Follow on Twitter- @PrepBaseballOH
Follow on Twitter- @PrepBaseOHScout
Follow on Instagram- @prepbaseballohio

To view all things Spring High School Baseball Related, click here.

To view the final 2025 Team Power Rankings, please click here.

To view the 2025 State Final Four Preview, please click here.

Interested in attending a Prep Baseball Ohio event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

*** Click here to view our State Predictions ***

2025 OHSAA Tournament: Division II State Semifinal - #2 Anthony Wayne vs #5 Walsh Jesuit

AKRON - Anthony Wayne scored on a foul ball sacrifice fly to right field in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat Walsh Jesuit 1-0 in the Division II semifinals on Friday at Thurman Munson Stadium.

Max Crandell opened the frame with a double off reliever Josh Pierson, who came on for Shawn Sullivan who had not permitted a hit in six innings. Kaden Rouser pinch ran and went to third on a bunt hit by Jett Smith. Ben Nieckarz then hit an 0-2 pitch in foul territory that was caught but the throw from right field was late as Rouser slid head first into home with the winning run.

Owen Graf was spectacular in going the distance for the second-ranked team in Division II, throwing a one-hitter in sending Anthony Wayne to the state finals for the second time ever, the other coming in 2018.

Zachary Swiderski hit a one-out double in the third for the lone hit off Graf and moved to third on a wild pitch. But a wild pitch and flyout kept the game scoreless.

Alabama commit Shawn Sullivan, the 16th-ranked junior RHP in the nation, was dominant in six innings on the mound for Walsh Jesuit, not allowing a hit while fanning nine. The Generals did load the bases in the third on a HBP and two walks, but a strikeout ended the threat.

HOT TAKES

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Graf faced just one batter over the minimum, throwing just 69 pitches in the one-hitter, 47 going for strikes. Only two batters reached base against the senior headed to Ohio State, the double in the third by Swiderski and Carlos Smith in the fourth on a throwing error, but Smith was thrown out on the play attempting to go to second. The 19th-rated senior in Ohio did not allow a free pass while striking out six.

WHAT’S NEXT?: Sullivan is back to leading the pitching staff while three-hole batter and shortstop Matthew Mansbery has one more year left before heading to the University of Michigan. Two other starters return for head coach Joe Bowers, the leader of a program that has been to the Final Four 10 times and winning four, the last coming in 2008.

LINESCORE

Walsh Jesuit        000  000  0  -  0  1  0
Anthony Wayne  000  000  1  -  1  2  1

Records: Anthony Wayne 24-4, Walsh Jesuit 19-9.

Winning Pitcher: Owen Graf (7 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 6 strikeouts, 0 walks).

Losing Pitcher: Josh Pierson (0.1 innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 0 strikeouts, 0 walks). Other: Shawn Sullivan (6 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 9 strikeouts, 3 walks, 1 HBP).

Leading Hitters: (Walsh Jesuit) - Zachary Zwiderski double. (Anthony Wayne) - Max Crandell double; Kaden Rouser run; Jett Smith single; Ben Nieckarz RBI.

Recent Articles