Russia survives with late offensive attack to beat St. Henry 1-0 in eight innings in Division IV state semifinals
Russia players run onto the field to celebrate with Xavier Phlipot in the Division IV state semifinals after Phlipot hit a walk-off TRBI single to beat St. Henry 1-0. (Photo: Ryan Isley)
AKRON, Ohio – Xavier Phlipot had already thrown eight innings for Russia on Thursday in the OHSAA Division IV state semifinals at Canal Park when he stepped to the plate with a chance to win the game.
The senior made sure he wasn’t going to have to go back to the mound as he deposited a single into right field to score Jude Counts to walk off with a 1-0 win over St. Henry.
“I knew that he was gonna come to me with a good pitch early in the count,” Phlipot said. “I was looking for something to do damage to. I just wanted to put a ball between first and second somewhere and be aggressive with it. I just hit one in the gap there and he scored.”
Counts was on second base after he led the inning off with a bunt single that went between the pitcher and third baseman.
“We finally got the leadoff man on,” Russia head coach Kevin Phlipot said. “I just said basically do your job. Drop it down the line and we got it. It wasn't the best one, but it obviously worked.”
Cooper Unverferth struck out and wasn’t able to move him over, but the third strike found the dirt and Counts moved to second base with one out to set the stage for Phlipot.
“We got fortunate with the ball in the dirt and Jude did a good job with the read to get to second,” coach Phlipot said. “And then you know Xavier Phlipot, well you can you say about that.”
On the mound, Xavier Phlipot went the distance and allowed four hits and a walk while striking out five despite starting to get tired as the game wore on. He got some help early in the game from Unverferth, who threw out a base stealer in each of the first two innings.
“Honestly, I was a little tired after throwing a lot of pitches last week,” Xavier Phlipot said. “I'm just trying to throw strikes and let the defense work. Early in the game, Cooper Underferth threw out two guys and shut down their running attack late in the game.”
He worked out of a jam in the sixth inning as the Redskins had runners on second and third with no outs after Devin Delzeith led off with a single and advanced to second on an error and Logan Link singled to move him to third and stole second.
But Phlipot worked out of it by getting Bryce Brookhart to pop out to third base and induced a grounder to second baseman Brayden Monnin, who cut down Delzeith at the plate for the second out. He finished the inning by getting Drew Schwieterman to pop out to first baseman Counts to keep the game scoreless.
“I just knew I had to bear down,” Xavier Phlipot said. “Keep the ball down because a sacrifice fly gets a run in as well. So just bear down, keep the ball low and hope for the best.”
The win gives the Raiders a chance to defend their Division IV state title from a year ago and they will play in Saturday’s state championship game against either Tiffin Calvert or Hiland at 1 pm.
“It’s just a lot of fun,” Xavier Phlipot said. “You dream to be here and to be here twice, it's just crazy to get back here and play for another championship.”
