BARBERTON — Odds are favorable that no one on the Highland baseball team will be remembered among the school’s all-time greats.
These Hornets instead are made up of hard-nosed 16-, 17- and 18-year-olds who don’t give in.
Highland’s Nate Rickbrodt scores an a passed ball as Wadsworth pitcher Cameron Deemer covers home plate during the seventh inning of the District semi-final game. (RON SCHWANE / GAZETTE)
Two outs from its season ending in the Barberton Division I District semifinals Wednesday, fourth-seeded Highland scored twice to force extra innings and tacked on three runs in the top of the eighth to absolutely stun No. 2 Wadsworth 5-2.
Winners of 11 of their last 14 games, the Hornets (17-9) advanced to battle fifth-seeded Hoban (16-12) at 4:30 this afternoon. The Knights defeated No. 1 seed Copley 3-0.
“No matter what, we always have a positive attitude,” said Highland designated hitter Zach Filips, who drove in the go-ahead run. “We never got down. Our bench was loud the entire game. Everyone was picking each other up.
“It was never really over, and it just all came together in the end. We pulled it off.”
A different player delivered each time Highland needed a big play in a game that had all the makings of another low-scoring win for the Grizzlies (21-7-1) — that is until Hunter Rinard dug in against Wadsworth starter Ross Thompson with Highland trailing 2-0 in the seventh.
Rinard began the rally with a single to right. Filips struck out, but pinch runner Nate Rickbrodt moved to third on wild pitches and No. 8 hitter Jonah Marsh walked, leading to Thompson, who still was working on a four-hitter, getting the hook.
Coach Greg Pickard called on three-year starter Cameron Deemer to pick up career save No. 10, but the senior’s third pitch was a passed ball that scored Rickbrodt and his sixth pitch was a belt-high fastball that .235 hitter Adam Nagy crushed down the left-field line for an RBI double.
Tie ballgame.
“It was a 3-2 count on that one, and when I got my pitch, I was just trying to get it out there to advance the runner,” Nagy said. “Luckily, it went right in where no one was able to get it and we scored a run there.”
Wadsworth catcher Craig Palidar tags out Highland’s Jonah Marsh at home plate during the fifth inning of the District semi-final game. (RON SCHWANE / GAZETTE)
Wadsworth then left runners on second and third against sophomore reliever Bryce Budzinski (3-1, 1.68 ERA) — Chris Byers barely missed a walk-off home run — allowing Highland to take control.
Consecutive singles by Greg Loeding and Michael Oriti to begin the eighth led to Andrew Klafczynski laying down a sacrifice bunt. Rinard was intentionally walked to load the bases.
That brought up Filips, who struck out swinging in each of his last two at-bats. This time the senior delivered, uncorking a short fly ball to left field that brought in Loeding.
Marsh added the dagger with a two-run single, giving Budzinski enough cushion to finish the game and pick up his second victory against Wadsworth this season.
“I just had a short memory and tried to learn from my at-bats before,” Filips said. “I always stay positive and know I’m going to get another opportunity. I stayed aggressive, and it worked out for me.”
For 6⅓ innings, Thompson-led Wadsworth clung to a lead that Highland ace Thomas Ruth (1.44 ERA) somehow kept from getting out of hand.
The Grizzlies went up 1-0 in the second, when left fielder Zach Looser walked, stole second and scored on Thompson’s single. The score remained that way in large part to Looser throwing out Marsh at the plate in the fifth, and a two-out error pushed Wadsworth ahead 2-0 in the sixth.
What turned out to be huge, however, was clutch pitching by Ruth, as the left-hander allowed four hits, walked eight and struck out three but stranded seven in a 124-pitch effort. Budzinski followed Ruth’s lead, stranding four in only 2⅓ innings.
Catcher Loeding also threw out two would-be base stealers, highlighted by a strike-’em-out, throw-’em-out double play in the first inning.
“Unfortunately, that’s the way baseball goes,” Pickard said. “We left way too many chances out there early in the game to give (Highland) an opportunity at the end.”
The Hornets seized on that with flair. They now have an opportunity to win the first D-I district championship in school history after reaching the D-II regional finals in 2007 and ’08.
The only thing in their way is battle-tested Hoban, which knocked off a Copley team that beat Highland 8-7 and 2-0 in Suburban League American Division play.
“I just know they beat Copley 3-0, and it’s going to be a good game,” Nagy said. “We have to be ready for it.”