By Dylan Hefflinger

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DIVISION II

Zanesville Regional

No. 2 Richmond Edison (26-3) vs. No. 24 Chillicothe Unioto (17-7)

It was not an easy road to regionals for Richmond Edison, winning the district semifinals in 15 innings and the finals 3-2. Senior Greg Stagani threw a three-hitter while striking out eight to pick up the win on the mound while hitting a pair of singles and driving in a run in winning a regional berth against Dover. Richmond Edison has reached state two times, the last in 2007.

Chillicothe Unioto is back at regionals for the second year in a row despite losing nine seniors from last season. Unioto is coming off a strong showing in the district tournament, especially an impressive performance on the mound. In a 2-0 win against Sheridan in the semifinal, Adam Woods went the distance. In the final, Andy Tisdale picked up where Woods left off with a complete-game performance in a 3-1 win against Fairfield Union. Unioto has gone to state two times, the last in 1994.

No. 9 Millersburg West Holmes (21-6) vs. Washington C.H. Miami Trace (12-11)

Millersburg West Holmes captured its first district title in 46 years by beating Cambridge, ranked No. 4  in the state. Joey Gonzalez went 4-for-4 with three runs scored in the district finale. Junior lefty Gabe Snyder allowed seven hits, two walks and hit three batters in picking up the win. West Holmes has only permitted two runs in the tournament.

Miami Trace defeated Waverly 3-2 in eight innings in the semis, before defeating No. 12 Gallia Acadamy 4-2 in eight innings in the Chillicothe 2 District final. Miami Trace is looking to return to state for the first time since 2000, when it won the championship.

 

Tiffin Regional

No. 11 Plain City Jonathan Alder (21-6) vs. No. 1 Defiance (29-1)

Jonathan Alder is back at regionals and looking to return to state for the third straight year, winning the title in 2010. Alder is an athletic team that is strong up the middle defensivley with Ohio University recruit Nate Squires at short, Muskingum University recruit Wes Fauver at second and Ohio University recruit Nick Squires in center field. Their projected lineup includes seven batters hitting better than .333: Nate Squires (42 H, 23 RBI, .467 BA). Fauver (25 H, 10 RBI, .300 BA). Nick Squires, CF (33 H, 41 RBI, .435 BA). Josh Holland, 1B (34 H, 26 RBI, .460 BA), Anderson Hasting, P/DH (24 H, 21 RBI, .348 BA, 2-0, 0.37 ERA, 18 Ks), Tiffin commit Jared Adams, RF (34 H, 22 RBI, .370 BA) and Pete Whitmer, 3B/DH (23 H, 15 RBI, .333 BA). Brad Miller has an 8-4 record pitching with a 1.81 ERA and 35 strikeouts.

Defiance is making its ninth trip to regionals in the past 14 season under head coach Tom Held. The Bulldogs are looking to return to state for the fourth time in school history, winning it in 1992. Defiance fell to Tallmadge in 2002 1-0 in the semis and lost to Jonathan Alder in 2010 5-0 in the semis. Defiance has a one-two punch like no other in the state in Louisville recruit Anthony Kidson and Kentucky recruit Robert Zeigler. Kidston is 8-0 on the season with a 0.51 ERA in 55 1/3 innings. The righty has struck out 107 and walked just 11, while holding opponents to a .070 BA. Zeigler is 9-1 on the season with a 0.82 ERA, striking out 86 in 59 2/3 innings. The Bulldogs also have unsigned senior Tyler Batt who is 8-0 on the season with a 0.67 ERA and junior Weston Rivers and his 0.32 ERA. Offensively the Bulldogs have a team BA of .350. Zeigler is batting .466 with seven home runs and a school-record 45 RBI. Kidston is hitting .419 with 13 doubles, three triples, four home runs, 35 RBI and 27 stolen bases. Unsigned senior catcher Joe Gentile is hitting .380 on the season with 33 RBI and 18 stolen bases and senior outfielder Shea Murray is hitting .380 with 19 stolen bases. Shortstop Jacob Moore, also a senior, is the team's vocal leader. Moore is batting .322 on the season with 18 stolen bases. Dom Romero is a junior who is batting .450 in 40 at-bats while junior Joe Keween has had many clutch hits and is batting .288 on the season. Sophomore third basemen Dom Gentile is hitting .288.

 

Parma Padua Franciscan (11-17) vs. No. 6 Wapakoneta (22-5)

Just 11-17 on season, Padua stunned Holy Name 5-4 in the district, coming from a 4-2 deficit with three 7th-inning runs. Padua has been to state three times, the last in 2005.

