PREVIEW

PREVIEW

State baseball

DIVISION II

Friday’s schedule: Canfield (27-4) vs. Sandusky Perkins (24-5), 10 a.m.; Spring. Kenton Ridge (25-5) vs. Richmond Edison (25-4), 1 p.m.
Championship: 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: Cooper Stadium, Columbus
If you go: Take I-76 West to I-71 South. In Columbus, take I-70 West, exit at West Mound Street and follow signs.
Scouting report: The Cardinals are making their third state appearance. In 1998 and 2004, they lost in the semifinals. Canfield is led in batting by outfielder John Pitzulo, who is hitting .426 (29-for-68). Drew Turocy is at .402 (37-for-92) and is second on the team with 31 RBIs. Catcher D.J. Haurin is batting .379 (30-for-79) and leads the Cardinals with four HRs and 37 RBIs. Outfielder John Manzoian has 13 stolen bases. On the mound, Turocy is 7-1 with a 0.68 ERA. Steve Schoenfeld (7-0, 2.50) and Brian Fox (5-0, 2.76) could also see time this weekend.
Perkins is making its first trip to the state semifinals. Coach Ray Neill has had a storybook year; he also led Perkins’ girls basketball team to the state tournament in March. Pitcher Brennan Smith is 9-0 (1.74 ERA) this season and 27-0 in his varsity career. He will play at Bowling Green next year. The Pirates also have Kyle Hallock, who is 9-1, 0.48, with 84 strikeouts, and signed with Kent State. Shortstop Russell Boos leads Perkins with a .437 average and Hallock is hitting .436 with a team-best three HRs. Catcher Josh Lowe is hitting .402 with two HRs and a team-high 35 RBIs.
Canfield sendoff: A ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. today in the high school auditorium.

DIVISION III

Friday’s schedule: Cin. Madeira (25-6) vs. Heath (20-6), 4 p.m.; Bloomdale Elmwood (25-6) vs. Ursuline (23-5), 7 p.m.
Championship: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Cooper Stadium, Columbus
Scouting report: The Irish are making their seventh state appearance and fifth since 2000 under Coach Sean Durkin. Ursuline won state titles in 1988 and 2000. The Irish were state runners-up in 2000 and 2006, and state semifinalists in 2003. The Irish have four players who are expected to start Friday batting over .400 this season: Catcher Ed Rohan (.473), right fielder Matt Yarab (.427), designated hitter Todd Finn (.410) and left fielder Shawn Roman (.401). Three others are hitting .365 or better. Pitcher Robert Switka is 8-1 with a 1.74 ERA and Roman is 7-1 with a 1.63 ERA.
Elmwood coach Kyle Reiser has 388 wins in 24 years as coach, but this is his (and the program’s) first trip to the state semifinals. The Royals have three main pitchers — right-handers Ryan Rothenbuhler (8-2, 2.65) and Adam Sheline (8-1, 2.18) and left-hander Ben Hammer (4-0, 2.67). Elmwood’s top hitter is Ben Hammer, who’s hitting .510 with five HRs and 28 RBIs. He’s also hit 14 doubles, including three in the regional final win over Canton Central Catholic. Rothenbuhler, also the cleanup hitter, is batting .386 with 36 RBIs. First baseman Jon Aurand had five HRs this season and shortstop Cory Stewart has three.
Ursuline sendoff: A rally will be held today at noon in the Deibel-Morley Arts Center.

Vindicator staff report