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HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL Flashes back at state for first time since ’05
Champion looks
to match softball
By charles Grove
NILES
As Thin Lizzy would say — the boys are back in town.
That’s the thought of the Champion baseball team, who will play in their first state tournament game since 2005 at 10 a.m. today against Bellville Clear Fork.
Since the boys’ last state appearance, when they fell 5-4 to Frankfort Adena in the semifinal round, the Champion softball program has won three state titles (2011, 2012, 2015).
But now there’s excitement in Champion for baseball fans again.
“We need to make a statement,” junior Drake Batcho said. “This is a big game for Champion and the whole town.”
The program in recent years hasn’t made a district final. The Golden Flashes lost in a district semifinal each of the last two years. In 2014, the team was upset as the No. 1seed in a sectional final.
But the team said falling short this year would have been especially hurtful.
“Anything less than this would’ve been disappointing,” senior Lucas Nasonti said. “We have a great amount of talent and we expected to be this far.”
This year came with a little bit of postseason drama as well. Champion trailed 7-4 headed into the final inning against Hawken in a district final, but came through with four in the inning to move onto regional play.
“The intensity of these games is just crazy,” Nasonti said. “We’re all going to be nervous and excited, but once you get that first at-bat out of the way it just becomes a regular game to you.”
The purple and gold have won in every way this postseason. The Golden Flashes blew out Cardinal 14-0 in a sectional final, had high-scoring affairs in both district games and have had strong pitching in regional competition.
Batcho threw well in a 9-3 regional semifinal win against Lutheran West and then Andrew Russell pitched the team to a 2-0 win over Chippewa a day later to send the team to Columbus. Batcho, the team’s No. 1 starter, will take the mound today. Assistant coach Tim Calhoun said the team won’t hold any pitcher back with hopes of saving him for a state final.
“We have a firm belief that if you hold anything close to your belt with the hope of tomorrow then there might not be a tomorrow,” Calhoun said. “If Drake throws a game like he can we’ll be fine going to the state final.”
If someone does get the call in Saturday’s final, it would be a first. Champion has never reached a state baseball final.
“This team had it set in their minds from the very beginning that they wanted to ring chase,” Calhoun said. “So we’re looking to break that curse.”
That pitching, especially early in today’s game, is one of the big keys, according to Nasonti.
“We have two of the best pitchers in the state,” Nasonti said. “So we feel like if we can score a couple of runs early we think we can have them close the door for us.”
Despite the trophies and banners hung for the softball team, Batcho said he thinks the softball team also making a state appearance will only further push the boys.
“It gives us a little more motivation,” Batcho said. “We see what [the softball team] is doing and we want to help out and do it too. We can both get it done, we’ve just got to finish it now.”