Orange starting pitcher Reid Hemrick helps himself out as he executes a textbook suicide squeeze bunt down the first base line and then beats the throw for an infield single and the RBI. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Brian Bayless)
Olentangy Orange graduated 17 players from its 2023 state runner-up team, but managed to battle its way to another district championship after a three-run fifth inning paved the way for the Pioneers.
POWELL, Ohio – During a number of crucial moments Wednesday against Dublin Coffman, Olentangy Orange coach Tom Marker turned to the words of wisdom from a trusted source.
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The Pioneers, who were the district’s No. 3 seed despite losing 17 players to graduation after earning a Division I state runner-up finish last spring, found out immediately they’d be tested by the sixth-seeded Shamrocks.
Looking to win a second consecutive district title and third in four seasons, Orange got out of a bases-loaded jam unscathed in the first inning, scored twice in the bottom of the frame and stayed a step ahead for the remainder of a 6-3 victory.
The dogpile erupts after Olentangy Orange captures another District Title with a 6-3 defeat of Dublin Coffman.
The win improved the Pioneers to 22-7 and sends them into a regional semifinal May 30 against Olentangy Berlin or Pickerington North, which play for a district title May 23.
“Mike Deegan, who (has been) the head coach at Denison (University since 2013), is one of my best friends, and he always talks about staying in the fight,” Marker said. “You’re going to be up against the ropes at some point, especially in a district final, but you have to just stay in the fight and keep pushing, and I thought we did that. We battled through that (first) inning. (Starting pitcher) Reid (Hemrick) didn’t have his best stuff today, but he was competitive and leaned on his buddies to get through some tough innings.”
The Shamrocks, who finished 19-10, set themselves up for the early advantage when Hemrick walked Daniel Briggs and hit Charlie Colson to open the game.
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Coffman loaded the bases with one out when Carson Cox walked, but Hemrick struck out Drew Walti and got Ryan Walti to ground out to end the threat.
Then in the bottom of the first, Griffin Zavislak reached on an error, stole second and third and scored on a double by Keegan Knupp. When Wyatt Lidke flew out to center, Knupp sprinted in from third just under the tag at the plate to make it 2-0.
Orange’s aggressive baserunning and small ball approach paid off with a 6-3 District Title win over 6th ranked Dublin Coffman.
“Reid got us out of the first inning, and that was big,” Knupp said. “We love scoring first. That’s one of the big keys. To score two in the first is really helpful, and obviously getting out of the bases loaded was big for us and our momentum.”
Coffman lost two of three to Orange during the regular season as the Pioneers won the OCC-Central Division championship, but it showed it would remain a threat in the fourth. That’s when Ryan Walti singled to right, stole second, and scored on a double by Ethan Wendt to cut it to 2-1.
Orange then responded with a three-run bottom of the fourth. Mason Woycitzky led off with a double to deep center and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Casey Covert. Maverick Scholvin walked to load the bases and Hemrick drove in Woycitzky with an infield single.
Coffman’s Charlie Colson delivers a pitch in a relief role during the Rocks’ 6-3 loss to Olentangy Orange in the District Final on May 22, 2024.
Zavislak followed with a bloop single to right-center to drive in two runs for a 5-1 lead.
“We’re just trying to speed their minds up and make their defense play faster than they’re accustomed to,” Marker said. “When you put the bunt game on, it softens the defense and it allows you to open up holes that are traditionally not there. Their infield was in a little tighter than they traditionally are. It’s just our guys executing the game plan.”
Hemrick walked the first two batters in the top of the fifth and was then replaced by Nicholas Liberati. The Shamrocks loaded the bases on an infield single by Drew Walti, got one run on a groundout and made it 5-3 on a passed ball, but Liberati struck out Wendt to minimize the damage.
Coffman also had the first two runners reach in the seventh off Liberati before he struck out Cox and Drew Walti and got Ryan Walti to ground out to seal the win.
“I was just able to throw strikes,” Liberati said. “They couldn’t hit it that well, so all I had to do was put it in the zone. That was my big key the whole season, being able to throw strikes.”
Corey Gould, who is in his first season as Coffman’s coach, took over a program that had experienced three consecutive losing seasons.
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The Shamrocks featured a 16-member senior class.
“To be honest, it’s all about the guys,” Gould said. “It’s one heck of a group to come into. They loved just being around each other and came and competed. We definitely put some pressure on (Orange), and in a big game like this, that’s what you want to do. At the same time, you want to get one of those big hits, and today we couldn’t do that. But that’s baseball.”
It was a close play of just inches, but Blue got it right with a safe call and an Orange score as the Coffman tag attempt was just a bit too high and a tad too late.