By Chris Webb

Division II Columbus St. Francis DeSales (21-9) 9, Akron Archbishop Hoban (18-9) 8

For audience entertainment, Huntington Park and OHSAA officials could not have scripted a better championship than what happened in the Division II final.

The Columbus DeSales Stallions played the role of the underdog and hometown favorite.

Akron Hoban featured a lineup jam-packed with talent that is signed and committed to play DI college baseball.

Eventually, all of this culminated in a nail-biting, one-run game with the bases loaded in the last at-bat. What a game it was between Hoban and DeSales.

The first inning would be a sign of things to come as Hoban quickly plated off four runs. After getting the first two runners on via a single and walk, DeSales pitcher junior Jack Miller recorded two outs. However, Miller was unable to escape the jam as two-out lightning struck for Hoban with three singles, the last of which being a two-run hit for Nathaniel Kunce.

DeSales would see the top of its lineup start the game in similar fashion to Hoban?s as a walk and single set the stage for a two-run triple by junior TJ Alas cut the deficit in half. A Jack Miller single to left field would score Alas and make it a one-run game going into the second.

DeSales junior Brennan Schalbig would replace Miller on the mound and yield just a two-out single in a scoreless second inning. For the second time in as many innings, DeSales scored three runs as Alas picked up his third RBI of the game with a single while Miller, who moved from the mound to behind the plate, collected a two-RBI single to give his team the lead.

It would be only a matter of time before Hoban struck as they tied the game in the third inning with two runs. Thomas Yakubowski led off the inning with a walk before scoring on Matt Gebacz single. Toledo-signee Lucas Sokol singled behind Yakubowksi then later scored on a Kunce sacrifice fly.

In the see-saw affair, DeSales would counter Hoban as the bottom of the third saw Brad Bohus triple for one of his three hits in four at-bats on the day. Designated hitter Alex Perrine drove the first baseman home with a single to give the Stallions the lead once again.

The fourth inning would be the first time both teams were held scoreless as Schlabig and Hoban pitcher Colin Shaub, who replaced starter Nick Prebonick with two outs in the second, would work around a base runner for both teams in the scoreless frames.

In the 5^th, Hoban would strike again. Sokol tripled to center field, then scored on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Joshua Young tripled to center field. Following Young?s three-bagger, Nick Eltzoth relieved Schlabig and picked off Young at third to end the threat with the score tied at six.

From that point, both teams would have a scoreless series of at-bats. Gebacz would take to the mound for Hoban following a leadoff double by Bohus. Gebacz retired the next three batters, and Eltzoth followed suit for DeSales in the top of the sixth.

One of the defining moments of the game came in the bottom of the sixth. DeSales junior third baseman Zach DeCamp hit a mammoth for a two-out two-run home run to give DeSales a 9-7 lead and set the stage for the dramatic final inning.

Hoban would start the inning with three singles, one each by Brendan Taylor, Yakubowski, and Sokol. Sokol?s hit plated Taylor to bring Hoban within a run and give them two base runners with no outs. Gebacz sacrificed the two to second and third respectively bringing Kunce up to the plate.

The play of the game was made when Schlabig, who was playing shortstop, fielded a well-hit ball by Kunce?s and threw out Yakuwbowski at home plate.

The threat wasn?t over as a two-out walk to Young loaded the bases for Kolin McMillen. Once again, Schlabig came up big on defense as he fielded a ball off Eltzroth and threw across the diamond in time to throw out McMillen at first base to give DeSales its first title since 1979.

Bohus led the DeSales attack going three-for-four with two doubles and a triple. Eltzoth picked up the win by recording the final seven outs, allowing just one run off three hits.

For Hoban, Sokol led the way at the plate as he went four-for-four with three runs, two RBI and the triple. Gebacz took the loss allowed two runs off two hits and two base-on-balls over the final two innings.