COLUMBUS -- For the first time since 1992, Defiance advanced to the state title.
The Bulldogs came out swinging against Akron Hoban in their Division II state semifinal baseball game on Friday afternoon, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning with two outs already in the books, on the way to a 5-1 victory of the Knights.
"It means a lot to get this win today," said Defiance mentor Tom Held, who earned his first win at state after three tries. "Bringing a state championship back to Defiance would mean so much, we have a very proud community, and Defiance High School baseball is just a piece of that. Our slogan is: 'No one is bigger than the program,' so to have the chance to play in that last game of the season, it means a lot to a lot of people."
Akron Hoban coach Jim Diestel gave credit to Defiance for coming up with big hits, especially with two outs, in the victory over his Knights (20-11).
"We were knocking on the door, but we couldn't get two-out hits," said Diestel. "The difference in the game was they got two, two-out, clutch hits and we got zero."
Before senior righty Rob Zeigler even threw a pitch for Defiance, he was staked to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
After the Knights turned a double-play on a hit-and-run attempt, Hoban starter Drew Lakos appeared in good shape. But, a walk to Zeigler, and a single to left by Adam Schaffer was followed by DH Austin Yant getting hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Dom Romero then stepped in and the DHS left fielder drew a full-count walk to score Zeigler with the first run of the game. Weston Rivers came up for DHS and hit a towering ball to right that just hit off the top of the high wall at Huntington Park under the 318 mark. The triple by Rivers cleared the bases and gave DHS the 4-0 cushion.
"I couldn't be prouder of the big lefty (Rivers), he's really struggled at the plate the last month," said Held. "We've stayed with him, because he's stayed with it. He works every day, and when he got that first-pitch fastball, he turned on it and hit it a long way."
Said Rivers: "At first I thought it was getting gone and I got the trot going, but then it hit the wall and coach (first base coach Rick Weaver) told me to run. When I got to second I didn't think he (Held at third) would wave me around, but I got there and I thought, 'all right.' It felt great, I needed that bad."
The 4-0 lead proved to be plenty for Zeigler, although the Knights made it tough.
Hoban scratched across a run in the bottom of the third against the DHS righty, a Kentucky signee. After Aaron Carin reached with one out and Cody Hargett followed with an infield single, Zeigler struck out Sean Trexler for the second out.
Austin Farber followed with a slow roller up third that Dom Gentile got to, but his throw to first was high. That allowed Cain to score and Hargett to move to third. Zeigler, who improved to 10-0, struck out Jordan Burns to end that threat. Zeigler allowed seven hits to the Knights, but he struck out 14 batters and allowed just three walks.
"You have to give them credit, they put the bat on the ball, they finished with seven hits, but I was able to get out of same jams and the defense was great," said Zeigler. "When I got ahead of hitters, I was able to throw the curveball for strikes. That's my go-to pitch, and today we found a way to get it done."
The score remained 4-1 until the top of the fifth when Drake Jimenez came off the bench with two outs for the Bulldogs and Schaffer standing on second.
Jimenez, who came in to pinch-hit for Rivers, laced a Lakos offering to left, bringing Schaffer in to score, giving Defiance the four-run cushion.
"Drake is one of our best nine hitters, it's just worked out that we can't get him in the lineup full-time," said Held. "Drake can swing it, and the big thing is he's accepted his role and he comes ready to play every day. I'm very proud of him."
Said Jimenez: "I've been approaching my at-bats with the mindset of not trying to do too much. When I get in there I just try to capitalize on my opportunity. I got a fastball, about chest-high, and I just turned on it. It was a relief to get us back in front by four runs."
Hoban's best chance to get back in the contest came in bottom of the sixth when it got runners to first and third with only one out. Zeigler got Brennen Bell to strike out on a high fastball on a 3-2 pitch, before DHS catcher Joe Keween gunned down Anthony Osmun trying to steal second base with pinch-hitter Tyler Conova at the plate.
"We lived and died being aggressive on the basepaths. We tried to force the other team to make mistakes ... and they didn't make mistakes," said Diestel.
Zeigler, who threw 119 pitches in the win, set down Hoban 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning to secure Defiance's first state semifinal win since the Bulldogs defeated Fairfield 8-6 in the D-I state semis in 1992. The Bulldogs went on to beat North Canton Hoover 8-1 for the school's lone state championship that season.
"It would be a great thing to win it, we have one more game to get it done," said Zeigler.
The Bulldogs, who tied the school record with it's 30th win of the season, know about Jonathan Alder. Defiance lost to the Pioneers 5-0 in the D-II state semis in 2010 and defeated them 14-4 in the regional semifinals a year ago. The Pioneers defeated Cadiz Harrison Central 11-1 in the early state semifinal on Friday.
"It's going to be fun to play Jonathan Alder, they got us in 2010, we got them last year," concluded Held. "Hopefully, we can get it done and bring it back to Defiance."