43
Todd Kibby
Video
Pitched Tigers into Div. IV state final
As an oversized 6-year-old, Todd Kibby spent afternoons in the backyard throwing rocks over the cornfield.
His mom decided it would be better to funnel that energy into something productive, like baseball.
His uncle and a family friend helped out as coaches and by the time he was 12, Kibby and his good friend Dylon DeJane were hitting homers and dreaming of big things in high school and college.
Those dreams came true this spring, as Kibby helped lead Springfield to its best season in school history, advancing to the state final for the first time.
The Tigers (29-5) entered the season with high hopes, but got a bit of a wake-up call in a loss to Columbiana midway through the year.
“We learned we couldn’t just show up every day and win,” said Kibby, a Bowling Green recruit.
The big win came in the Division IV state semifinals, when the Tigers rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat Newark Catholic 5-3.
Springfield fell to Hamler Patrick Henry 3-1 in the state final — Kibby pitched 21‚Ñ3 innings of scoreless relief after going all seven innings the day before — but it didn’t detract from what the Tigers had accomplished.
“It was the greatest thing in the world,” said Kibby.
Kibby, who went 10-1 as a pitcher, batted .433 this year with two homers. While he’s always had talent, Kibby credits his coaches for getting him ready to play at the next level.
“They told me not to throw stuff when I got mad, they told me to keep my head and keep my composure and everything would be all right,” he said. “That’s what college scouts look for, any reason to scratch your name off.
“I didn’t do that after my freshman year and it got me where I am now.”