2016 OHSAA Tournament: Road To Huntington Park - Division II State Final Four Preview

Division II

Home team listed first

#3 Steubenville (25-2) vs. #1 Defiance (27-2) Thursday, June 2, 10 a.m.
#2 Poland Seminary (28-3) vs. Badin (21-11) Thursday, June 2, 1 p.m.
Div. II State Championship: Saturday, June 4, 10 a.m.

STATE fINAL fOUR Team Previews

PBR Rankings Overview of Division II:

• Preseason Team Rankings: top 3 teams
• Final Team Power Rankings: top 3 teams

#3 Steubenville (25-2)

Head Coach: Fred Heatherington

School Facts:

• Regional Champs - 1963, 1991, 1992, 2003, 2004, 2016
• State Semi-Finalists - 1963, 1992, 2003
• State Runner-up - 1991, 2004

Top Players:

1. Nick Zorne, LHP, 2017 - 9-0, 0.93 ERA, 95 K, 22 BB
2. Anthony Zorne,1B/P, 2016 - .419 BA, 31 RBIs
3. Niko Petides, OF/1B, 2016 - .434 BA, 35 R
4. Dimitrios Collaros, 2B, 2016 - .413 BA, 25 R
5. Devin Ferguson, C, 2016
6. Johnny Agresta, 3B, 2018
7. Gino Pierro, SS, 2018
8. Alec Taylor, LF, 2018
9. Nick Scott, RF, 2017
10. Ryan Bernard, OF, 2017

#1 Defiance (27-2)

Head Coach: Tom Held

School Facts:

• 36-straight winning seasons
• 23 20-win seasons
• 3 state championships
• 6 regional championships
• 18 district championships
  

Possible Lineup:

1. Shay Smiddy, P, 2016 - .368 BA, 8 2B, 1 HR, 30 R, 12 RBIs, 14 SB
2. Braden Frederick,  CF, 2017 - .388 BA, 7 2B, 30 R, 12 RBIs, 17 SB
3. Connor Stykemain, SS, 2016 - .410 BA, 4 2B, 26 R, 19 RBIs, 20 SB
4. Charlie Gordon, 3B, 2017 - .311 BA, 6 2B, 14 R, 22 RBIs, 16 SB
5. Jacob Jimenez, C, 2016 - .280 BA, 6 2B, 1 3B, 11 R, 19 RBIs
6. Austin Taylor, 2B, 2017 - .240 BA, 3 2B, 13 R, 14 RBIs, 7 SB
7. Gage Grunden, DH, 2018 - .348 BA, 1 HR, 11 R, 3 RBIs for Abram Smith, 1B, 2016
8. Bryce Borton, LF, 2018 - .315 BA, 3 2B, 2 3B, 19 R, 10 RBIs, 14 SB
9. Emilio Gonzalez, RF, 2018 - .246 BA, 4 2B, 1 HR, 11 R, 13 RBIs, 10 SB

The Arms:

1. Shay Smiddy, RHP, 2016 - 75.2 IP, 11-0, 3 SV, 0.46 ERA, 85 K
2. Abram Smith, LHP, 2016 - 61 IP, 7-2, 3 SV, 2.07 ERA, 58 K
3. Braden Frederick, RHP, 2017 - 35.2 IP, 7-0, 1.77 ERA, 40 K
4. Logan Andonian, RHP, 2018 - 10.1 IP, 1-0, 1.35 ERA, 13 K

Coaches Thoughts:

PBR: What are a couple of things you like about your team right now?
Coach: Pitching, defense and timely hitting can carry a team far and that has been the case for us. Add in team camaraderie and the way everyone contributes one through nine makes this a special team.

PBR: Talk about the feeling when your team won regionals?
Coach: I thought we showed a lot of character to be able to come back from a four-run deficit against a very good team like Padua and head coach Ken Ortiz. Even when we were down, you could sense the team had confidence they could get it done.

PBR: Thoughts about being able to play in the state final four and Huntington Park?
Coach: It's always great to make it to Columbus. This is the first time we have ever made it to state two years in a row which shows the type of players we have in the program and the work everyone is willing to do.

PBR: Anything else you would like to add?
Coach: The OHSAA does a great job with the state baseball tournament and we're happy to be a part of it. Coaching in a community with so many people that love the sport of baseball helps make this even more special. We expect to see a large number of fans wearing the blue and white at Huntington Park come Thursday morning.

 

#2 Poland Seminary (28-3)

Head Coach:  Rich Murray

School Facts:

• Has advanced to state three times (2016, 2015, 1983).

