Dylan Hefflinger
PBR Senior Writer and Northwest scout

BOWLING GREEN - The sixth-ranked Knights (29-2) used four-run rallies in the third and sixth innings, each time with two outs, and rolled to a spot in Saturday’s regional final against No. 13 St. Ignatius.

St. Francis had jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

After Denison recruit Eric Zmuda drew a leadoff walk, he scored on twin brother Matt Zmuda’s (Denison recruit) one-out double to left-center.

In the third, with one out, Perrysburg unsigned senior starter Nick Munger hit Eric Zmuda with a pitch, and Matt Zmuda reached base on a two-out infield single, barely beating out a throw from Jackets third baseman Mark Delas (Top Prospect Games participant), who had dived to snag the ground ball.

After Eric Zmuda stole third base, he and brother Matt executed a double steal with runners on first and third to make it 2-0.

Adrian College recruit Miccoy Drzewiecki followed with an RBI triple to center and scored on John Carrol recruit Max Lyon’s double down the left-field line. Talented sophomore Okuley, who went 3-for-4, capped the rally with a hit-and-run RBI single to right for a 5-0 Knights lead.

After Perrysburg scored one and a 30 min lightening delay the Knights added four more in the sixth. With the bases juiced Eric Zmuda roped a two-run single to center, and unsigned senior Cody Lewis followed with a two-run double to left for a commanding 9-1 St. Francis lead.

The Knights added their final run in the seventh when Lyon tripled to right and scored on Okuley’s infield single.

The Yellow Jackets did not go down without a fight however, as they used four singles, a walk, and an error to rally for four runs off Knight relievers Kenzie Mayo (Trince recruit), sophomore Jake Lang, and senior Michael Wagner before Wagner got the final out.

Seventh-ranked Perrysburg, champion of the Northern Lakes League, bows out at 27-4. The Yellow Jackets were D-I state runners-up in 2011.

The Knights will be playing for the school’s fourth trip to the state final four. The Knights lost in the semifinals to the eventual state champion in 1972, 1974, and 1999.