Hiland baseball falls 1 run shy of fourth straight state title

The Hiland Hawks baseball team flew to a pinnacle where no other OHSAA baseball team has ever gone: to the point of winning four straight state titles.

On Friday, June 12, Hiland (25-5) faced a familiar foe in Lake Center Christian (25-4-1) for the right to make that claim.

However, LCC, the same team Hiland had beaten the year prior for its third straight state title, flipped the script and delivered a 2-1 loss to the Hawks that left them standing on the doorstep but unable to celebrate the record.

Hiland was in the state tournament for the fourth straight year and ninth time overall, having won 29 straight postseason games en route to state titles the past three seasons, but this one will sting for a while, although most teams would be thrilled to take home a state runner-up trophy.

The finals featured strong pitching from Hiland’s Andre Yoder and LCC’s Grant Coblentz, and Lake Center scratched out single tallies in the fourth and fifth innings to claim a 2-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Hiland kept putting guys on base but eventually went 0-for-7 hitting with runners in scoring position.

“We were looking to put the pressure on them early, maybe score a run or two early, and we had our moments, opportunities early in the game. We just didn’t come up with that timely hit until later,” coach Chris Dages said.

The Hawks had plenty of baserunners scattered on the base paths throughout the game but couldn’t find the big hit when they needed to.

Yet even until the end, Hawks’ fans and the team felt hope, and it almost came to fruition in the final inning.

Down 2-0 heading into their final at-bat, the Hawks mustered one final push to keep their hopes of a fourth straight state title alive.

After facing similar situations over the past three seasons, Hiland understood the pressure and what it takes to deliver in the biggest moments, knowing the game was not over until the final out.

With one out in the seventh, Logan Yoder singled and Isaiah Wagler followed with a double to plate Yoder. That was it for Coblentz, but Caleb Shelly came in and induced a fly out from Christian Mullet before striking out Gerut Monigold — who had a terrific tournament run for the Hawks — to end the season.

“The guys never quit; they battled,” Dages said. “Even when we were down, we knew we were still in the game.”

Dages said despite it being a championship game and especially one that would see Hiland do something no other team in OHSAA history has ever accomplished, his players were loose and ready to play.

He credited Coblentz with doing an incredible job on the mound, keeping the Hawks big bats at bay and never allowing Hiland to make any big runs like they did in the state semifinal win.

“He was outstanding, and sometimes you just have to tip your cap and tell the other guys good game,” Dages said.

This group of seniors left an unparalleled mark on the program, and with eight key players graduating, Hiland will need to fill plenty of spots next season.

Dages couldn’t express enough gratitude for the effort and performance this class of seniors put into each day, whether it was practice or games.

“This senior group was an outstanding group,” Dages said. “They are very baseball heady. They play the game well, and they work hard. I can’t say enough about those guys. It was a great group, and I’m happy they had this opportunity. Things didn’t go our way this time, but they deserve to be here.”

Yoder allowed just one earned run, allowing only three hits. However, two of the three walks he issued came around to score, the first run being unearned.

Four-year starter and All-Ohioan Grady Monigold finished his record-breaking career with two of Hiland’s seven hits.