Waynedale baseball uses experience to defeat Ottawa Hills 6-2 in Division III state semifinals

AKRON, Ohio – It was just like old times for Waynedale at Canal Park in the Division III state semifinals against Ottawa Hills on Friday.

The Golden Bears found themselves tied late in the game, just like they had been in last year’s state championship game against Milan Edison. But unlike that game last season in which Waynedale walked off with a win in the bottom of the eighth, the Golden Bears struck for four in the bottom of the sixth to win the game 6-2.

“I was just talking to like some of the guys (and telling them) it's a huge advantage to say you've been here and done this,” Waynedale pitcher Trey Barkman said. “I told the guys to sit there and take it in and then when you hit the dirt, it's time to get it like we've been here.”

The teams entered the bottom of the sixth tied 2-2 when Barkman led off with a walk and advanced to second on a ball hit by Jayden Schlabach to the shortstop that turned into an error and the Golden Bears had runners on first and second. Gavin Spitler bunted the runners over to set the stage for Shane Coblentz.

The sophomore delivered with an RBI single to score Barkman and then Schlabach scored on a throwing error to the plate to make it 4-2.

“I just tried to put the ball in play,” Coblentz said. “I tried to be put a good swing on it, hit it through the backside and move the runners.”

Tate Venables followed with a hard shot to third base that ended up being an infield RBI single to make it 5-2 and Dylan Raber singled up the middle to score Coblentz.

“(Getting those last two runs) definitely takes some pressure off of our defense there,” Waynedale head coach Lucas Daugherty said. “A lot of times with a lead like that I just kind of try to remind our guys if they do get a run around, we don't really care about that specific runner because that it's not going to cost us the game. But I think they they really kept their cool and performed well.”

Barkman tossed a complete game, giving up just three hits and one walk while striking out six. He finished with 123 pitches, just two shy of the pitch limit in OHSAA. The two runs both came in the first inning and then he had a stretch of the game where he retired 14 in a row.

“He's a competitor,” Daugherty said. “The first inning obviously didn't go how we wanted to, but I was really proud of the way he responded. He didn't show much emotion. I'm glad we got the pop there at the end (for the last out), but I know he wasn't gonna let me take them out until I had to.”

The pitcher agreed with his coach about not coming out until he hit the pitch count.

“It was very true,” Barkman said. “(Coach) let me know that I had 19 pitches left going into last inning and just told me to throw straight fastballs so that's what I did.”

He also helped himself at the dish in the fourth inning with Waynedale trailing 2-0. He came up with runners on second and third and nobody out and delivered a two-run single to tie the game.

“It’s just trust, you know, all the way through the lineup,” Barkman said. “I trust everyone, and I believe everybody trusts me and it just happened to be me this time to come up big.”

Waynedale will try to defend their Division III state title on Saturday at 7 pm against Harrison Central, and they believe the experience of last season will help.

“It's a huge advantage being able to say you've been here and done this,” Barkman said. “The nerves don't play as big a role as they did last year. And our team, we're just here to have fun and we're here to win.”