DIVISION I BASEBALL Boardman vs. Maumee

Who: Boardman (23-5) vs. Maumee (20-10).
What: Division I state semifinal.
When:Thursday, 1:30 p.m.
Where: Cooper Stadium, Columbus.
Also: Dublin Coffman (24-7) vs. Hamilton (25-7),Thursday, 10 a.m.
State championship: Saturday, 10 a.m.
Maumee scouting report: Boardman manager Scott Knox says Maumee is formidable. "We got a couple reports on them. They are very sound defensively. They have a good left-handed pitcher [Eddie Garcia, 6-3, 225]. We'll definitely see him," Knox said. "He's 83-84 [mph] with fastball, has two speeds on the slider, always [is] around the plate, throws strikes, [and is] not an overpowering pitcher but a finesse pitcher."
Spartans staff: Knox, also a first-year physical education teacher at Boardman, succeeded Dave Smercansky at the baseball helm this season when Smercansky was elevated to assistant athletic director. Knox's assistant coaches are Jerry Ensley and Ken Tirpack, who both also coached under Smercansky. Knox, a 1988 Youngstown State graduate, previously coached baseball at Maplewood High (1990-93) and Youngstown State (1987-88). He was co-coach at YSU with John Zizzo. Knox played baseball for Manatee Junior College in 1981, and later for the University of Kentucky from which he joined the Pittsburgh Pirates' farm system and played center field. A 1981 graduate of Columbiana High, Knox said the main difference between coaching high school and college "is the recruiting. In high school, you put together what you have to fill your needs. You are doing more teaching and developing in high school than in college, getting them ready for that next level." Knox played baseball for three years at Columbiana under coaches Jim Hinerman and Jim Rafferty. His 1981 Clippers team lost in a state semifinal to Columbia Academy, 4-0.
Radio: WBBW-AM 1240, WNIO-AM 1390