A Cincinnati Moeller team chock full of major college signees and commits proved too much to handle as the Crusaders captured their ninth big-school state title with a 4-1 win over upstart Olentangy Orange.

Tale of two emotions....Despite leaving the bases loaded twice and stranding 12 overall, Olentangy Orange finally broke through in the bottom of the ninth when a bases-loaded suicide squeeze bunt by Keegan Knupp scored Cole Cahill with the winning run. The Pioneers will face top-ranked Cincinnati Moeller in the title game at 10 a.m. Saturday. 

Olentangy Orange used a small-ball attack to take an early lead over Grove City, then tagged Ohio State recruit Keegan Holmstrom for five runs in a decisive fourth inning. Despite an up and down regular season, the 22-10 Pioneers are headed to their second state tournament.

The Division I regional semifinal between rivals Olentangy Liberty and Olentangy Orange went down to the final swing, and the high-five shared by Orange’s Charlie Scholvin (right) and Diego Astacio conveyed the emotion of the Patriots' narrow advance. (PressPros Feature Photo by John Hulkenberg).