By Dylan Hefflinger
Managing Editor/NW Scout 

COLUMBUS, OH – Defiance Tinora has been to state four years in a row without a victory but in the first game of the 2014 State Final Four the Rams became thieves and stole a victory from No. 10 Convoy Crestview, as they stole home twice in a come-from-behind 4-3 victory. 

With the bases loaded, a 1-2 count, two outs and the scored deadlocked 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning Tinora senior Logan Dickerson (who led off the inning with a double) stole home and looked to be a dead duck, but Crestview catcher Nate Owens was unable to handle the ball allowing Dickerson to slide in safely moving Tinora into the State Finals. To view the steal of home click here. (Thanks to Jordan Strack for the excellent footage.)

However, the steal by Dickerson would have never happened if a two run inning in the sixth never happened. 

In the sixth, Clay Pittman (San Jacinto commit) roped a single to center and moved to second on a single by talented unsigned senior shortstop Derek Drewes. Sophomore Brevin Renollet laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up with the Rams down 3-2 at this point. 

Dakota Stark flew out to right field allowing Pittman to score and Drewes to move up to third which set up something special.

On a 3-0 pitch, Drewes saw that Crestview LHP Damian Helm from the windup and he decided to pull his best "Benny 'The Jet' Rodriguez" and stole home, sliding into home right as the ball crossed the plate.

So without the first steal of home there would have never been a second.

Lost in all the steals of home were the pitching performances from Pittman (pictured left) and Helm (IPFW commit, pictured right). 


















Top Performers:

• Clay Pittman, went the distance allowing three runs on seen hits and one walk while striking out seven. The righty sat in the low 80s with the fastball.

• Derek Drewes, went 1-for-2 with a single, walk, run scored, RBI and stole home. In the field, the unsigned senior made all four plays that came his way.

• Logan Dickerson, had a double in three plate appearances while scoring the winning run on a steal of home.

• E.J. Kissel played well behind the dish for Tinora and had two walks and a run score.

• Damian Helm, went the distance allowing four runs (three in the final two innings) on six hits and six walks. The lefty struck out six while sitting in the high 70s, touching 83 mph. At the plate Helm went 2-for-3 with a single, triple and a walk.

• Isaiah Simerman, went 3-for-3 at the plate and scored two runs.

Linescore

Convoy Crestview    100  101  0  -  3  8  1

Defiance Tinora        001  002  1  -  4  6  1

Records: Tinora 24-4, Crestview 20-7.

Winning pitcher: Clay Pittman (7 innings, 3 runs, 8 hits, 7 strikeouts, 1 walk).

Losing pitcher: Damian Helm (6.2 innings, 4 runs, 6 hits, 6 strikeouts, 6 walks).

Leading hitters: (Crestview, 8 hits) –  Damian Helm single, triple; Jordan Roop single; Nate Owens single; Zechariah Simerman single, double, triple, 2 runs; Bryce Richardson single. (Tinora, 6 hits) – Reid Renollet single; Clay Pittman single; Derek Drewes single; Brevin Renollet single; Dakota Stark single; Logan Dickerson double.