Harrison Central Will Play For Ohio D-3 Baseball Title
Huskies Use Nemeth’s Arm, Bat To Top Heath
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AKRON -- The Harrison Central Huskies will play for a state championship.
Thanks to a clutch hit early and a complete game on the mound by senior Treston Nemeth, the Huskies outlasted Heath by a 2-1 score in the OHSAA Division III State Baseball Tournament semifinals at Canal Park on Friday.
Coach Mike Valesko's squad -- now 20-12 – continued its exciting trek through the postseason with yet another nail-biter and will get the opportunity everyone dreams of when they face defending champion Apple Creek Waynedale in the D-III State Championship Game tonight at 7 p.m.
Waynedale punched its ticket to the finals with a 6-2 win over Toledo Ottawa Hills in the other semifinal, boosting its record to 23-9.
"It's something you've dreamed about since you were a little kid," said Valesko. "I'm happy for these kids to have the opportunity to play on the last day of the season.
"I kept telling the guys in the dugout that two (runs) wasn't going to be enough, but thanks to this guy," he smiled, pointing at Nemeth, "it was."
The Huskies' first scoring opportunity came in the top of the second when sophomores Tucker Snyder and Anthony Pelegreen both walked, but a groundout ended the threat.
The third inning saw Harrison Central the beneficiary of two more free passes as senior Kaden Jurosko and sophomore Leland Lopez coaxed one-out walks, but this time Nemeth – the Ohio Division III Co-Player of the Year - made them pay when he unloaded a two-run triple to right-center field.
"As soon as it came off the bat, a big weight was lifted off my shoulders," said Nemeth. "He gave me a couple curveballs in my first at-bat, so I was looking for that and he hung one on the outside and I went with it."
"horse" with the free passes
"I've said it for three years...he's the best player in the state of Ohio," he stated, "and I'm so excited he got to show that on this stage.
Heath - which fell victim to double-plays by the Huskies' defense in the first two innings - threatened in the bottom of the fourth frame via a two-out single by Kaden Green, who then stole second; and an intentional walk to clean-up hitter Hayden Woodward, but Nemeth brought the "high heat' to record an inning-ending strikeout to keep the Bulldogs scoreless.
Harrison Central got two aboard in the fifth, but failed to add to its lead.
Jurosko singled, but was erased when Lopez hit into a fielder's choice. After a two-out walk by sophomore Tucker Snyder, senior Jace Mazdia hit one on the "nose", but it was directly at the left fielder for the third out.
The Bulldogs got on the board in the bottom of the sixth when Connor Toomey walked; stole second and scored on an RBI single down the right field line by Tannar Patterson.
The Huskies opted to intentionally walk Woodward again, but Patterson broke too early attempting to steal third and Nemeth threw to Madzia who in turn tossed to Reed Arbaugh to nail the runner at second and keep the Huskies in front, 2-1.
Harrison had a chance to widen the lead in the top of the seventh.
After two strikeouts, Lopez walked before Nemeth and Snyder collected back-to-back infield singles on hard-hit balls to third to load the bases. Madzia was once again the victim of bad luck as he lined a rocket right at the first baseman for the final out.
In the bottom of the seventh, Jaden Dansby led off with a walk and was replaced by pinch-runner Preston Devito, but he advanced only to second with an uncontested steal while Nemeth was shutting the door with a popup to third; a flyout to center and a lineout to short stop which set of a wild Huskie celebration.
Playing with the lead was something new for the Huskies.
"We haven't played in front much lately, so the pressure was on us for once to hold it," said Valesko. "These games are typically low-scoring and there seems to be drama at the end. We loaded the bases (in the seventh) looking for an extra run or two and they make a couple of nice plays, but we played in so many pressure situations all year, these guy just won't fold.
"They run straight toward adversity and that's what we'll do again tomorrow night," the HC coach added.
Nemeth's complete-game pitching performance included four hits allowed, three strikeouts and four walks.
"My home is behind the plate, but if the team needs me (to pitch), I'm going to be ready," he offered. "I wouldn't want anyone but myself out there in this situation."
The Huskies backed Nemeth nicely, playing errorless ball.
"Defensively we fielded the ball unbelievably," acknowledged Valesko. "We got after some balls in the gap and played flawlessly."
Patterson took the pitching loss for Heath (23-9), striking out 11 and walking seven.