Possible Lineup: (2B, 3B, HR, R, RBIs, SB stats before regionals)

1. Anthony Calcagni, SS, Senior - .412 BA, 14 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 28 RBIs, 11 SB
2. Eric White, CF, Senior - .450 BA, 7 2B, 1 3B, 20 RBIs
3. Pad O’Shaughnessy, 1B, Junior - .434 BA, 8 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 27 RBIs
4. Nick Petrolla, C, Junior - .363 BA, 11 2B, 21 RBIs
5. Tony Chairo, LF, Junior - .313 BA, 6 2B, 13 RBIs
6. Dan Klase, P, Junior - .354 BA, 7 2B, 1 3B, 14 RBIs
7. Jared Burkert, 2nd, Senior - .320 BA, 2 2B, 9 RBIs
8. Matt Baker, RF, Senior - .352 BA, 2 2B, 7 RBIs
9. Don Drummond, DH, Junior - .333 BA, 2 2B, 1 3B, 14 RBIs / Braeden O’Shaughnessy, 3rd, Freshman

The Arms:  

1. Dan Klase, RHP, Junior - 45 IP, 8-1, 1.55 ERA, 37 K
2. Mike Maillis, RHP, Senior - 30.1 IP, 3-0, 2.53 ERA, 18 K
3. Jared Burkert, RHP, Senior (Will be starter in semi if his arm feel better, has been hurt for 5 weeks) - 21 IP, 3-0, 2.33 ERA, 25 K
4. Matt Baker, LHP, Senior - 23 IP, 4-0, 2.73 ERA, 17 K
5. Eric White, LHP, Senior - 20.2 IP, 3-1, 24 K
6. Don Drummond, RHP, Junior - 28.1 IP, 3-0, 26 K

Coaches Thoughts:

PBR: What are a couple of things you like about your team right now?
Coach: We’ve been hitting extremely well 1-9. Not just one player is standing out, this has been a complete team effort. The kids work hard and are very dedicated. They deserve everything they’ve earned.

PBR: Talk about the feeling when your team won regionals?
Coach: It was a relief. We felt a lot of pressure to get back to state. Every time you talked to someone in the community, they’d always say, “Oh you guys will make it back, won’t you?” That’s a tough comment to answer. So to actually do it made us feel like we are now where we need to be. The kids have worked very hard to get back here.

PBR: Thoughts about being able to play in the state final four and Huntington Park?
Coach: It’s why we play baseball. It’s why the kids work hard. It’s why we coach. Being down in Columbus is a great experience and if you can get hot you never know where you can end up. Hopefully we can finish what we started last year, we feel like we can compete with anyone with the team we have.

 

Hamilton Badin (21-11)

Head Coach: Brion Treadwell

School Facts:

• State champion in 1991 and 1996.
• 12th time in the state final four (1975, 1984, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016)

Possible Lineup:

1. Cole Heflin, CF, 2016 - .232 BA, 1 HR, 19 R, 9 RBIs, 11 SB
2. David Begley, 2B, 2016 - .346 BA, 7 2B, 16 R, 12 RBIs, 7 SB
3. Cody Boxrucker, C, 2016 - .365 BA, 8 2B, 4 3B, 24 R, 25 RBIs, 12 SB
4. Zach Larkin, 1B, 2016 - .429 BA, 5 2B, 1 3B, 8 R, 22 RBIs
5. Mitchell Raley, DH, 2016 - .288 BA, 6 2B, 6 R, 7 RBIs
6. Ross Mulcare, RF, 2016 - .453 BA, 8 2B, 25 R, 17 RBIs, 10 SB
7. Daunte DeCello, SS, 2018 - .283 BA, 4 2B, 23 R, 12 RBIs, 9 SB
8. Andrew Walsh, LF, 2017 - .310 BA / Gavin Matthews, LF, 2017 - .259 BA
9. Garrett Hogan, 3B, 2016 - .324 BA, 3 2B, 17 R, 13 RBIs, 7 SB

The Arms:

1. Logan Heintzman, 2016, RHP - 56.2 IP, 7-2, 1.24 ERA, 60 K
2. Nick Taylor, RHP, 2017 - 29 IP, 4-1, 2.41 ERA, 30 K
3. Cameron Madden, RHP, 2017 - 25.1 IP, 1-1, 1 SV, 1.38 ERA, 33 K
4. Devon Valentino, RHP, 2018 - 24.1 IP, 5-2, 2.01 ERA, 16 K
5. Jeff Beadle, RHP, 2016 - 11 IP, 2 SV, 1.91 ERA, 7 K
6. Seth Klaiber, RHP, 2018 - 10.1 IP, 9 K
7. Luke Fischer, RHP, 2016 - 22.2 IP, 18 K
8. Zac Wilson, RHP, 2018 - 11.1 IP, 7 K
9. Kyle McGill, RHP, 2016
10. Andrew Roell, RHP, 2017

Coaches Thoughts:

PBR: What are a couple of things you like about your team right now?
Coach: We are playing selfless baseball. It’s fun to watch a group of guys playing for each other and not themselves. 

PBR: Talk about the feeling when your team won regionals?
Coach: It was very rewarding to see the players enjoy the success of their hard work. Very enjoyable moment for the players and parents. 

PBR: Thoughts about being able to play in the state final four and Huntington Park?
Coach: There is no better place to be this time of year. Huntington Park is a beautiful place and the OHSAA puts on a wonderful tournament. 

PBR: Anything else you would like to add?
Coach: I am very proud of our team and our coaching staff. There is no better place to play baseball or coach at than at Badin High School.