play defense and pitch.”
The Red Devils (24-4) were stymied by Ross senior Kerry Snyder on four hits, five walks and four strikeouts. His defense made more than enough plays behind him.
“We left multiple runners on,” Dickens lamented. “We just couldn’t find a way to get that big hit. And for the lack of sharpness that we did have, when we did sting a ball, it seemed like we hit it right at somebody. When you’re not pitching it as well as we normally do, you got to find ways to get those clutch hits. And we just didn’t do it today.”
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Voegele says he has four No. 1 pitchers, A, B, C and D. The staff ERA is 2.65. Snyder entered the day at 1.44. But when pressed, Voegele had to admit that senior Nolan Ertel, with his 0.77 ERA, will start Tuesday against Butler.
Dickens used four pitchers trying to slow down the Rams’ suddenly explosive offense. He started with Cayden McKinney, who threw 4 2/3 no-hit innings in the 12-0 district semifinal win over Piqua. But McKinney lasted only 1 1/3 innings and allowed five earned runs on five hits and a walk, leaving with the Rams up 6-0.
Ross made a habit of crossing the plate early and often.
“Honestly, I just couldn’t find the strike zone,” he said. “I thought the defense played well behind me. We just got in our heads. Just didn’t really find it.”
By it, McKinney meant his curveball. He fell behind because the curveball didn’t land for strikes. And the Rams were waiting on the fastball.
“I don’t know if I was hanging it up a little bit – I don’t know where it was, but it felt good coming out,” he said. “Just couldn’t find it. It was crossing right there. … I just don’t know. Umpire didn’t see it like that. But I know sometimes it moves up a little bit. It’s baseball.”
Dickens isn’t used to taking McKinney out so soon, but the situation with the season on the line demanded action. So he went the Anderson McKinney, then Ethan Davis and finally Carson Jackson.
“He’s a super hard worker, one of the hardest workers I’ve had,” Dickens said of Cayden McKinney. “I didn’t think we had time to dilly dally and let him kind of groove into it. We felt like we had to keep it within reach. Anderson’s been great all year, and he just struggled throwing strikes. And from there we’re playing from behind, just doing everything we can.”
James Merry singled in the first inning to get Tipp started but he was caught stealing.
Dickens, who previously was an assistant at Chaminade Julienne when it went to state in 2023, completed his second season. Last year the Red Devils finished 17-13 and also made the district final. So with 24 wins this season the expectation was to play in the regional tournament.
“We took a step forward this year,” Dickens said. “Certainly it’s going to leave a little bit of sour taste in my mouth because I think this team is quite a bit further than we were last year, but this is where we were last year when we ended.”
McKinney will return for his senior season and believes the program will continue to grow and can, at the least, make the leap into regionals.
“Coach has done a great job,” McKinney said. “This is probably one of the best Tipp teams we’ve had in quite a while. He’s definitely changed the culture. I expect us to come back ready for next year.”
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