Highland reaches regional round as tournament play narrows field

Highland’s baseball team was solid in all three phases of the game as the Hornets cruised into the Division II regional round with a pair of lopsided victories.

No. 4 Highland defeated No. 28 Massillon Perry 8-1 at home May 27 before traveling to Bob Cene Park in Struthers a day later and beating Massillon Washington 9-0 in the district final.

In the two games, the Hornets had 19 hits and committed just two errors. They allowed no earned runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out 13.

Against Washington in the title game, senior right-hander Reid Oney tossed a three-hit shutout, striking out six and walking one while benefiting from flawless defense behind him. Dan Miller threw a four-hitter the day before in Highland’s 8-1 win over Perry.

Grady Gibb, Lucas Gerding, Miller and Casey Myser, all seniors, had two hits apiece against Washington. Myser scored three runs, while Gibb and Anthony DePompei drove in two runs each. Highland scored two runs in the first, third, fourth and sixth innings to keep pressure on the Tigers throughout.

Against Perry, the Hornets made the most of eight hits, all singles, and three walks. Four Perry errors contributed to the outcome. Gibb and Colton Winston each had two hits. Gibb drove in two runs and scored once, while Winston drove in one run and scored twice. Seven different players crossed the plate.

Highland last reached a regional in 2018, when it advanced to the Division I state semifinals.

The Hornets were set to face Walsh Jesuit in a June 3 regional semifinal at Gilmour Academy in Gates Mills. The winner would advance to face either Shaker Heights or unbeaten Lakewood in the regional final.

Should Highland advance, it would play in a Division II state semifinal June 12 at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium in Canton. The state championship game is scheduled for June 13 at Canal Park, now known as 7 17 Credit Union Park, in Akron.

Division I district

Depending on whose scorebook you believe, top-seeded Medina made either two errors or five in a 14-12 loss to Perrysburg. Either way, it was too many.

Perrysburg trailed 3-1 before scoring nine runs in the fourth inning. Medina committed multiple errors and all nine runs were unearned. The Bees answered with six runs in the fifth inning to pull within 10-9, but Perrysburg added four more runs over the final two innings.

Lance Morgan had three hits, scored twice and drove in three runs. River Blomquist took the loss after allowing six runs, only two earned, in 3 1/3 innings. Medina allowed 10 unearned runs and finished 22-5.

Division III district

Ninth-seeded Buckeye saw its postseason end with a 3-1 home loss May 26 to No. 12 Alliance.

All the scoring came in the fourth inning. Logan Brown scored Buckeye’s lone run before Alliance answered with three runs, all unearned following a Buckeye error. The Bucks finished 18-10.

Division IV district

Cloverleaf advanced to the district semifinals but fell 6-2 to Metro Athletic Conference rival Field.

The Falcons led 3-2 through three innings before pulling away. Vincent Hinderman and Logan Knapp drove in runs for the Colts, who finished 14-14.

Division VII district

Medina Christian captured the first district baseball championship in school history with a 6-0 victory over Bristol at Springfield High School in New Middletown.

Noah Landers threw a one-hit shutout, striking out eight and walking one. The Knights did not allow a run in their first three tournament games.

Caden Dyer led the offense with two hits, a run scored and an RBI, while Adam Collier also collected two hits.

Medina Christian improved to 11-5 and advanced to a regional semifinal against Kidron Central Christian at Oberlin College. The Knights are two wins away from a state semifinal appearance.