Moeller, Indian Valley, NDCL win baseball titles

Elyria, Hamilton Ross and Strasburg-Franklin were softball champions.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLUMBUS — Brett Cisper pitched out of a jam in the sixth inning Saturday to help Cincinnati Moeller defeat Pickerington North 5-2 in the Division I baseball championship in Huntington Park.

The Crusaders (24-5) won 12 straight since losing to Pickerington North (30-4) last month. They won their fifth state title and first since 2004.

Cisper replaced starter Robby Sunderman with the Crusaders ahead 5-2 and a runner on second and none out.

Xander Uxley reached on an error, but Cisper struck out Austin Butler and picked off Uxley at first before getting a called third strike on Drew Williams to end the inning.

Cisper allowed a leadoff walk in the seventh but retired the next three to earn the save.

Pickerington North was in its first state appearance. It had a chance to tie the game at 3 in the top of the fourth but had a runner cut down at home.

Chardon NDCL 2, Walsh Jesuit 1

COLUMBUS — Matt Bencic singled in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning and Erik Okleson pitched a two-hitter as Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin beat defending champion Walsh Jesuit in the Div. II title game.

It was the second title for the Lions (25-6). The other came in 2001.

Indian Valley 7, Ham. Badin 6

COLUMBUS — Matt Wheeler scored on a throwing error in the bottom of the eighth inning, giving Indian Valley the win in Div. III.

Wheeler, who led off the inning with a walk, was running to third base on a bunt by teammate Johnny Iacobucci. Pitcher Jake Clear fielded the ball and threw it into left field, allow Wheeler to score the winning run.

Softball

AKRON — Kristen Boros hit a grand slam and Tess Sito pitched a two-hitter as Elyria ended years of frustration with a 10-1 win over Hudson in the Div. I championship in Firestone Park.

The Pioneers (29-3), who were runner-ups from 2006-08, scored six times in the fourth inning and added four in the sixth for its second title — the school’s first since 2002.

Sito improved her season record to 26-3 by striking out 11 and walking none. She allowed only three hits and had 28 strikeouts with no walks in two tournament games.

Boros’ homer gave Elyria a 6-0 lead in the fourth after RBI singles by Kristen Fyffe and Alana Williams. Hudson (29-3) got a home run from Callie Drohan in the sixth.

Ham. Ross 4, Clear Fork 2

AKRON — Brittany Fernandez drove in the winning run and pitched a six-hitter as Hamilton Ross won its first Div. II title. Clear Fork took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on RBIs from Shary Pullem and Morgan Ruhl before the Rams scored four in the fifth.

Strasburg-Franklin 2, Convoy Crestview 0

AKRON — Anne Dreher and Emmy Hensel had RBI singles in the top of the seventh inning to lead Strasburg-Franklin over Convoy Crestview in the Div. IV championship.

It’s the school’s first title in 18 years and fifth overall.

Carly Clark allowed one hit over the first four innings and Kasey Gerber pitched three hitless innings for the Tigers (32-2).