TIFFIN — Cole Eichorn would have pitched for as long as it took if it meant playing with his classmates a little longer. Lexington’s senior right-hander delivered a heroic effort in Thursday’s Division III district final at Tiffin University’s Heminger Field. But it wasn’t enough in a 5-4 nine-inning loss to Sylvania Southview. The Ohio […]
Baseball
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Rubber Match: Shelby to host Colts in tourney opener after regular-season split
SHELBY — The Whippets and Colts will settle things in the postseason. Shelby earned the No. 3 seed in Sunday’s Division IV baseball tournament draw and will host No. 5 Clear Fork in a sectional final at 5 p.m. May 20. The Whippets (10-9) and Colts (8-15) split the regular season series in Mid-Ohio Athletic […]
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What it takes to win: Madison grad’s Kline on shooting for 8th straight league title
EDITOR’S NOTE: This interview with Highland baseball head coach Donnie Kline was conducted at the Hoof Hearted Brewery in Marengo. Outside on the back patio, which was up against a pond, woods and loud frogs, it was trivia night, and we sat in an open-air A-frame to chat. This is a deep dive into a […]
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Galion stops Shelby in MOAC opener
GALION — Emory Main had three hits and Kurt Hay drove in two runs as Galion knocked off Shelby 6-5 in Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference action Monday at Heise Park. The Tigers (2-0, 1-0) scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead for good. Landyn Prosser singled and knocked […]
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‘The House That Ray Built:’ Liberty Park baseball field dedicated in Peterson’s honor
MANSFIELD — Jack Soliday learned his lesson the hard way. Never challenge Ray Peterson. It was the summer of 1970 and Soliday was making his semi-pro debut against Farmer’s Bank at Liberty Park. The hard-throwing 19-year-old retired the first two batters he faced when Peterson strode to the plate. “They told me you can’t get […]
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Double first base will be part of high school baseball starting in 2027
INDIANAPOLIS — Beginning with the 2027 season, a double first base will be required in high school baseball games to minimize the risk of collisions by runners and fielders. This rule revision was one of 10 proposed by the National Federation High School Baseball Rules Committee during its annual meeting held June 8-10 at The […]
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Turbocharged: Junior slugger fuels Shelby offense
SHELBY — Quinton Albert provided the horsepower. The North Central Ohio Player of the Year, Albert had a historic season for Shelby this spring. The junior slugger belted an area-high seven home runs — more than any other team in the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference. He lead the MOAC with a .756 slugging percentage and an […]
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Man of Steel: Centerburg’s Lemaster tops All-North Central Ohio pitching staff
CENTERBURG — He may not leap tall buildings in a single bound, but Centerburg’s Daniel Lemaster looked a lot like Superman this spring. The North Central Ohio Pitcher of the Year led the Trojans to an outright Knox Morrow Athletic Conference crown and a district championship. The senior right-hander was 12-2 with a 1.12 earned […]
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Four local prep baseball players earn 1st-team All-Ohio honors
MANSFIELD — North central Ohio is home to some of the top high school baseball players in the state. Lexington’s Nick Hamler, Shelby’s Quinton Albert, Galion’s Max Albert and Crestview’s Gavin Barker earned first-team All-Ohio citations when the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association announced its All-Ohio team Monday afternoon. A senior third baseman, Hamler […]
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Turf coming to Madison baseball, softball fields
MADISON TOWNSHIP — The Madison Athletic Booster Club stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park again. The Madison school board on Tuesday voted 4-1 to approve the lease agreement with the booster club for the design and construction of artificial surface infields for the baseball and softball fields beginning in […]