Bulldogs too much for Cavs

ST. HENRY - For the first two games of the 2022 ACME Baseball Congress state tournament, Coldwater did all it needed to do to come through with a pair of one-run wins to reach the title game for the first time since 2015.

Tuesday night, the Cavaliers ran into a buzzsaw called Defiance.

The Bulldogs plated three runs in the second and came away with their second straight state title and 12th in program history with a 10-0 shutout in six innings at the Wally Post Athletic Complex.

Coldwater, which was looking for its ninth state title and first since 1994, finishes 18-5 and earns the 13th runner-up plaque in program history.

"We were really happy with our games against Napoleon and Van Wert," said Coldwater coach Tom Brunswick, referring to the 1-0 win on Saturday against Napoleon and 3-2 win on Monday against Van Wert to reach the final. "They were great games for our players because of the (close margins). Tonight, we needed something good for us to happen early."

After a scoreless first inning, Defiance broke open the game in the bottom of the second off Cavaliers starter Justin Kaup. Bradyn Shaw and Gavino Gomez started the inning with back-to-back singles. Two outs later, Christian Commisso grounded to third, but the ball was dropped on the throw to first, allowing Shaw to score the first run. Cody Shaw followed with a single to load the bases for David Jimenez, who laced a single to right to plate Gomez and Commisso to make it 3-0.

Defiance (17-4) added two in the third on a Gomez RBI double and a run-scoring single by Garrett Rodenberger.

In the fourth, Jimenez doubled off reliever Mason Welsch, Jackson Walter singled and Aiden Kiessling drove in both runners with a single. Welsch then walked three runners and allowed Kiessling to score on a bad throw before Brunswick brought on Curtis Duerr, who got a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Meanwhile, Jimenez, the Western Buckeye League Player of the Year in the spring, worked through the Cavalier batting order. Coldwater's best chance to dent the scoreboard came in the second when Evan Harlamert walked, went to second on a Kaup bunt and then slid under the tag at third when Welsch grounded to the left side for a fielder's choice. With runners on the corners, Jimenez got two straight flyouts to end the threat.

"If we could have got a couple of runs there in the second, it would have been beneficial for us," said Brunswick. "It would have helped the kids' spirits to stay up."

The fifth inning proved unique, as all three Defiance batters reached on singles, but Coldwater catcher AJ Harlamert threw out Commisso and Cody Shaw on perfect tags by Baylen Blockberger and nearly got the 2-6 caught stealing trifecta on Jimenez, who barely made it to second base. Two three pitches later, Jimenez tried for third, but the throw was on target and a rundown concluded with Jimenez tagged out to end the inning.

Defiance finally triggered the run-rule in the sixth when Bulldogs head coach Doug Williamson began to pinch-hit. Fernando Torres singled and Grant Rodenberger and Alex Chagoyan both walked to load the bases to bring up Kahlil Ligon. Torres came home on a wild pitch. A throw to try and pick off a leaning Grant Rodenberger at third was wild, allowing him to trot home for the 10th run of the game.

"We needed to play a good game today, but had several miscues and didn't hit the ball very well," said Brunswick. "Hats off to Defiance. They're a very good ballclub."

Brunswick lauded his team, which had to battle through injuries that forced the team to play several younger players who stepped up and helped the team reach the final day of the summer season.

"Overall this season, to start where we did, going from losing to Eastwood (in the district final in the spring) to play in the final game of the (summer season), I'm proud of these guys," said Brunswick. "With the injuries that kept on coming, we had to keep making moves. It was an interesting team with guys who were on the freshman team in the spring or juniors playing junior varsity. … We had to reset our roster every night and try different guys (at positions). Really happy with the guys we put in there got their chance and came through having a really good summer.

"We want to get three things done in the summer - 1. We want them to get better as players. 2. We want them to build as a team through the summer. And 3. we want them to have fun. The boys had a lot of fun."

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Defiance's Kiessling was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament after going 8-for-12 (.667 batting average) with eight runs and five RBI.

Joining Kiessling on the All-Tournament Team were Defiance teammates Jimenez, Bradyn Shaw, Gomez and Walter, Coldwater's Evan Harlamert and cousin AJ Harlamert, St. Henry's Devin Delzeith and Van Wert's Luke Wessel.