AKRON — Ontario’s impossible dream is one win from coming true.
Starting pitcher Carter Weaver and reliever Carter Walters combined on a three-hitter and the Warriors stunned fifth-ranked Washington Court House 2-1 in a Division II state semifinal game on a sun-soaked Friday afternoon at Canal Park.
The Warriors (17-14) will play Chagrin Falls Kenston (20-11) at 4 p.m. Saturday in Akron in a championship game not even the most astute high school baseball prognosticators could have seen coming. Kenston scored four runs in the top of the seventh for a jaw-dropping 4-2 win over No. 7 Dayton Chaminade Julienne in Friday’s other Division II semifinal game.
The win was the seventh in a row for the Warriors, who entered the postseason with a sub-.500 record. Ontario opened the season with four straight losses and was 3-9 midway through the campaign.
“Nobody thinks we should be here right now,” said senior shortstop and No. 3 hitter Gage Weaver, who accounted for half of Ontario’s six hits. “We experienced a lot of failure throughout the season and I think that kind of helped us get to where we are today.
“We overcame that and came together as a team when it mattered most.”
The Ashland University-bound Gage Weaver had a hand in both of Ontario’s runs Friday. He led off the top of the fourth with a sharp single to left and stole second before younger brother Carter laid down a sacrifice bunt to move him to third. Jake Chapman drew a two-out walk to put men at the corners. Braxton Hall then plated Gage Weaver with a single to left for the game’s first run.
“With a good pitcher like that, you’ve just got to stay calm … and hopefully make some contact,” Hall said. “I saw a couple gaps on the left side, right where I hit the ball.”
The Blue Lions (26-2) tied it up in the home half of the fourth. Bryce Yeazel drew a one-out walk and moved to second on R.J. Foose’s sacrifice bunt. Yeazel took third on a throwing error and scored on Will Miller’s single to center. Miller advanced to second when Evan Lynch was hit by a pitch, turning the lineup over to dangerous leadoff hitter John Wall. Wall singled to center, but Ontario center fielder Peyton Dzugan gunned down Miller at the plate.
“He’s got a strong arm,” Ontario coach Mike Ellis said of Dzugan, Ontario’s No. 2 pitcher. “When I saw him come in and field it cleanly, I knew he had a gun. It was just a laser to (catcher Jake) Chapman and we nailed him.
“The kids are coming up with big plays at the right time.”
Ontario scored what proved to be the game-winning run in the top of the fifth.
Dzugan singled to right and moved to second on Colten Ramion’s single to center. Jayden Leach then laid down a bunt, but Washington Court House pitcher Tanner Lemaster fielded the ball and threw to third to retire Dzugan for the first out of the inning. Gage Weaver singled to left to load the bases and bring an end to Lemaster’s afternoon.
The hard-throwing A.J. Dallmayer — whose fastball hit 92 mph on more than one occasion — came on in relief to face Carter Weaver, Ontario’s No. 4 hitter and a first-team All-Ohioan. Weaver hit a ground ball to first that was misplayed, allowing Ramion to score the go-ahead run.
Staked to a 2-1 lead, Ellis summoned Walters out of the bullpen to work the fifth. The off-speed specialist retired the first eight men he faced before giving up a two-out single in the seventh. A throwing error allowed the potential tying run to reach second before Walters coaxed a groundout to end the game and send the Ontario faithful into a frenzy.
“I usually don’t come into the game that early, but I was confident and ready to deal,” Walters said. “My arm felt great and my curveball was really working. I felt like I would be able to keep them off-balance.”
Carter Weaver picked up the win for the Warriors, improving to 7-1 on the season. Walters was credited with a three-inning save.
Lemaster, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound University of Kentucky football recruit, suffered his first loss of the season. Hall had two of Washington Court House’s three hits. Will Miller had the other.
Ontario will try to win the second state title in program history and first since 1994 on Saturday.
“It feels unreal,” Walters said. “If somebody had told me we’d be playing for a state title three weeks ago, I wouldn’t have believed them for a second. It’s crazy.”
