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Springfield future looks very bright
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Springfield’s five senior players, from left, Chris Bishard, Dom Gentsy, JoJo Carabello, Cody Pitzo and Eoghan Bees toss their graduation caps into the air after receiving their diplomas near home plate at Huntington Park in Columbus before the start of Sunday’s Division IV state baseball final against Newark Catholic.
By Joe Scalzo
Columbus
For Springfield High’s baseball team, “Wait ‘til next year” may soon become “Can’t wait ‘til next year.”
Despite losing five seniors to graduation — four of them starters — the Tigers will be loaded for the next two years thanks to a sophomore class that looks capable of making history.
Springfield started five sophomores in Sunday’s state final — including one on the mound in Jordon Peterson — and they outplayed their elders, combining for five of the Tigers’ eight hits, along with the only run (scored by speedy center fielder Ryan Kohler) and only RBI (Hunter Snyder).
“The youth on this team is pretty incredible,” senior Eoghan Bees said after a 2-1 loss to Newark Catholic. “You look at it, we pitched a sophomore in Game 1 [Dalton Donachie] who was relieved by a junior [James Hillyer] and then in Game 2, the same thing.
“They have a great chance to come back here and actually get it [the title] for once.”
Kohler had two hits and made maybe the game’s biggest play in the third inning, robbing Newark Catholic of two runs with a running grab in center.
“I saw the ball really well off the bat and got a good jump on it,” Kohler said. “I ran as fast as I could and I eventually got there. I was kind of surprised I caught it.
“Being out here is a great experience. Being underclassmen, this just pushes us to come back. This [Huntington Park] is probably the best place to ever play at.”
Sophomore Brandon Chamberlain also had two hits, as did junior Joe Wrask.
Shortstop Cody Pitzo was the only Tiger senior with a hit.
“You just want to make sure that they enjoy this,” Springfield coach Matt Weymer said. “Everyone will say we’re so young, we should get back — and that will be great — but you can’t do that.
“We aren’t just going to be able to roll our hats out and get back here next year. It’s going to take just as much work.”