Wapakoneta is looking to reach state for the first time in school history. The Redskins defeated No. 3 Bellevue 4-1 in the district finals. The Redskins have a talented young team that features one of the top juniors in the state in Johnny Crawford, who has thrown 44 straight scoreless innings. Wapak?s number two pitcher is sophomore Chace Culver, who is extremely talented. Culver threw a five-hitter against Bellevue to capture the district title. Two-hole hitter Josh Apple is a leader from the shortstop position.

 

Dayton Regional

Cincinnati Wyoming (15-11) vs. No. 10 Tipp City Tippecanoe (24-5)

Cincinnati Wyoming is looking to reach state for the first time in school history after capturing a district title with a 9-2 win over Kettering Alter. Wyoming is led by Michael Kelly, who has a 0.82 ERA in 60 innings of work. Furman recruit Max Kadish has a .526 BA with 31 RBI and 15 stolen bases.

Tipp City Tippecanoe returns to regionals for the second straight year, looking to make it to state for the first time in school history after capturing a district title over Monroe 6-5. Tippecanoe is young with nearly every top player an underclassman. Junior Carter Langdon (6-4) and sophomore Ben Hughes (5-11) are top-notch pitchers with 6-7 junior left-hander Steve Calhoun valuable on the hill and at first base.A pair of sophomores help up the middle in shortstop Cam Johnson and catcher BJ Donathan. Freshman second baseman Zak Blair adds more youth to the team along with frosh Cold Quillen, a lefty pitcher and outfielder for Tippecanoe, which has scored 30 runs combined in three tourney victories.

Scouting report on Tippecanoe from Roger Janeway

No. 19 Bellefontaine (21-6) vs. No. 5 Columbus St. Francis DeSales (20-6)

Bellefontaine is looking to return to state for the fourth time in school history after capturing a district title over Batavia Clermont Northeast 5-2. Akron University recruit Daulton Mosbarger threw a three-hitter striking out 16 in a district semifinal win for Bellefontaine. Mosbarger has fanned 29 in the tournament thus far. Bellefontaine has not allowed more than two runs in any of four tourney wins. Offensively Bellefontaine is led by third basemen Brandon Wilson.

Ohio Northern recruit Nick Eltzroth hit and pitched defending state champ Columbus DeSales to the regionals. DeSales defeated No. 8 Sunbury Big Walnut 2-1 to capture the district title. Eltzroth threw a five-hitter to beat Big Walnut while hitting a two-out run-scoring single in the sixth. DeSales has outpointed three tourney foes by a combined 23-1 total. Ohio Wesleyan recruit Jack Miller is a talented catcher for DeSales

 

Hudson Regional

Mentor Lake Catholic (18-10) vs. No. 16 Tallmadge (21-8)

Mentor Lake Catholic, thought to be in a rebuilding year after starting the season 1-4, returns to regionals for the third year in a row. Lake Catholic is led by three-year letterwinners left-handed ace Joey Samuele with a 7-2 record on the mound and catcher/first basemen Lou Peterlin. No. 2 starter Kyle Schinke was injured in during football season and has not pitch at all this spring.

Tallmadge returns to regionals looking to capture a state title as they did 10 years ago. Kent State recruit Tucker Linder, the ace of the staff, threw a four-hit shutout in leading Tallmadge to a 4-0 victory over Hoban in the district title game. Hoban was the D-II state runners-up last season. Matt Shomo also had a shutout in the district semis, fanning 10. How good is the Tallmadge pitching? Linder had a one-hit shutout in the sectionals. That means opponents have yet to score against Tallmadge in three tournament games while getting just eight hits. Speaking of hitting, junior Zach Cleary had a double, triple and stole home in the district finals. Shomo and juniors Cordt Skraba and Johnny Linn are other key hitters for Tallmadge.

No. 13 Canton South (21-7) vs. No. 18 Canfield (19-4)

Canton South returns to regionals for the first time since 2007 and is looking to make it to state for the first time in school history. The Ohio State University recruit Logan Bowles threw a two-hit shutout against Alliance in the Wildcats' 6-0 Canton District final victory to improve to 10-1 on the season.

Canfield returns to the regionals for the third time in five years following an 8-0 victory over Cardinal Mooney in the Struthers' District championship. Canfield senior hurler Tony Mehle threw a complete game, striking out five in the shutout win. Senior shortstop Joe Tuchek leads Canfield offensively while Derek Turocy is a talented junior outfielder. Canfield is looking to return to state for the fourth time in school history, the last time being in 2007.