By Travis Cox
PBR Central Ohio Scout

Dublin, OH- They say that the third is always a charm.  That was definitely the case for Coach Mike Shade and the Gahanna Lions. After being swept by Grove City during league play this spring the Lions defeated Grove City by a score of 8-7 in Regional Semi-Final play.

The Hounds quickly jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning off of starting pitcher Boomer Lowe (Sinclair commit).

In the third inning the momentum started to change as Lions would score three runs to take the lead 4-3. Two runs were due throwing error and one on a sacrifice fly by Cael Baker.

Errors continued to haunt the Grove City defense, as Gahanna added four more runs to the board. The inning was highlighted Evan White (Kentucky commit) tripled to score Bradley Hull (Oakland commit.  Deland Martin, later added a RBI single to make it 8-3.

While defense miscues plagued Grove City, it was the polar opposite for Gahanna. The Lions defense turned three double plays that would deflate potential big innings for Grove City.

With Lowe cruising into the seventh inning with a five run lead, it looked as if the Gahanna would have an easy victory.

However, in the seventh Lowe began to tire and the Hounds bats came alive. Mason Daniels would come in for relief with a 8-5 lead.

Daniels would allow to more runs to give the fans a 8-7 nail biting experience. The Grove City offense would put the tying run on second and the winning run on first. But Daniels would eventually strikeout the final out for the victory.

White paced the Gahanna offense going 4 for 4 with three RBI, Hull was 2 for 3 with a sacrifice bunt and two runs scored.

The Lions (16-13) will try to reach a second straight state tournament today in the regional championship game against Olentangy Liberty.

GAME TWO

Olentangy Liberty continued its winning ways by defeating Pickerington North 8-5 in Regional Semi-Final action.

Patriots got on the board early in the bottom half of the first inning against starting pitcher Logan Giddings. The first five hitters in the lineup reached base via a walk, error, single, single and walk to hand the Pickerington 3-0 deficit. Runs were scored by Marcus Wechselberge, Chase Gresock and Cameron Comer.

Liberty starter Nick Newton cruised through the first two innings allowing only one hit, but ran into trouble in the top of the third.

Newton allowed two hits and 3 walks to open the third inning, the Panthers cut the lead to 3-2 and still had the bases loaded with no outs. Coach Ty Brenning decided to bring Ohio State commit Jacob Niggemeyer to calm the storm.

Niggemeyer was welcomed with a Nic Varda two run double and allowed a Trezden Johnson sacrifice fly that gave the Panthers a 5-3 advantage.

In the bottom of the fourth the Patriots offense woke again with the help of two Pickerington errors. With the bases loaded Wechselberger laid down a squeeze bunt that allowed pinch runner Seth Oehler to score, Gresock singled to push Justice Griebel across the plate, and later Niggemeyer hit a two-run single help his own cause for 7-5 lead.  

With the lead, Niggemeyer had complete control of the game and shut down the Panther for the final four innings of play. During that stretch the righty allowed only one hit with two strikeouts.

Liberty would tack on another run, in the sixth for their final run of the game.

The Patriots were led offensively by Niggemeyer with three hits and four RBIs. Matt Matthaes had a double and single and Comer contributed with two singles.

Liberty (26-5) now faces Gahanna today at 5 p.m. for the regional championship and a trip to the state final four next week at Huntington Park.