Braylon Cordonnier’s velocity was up and his changeup kept the Mohawk batters off balance. (Press Pros Feature Photos By Logan Howard)
Braylon Cordonnier, making his fifth start back from an injury that only allowed him to play shortstop, dominated Mohawk with 13 strikeouts, and catcher Cooper Unverferth ignited an offense that sometimes needs a boost.
Cedarville, OH – The Russia baseball team of 2025 hasn’t been – on paper at least – the Russia of the past three seasons. They didn’t roll into this season’s tournament with the sparkling records of the past three years. They entered Wednesday’s Division VII regional semifinal at 16-11.
Veteran columnist Jeff Gilbert writes Ohio State basketball and OHSAA sports for Press Pros Magazine.com.
Inconsistency politely describes the Raiders’ offense on most nights this season. Twice they were shut out.
If they could just get their pitchers healthy – was the thought as May began – maybe this team could overcome some deficiencies and do what the past three Russia teams have done. That is, play in the state semifinals.
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The past three teams averaged 26 wins. Russia won the Division IV championship in 2022, was runner-up in 2023 and lost 2-0 in the semifinals last year.
At 2 p.m. Wednesday, the Raiders play in another regional final because – if their tournament performances are truly what this team has become – everything a team needs to win, especially healthy arms, has come together.
On Tuesday at Cedarville University, the Raiders pieced together seven hits, productive outs and good defense to defeat Sycamore Mohawk 9-0. But there’s more, much more.
Benjamin York had two hits to help the Raiders generate more than enough offense to advance to the region final.
The pitchers the Raiders need the most are healthy. The most notable, senior Braylon Cordonnier dominated Mohawk.
Cordonnier, one of the best all-round players in western Ohio, struck out 13, allowed two hits, walked two, and pitched seven innings. Cordonnier, the team’s regular shortstop, made just his fifth start.
“Obviously it’s taken a little bit to get my arm back in pitching shape, but the warmth definitely helped,” he said of the hot day. “It felt like I was popping the mitt a little bit more than I have been.”
He popped the mitt a lot. His curveball wasn’t curving where he wanted it to, so he relied on the fastball and changeup.
“He was amazing,” catcher Cooper Unverferth said. “His changeup was really good. His fastball was moving a lot. Hitters were always off balance.”
Russia coach Kevin Phlipot expected nothing less than for Cordonnier to give his team a chance no matter how many runs they scored.
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“You hate to assume it’s going to happen, but you assume that’s what’s going to happen with somebody like that,” he said. “We’re confident with him on the hill, but we still got to score runs.”
Nothing changes Wednesday against Cedarville (17-6) with sophomore Xavier Pauling on the mound. He shut out Fort Loramie last week. Pauling will duel the other Russia pitcher who needed to heal, junior Maddox Goubeaux.
Eli Borchers, pinch running for Cooper Unverferth, advances to third on Benjamin York’s single in the seven-run sixth inning.
“I like our chances with what I got on the mound,” Phlipot said. “If he can find the strike zone enough – and he’s had a great season – it can be this type of performance. He can lose it for a moment or two, but we’re confident in him.”
If Phlipot needs to rely on relief help, he will go to Unverferth, a junior who has been a Swiss Army knife for the Raiders.
“He’s saved our season,” Phlipot said.
When Cordonnier and Goubeaux couldn’t pitch, Unverferth was the best pitcher. When needed he’s played other infield positions.
“I’m just doing my role,” he said. “What coach tells me to do, I’m doing.”
Cordonnier said his catcher is the ultimate team player.
“He’s the best team player that someone could ask for,” Cordonnier said. “He’s everywhere. Whatever coach says he’s, ‘Yes sir.’”
Fittingly, it was Unverferth who got the offense going and finished it with one of the game’s biggest hits.
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Unverferth took one for the team in the second inning when he was hit by a pitch. He moved to second on Micah Grieshop’s bunt, to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch for a 1-0 lead.
The Raiders had only an infield hit until Unverferth doubled over the left fielder’s head in the fourth. He later scored on Zeb Borchers’ single for a 2-0 lead.
Shortstop Zeb Borchers helped back Braylon Cordonnier’s pitching with errorless defense.
“They were 1-0 curveball, 2-1 curveball, so they were good pitchers,” Phlipot said. “Then they were able to sneak a fastball after they got you out in front on curveball, changeup. They were true pitchers, so it took us a little bit of time to adjust to that philosophy, just to be patient and not to have the big wild swings.”
The big breakthrough came in the sixth. Unverferth, fittingly, started the seven-run rally with a walk. The Raiders loaded the bases and the hits came. Pinch hitter Michael Voisard bunted for a single and RBI. Freshman and ninth-place hitter Quinn Hoying lined a two-run single. Vince Borchers hit a two-run single to center for a 7-0 lead. And Unverferth, up for the second time in the inning, singled to center to send home the final two runs.
“He’s a great hitter, he’s a great team player, and he can do those little things, like he got on base, got that first run just by getting hit, and doing the little things like that to get the offense rolling,” Phlipot said.
Unverferth also made an early difference being the catcher he was meant to be for the Raiders. He threw out a Mohawk baserunner trying to steal third to end the third inning. It was a momentum shift with the Raiders leading only 1-0.
“That was big,” Cordonnier said. “The kid was just trying to make a play. I didn’t do the greatest at holding him on. I didn’t even know he went. But Cooper made a good throw and got us out of that inning. He gets to third, they hit a blooper … it was a game changer.”
The Raiders suddenly have lots of game changers. A lineup that is producing more. Good starting pitching from the guys they were counting on from the beginning. And Unverferth doing a lot of this and a lot of that.
One more win, and the Raiders will gas up the bus for one more trip to Akron.
Third baseman Zeb Schulze charged this ground ball to help keep Mohawk off the bases.
