Lincolnview’s Dane Ebel allowed one hit and two walks while striking out 11 in seven innings during a Thursday Division IV state semifinal against Tiffin Calvert at Canal Park in Akron. See more Lincolnview baseball photos at LimaScores.com.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
AKRON – In case you missed it last week, Dane Ebel did it again this week. And on a bigger stage.
Lincolnview (24-6) advanced to Saturday’s Division IV baseball state championship game with an 8-1 win over Tiffin Calvert behind a one-hitter by Ebel in a state semifinal game on Thursday.
Just as he had done in a regional semifinal win over Leipsic last week, Lincolnview coach Eric Fishpaw started Ebel, a junior with a 7-0 record, and held Ohio State recruit Landon Price back for the championship game.
Ebel responded with a second consecutive dominating performance. He took a no-hitter into the seventh inning against Calvert (18-13) before the Senecas’ Mason Johnson led off that inning with a single, the only hit Ebel allowed. The junior right-hander struck out 11 and walked only one batter.
Lincolnview will play Russia (24-6) at 10 a.m., on Saturday at Canal Park in Akron for the Division IV state championship. Russia won Thursday’s other semifinal 4-3 over Newark Catholic.
The Lancers are in the state championship game for the second year in a row. They were defeated 4-0 by Warren JFK in last year’s championship game.
Some people might consider holding Price back for a possible championship game at the state tournament a gamble but Fishpaw didn’t see it that way.
“They’re not really a one and a two, they’re one and one,” he said about Price and Ebel. “Dane has two no-hitters and two one-hitters. He’s just as good. He proved it on the big stage today and I couldn’t be more proud of his effort.
“It worked out. We went with Dane today and we’ve got our leader on the mound Saturday. We’re looking forward to that opportunity,” he said.
Lincolnview’s offense also was something for the Lancers to be proud of. The Lancers got on the scoreboard with a run in the top of the first inning then took control of the game with four more runs in the third inning.
“We came out and dominated early. We came out and scored runs early. We dominated early and it felt good,” Ebel said.
Lincolnview got its first run in the first inning when Price led off the game with a double, Cole Binkley bunted for a hit and Price scored on throwing error by Calvert pitcher Max Paul.
Its four-run third inning began with Price leading off with a single. After a sacrifice bunt by Binkley, Ebel singled to score Price. After Carson Fox reached base on an error, Caden Hanf doubled to drive in two runs. Evan Miller’s sacrifice fly made it 5-0.
“We came out even better than last year and got the job done,” Hanf said.
Last year Lincolnview’s 2-1 state semifinal win over Lucasville Valley was a tension filled affair in which neither team scored until the seventh inning. The Lancers scored twice in the top of the seventh inning in that game and then held off Lucasville Valley, which had the tying run on second base with no one out.
“Last year we were excited to be here for the first time in 47 years and came up a little short in the state championship game. Our three seniors – Cole (Binkley), Landon (Price) and Carson (Fox), that was their first goal this year, to win a state championship. And here we are with an opportunity to do that on Saturday,” Fishpaw said.
Lincolnview and Russia both will be attempting to win the second state championship in school history. The Lancers won the 1962 Class A title and Russia was the Class A champion in 1971.
Russia 4, Newark Catholic 3
Russia (24-6) scored all of its runs in the top of the fourth inning after falling behind 3-0, a deficit that was in large part caused by some defensive lapses.
Russia pitcher Grant Saunders allowed only two hits, both in the same inning, struck out four and walked one. He threw only 76 pitches.
Newark Catholic (24-7) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning without getting a hit. A throwing error put the runner who eventually scored on base and a second throwing error allowed him to score.
Newark Catholic scored two more runs in the fourth inning on a hit by pitch, two hits and a throwing error.
Russia responded with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. It started with singles by Brayden Monnin and Xavier Philpot.
With two out, Braylon Cordonnier’s infield single and a Newark Catholic throwing error cut the lead to 3-1. After Aiden Shappie walked to load the bases, Zane Shappie doubled to drive in two runs and another throwing error allowed the go-ahead run to score.
Saunders retired the last 10 Newark Catholic batters in a row.
