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2025 OHSAA Tournament: Division VII State Semifinal - #2 Minster vs #8 Russia

AKRON - A three-run first inning and the pitching of Louis Magoto has Minster in the Division VII state title game.

The senior right-hander limited Russia to six hits in a 5-3 victory over the Raiders, sending the Wildcats to Saturday’s 10 a.m. finals against Newark Catholic.

The second-ranked team in the state jumped in front to stay in the top of the first with a walk to Dylan Heitkamp, a single by Reese Beair and a two-out RBI hit from Ian Homan. Two more runs came home on a Russia error, one of four miscues by the Raiders.

Braylon Cordonnier shut down Minster after the first inning before the Wildcats added to their advantage in the seventh with a pair of insurance runs, highlighted by an RBI single from Magoto. 

Russia scored its first run in the bottom of the fifth on a dropped infield popup and the Raiders threatened an inning later. Singles by Zeb Schulze and Cooper Unverferth led off the frame, but Magoto proceeded to strike out the next three hitters.

The eighth-ranked D-VII team in the state scored two in the seventh on a walk to Parker Lloyd, a Cordonnier triple to right center and a Vince Borchers RBI ground out.

But the two runs by Minster in the seventh proved to be too much to overcome.

HOT TAKES

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Magoto’s tournament dominance continued. The Midwest Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year struck out 12 and walked three in the complete-game performance, his 10th of the season. In four tourney games, the senior RHP threw two no-hitters and a two-hitter prior to beating a Russia squad that had won its last three games 10-0, 9-0 and 11-0.

HELPS THE CAUSE: While Magoto was the Player of the Game, the showing of Beair can not be overlooked. The left-handed hitting junior had a single in each of his first two at-bats, scoring a run. Beair then hit one of the hardest balls of the game only to have Russia center fielder Vince Borchers make a great over-the-shoulder grab. Beair then walked and scored in his final plate appearance in a two-run seventh.

WHAT’S NEXT?: The streak of four straight appearances at state will be on the line next year for Russia with six starters lost to graduation, including Cordonnier, a Marshall commit and arguably the best to ever wear a Russia uniform. Ironically, the infield will feature experience next year with freshmen Parker Lloyd at first and Quinn Hoying at second along with junior catcher Cooper Unverferth returnees. Junior lefty Maddox Goubeaux, who came in to get the final out of the seventh, gives head coach Kevin Phlipot, who is 219-87 in 11 years at the helm, an ace on the mound.

LINESCORE

Minster            300  000  2  -  5  7  0
Russia              000  010  2  -  3  6  4

Records: Minster 25-6, Russia 18-12.

Winning Pitcher: Louis Magoto (7 innings, 3 runs, 6 hits, 12 strikeouts, 3 walks).

Losing Pitcher: Braylon Cordonnier (6.2 innings, 5  runs, 2 earned runs, 7 hits, 4 strikeouts, 2 walks). Other: Maddox Goubeaux.

Leading Hitters: (Minster) - Dylan Heitkamp 2 runs; Reese Beair 2 singles, 2 runs; Louis Magoto single, RBI; Ian Homan single, run, RBI; Caleb Couse 2 singles; Connor Schmiesing single. (Russia) - Braylon Cordonnier single, triple, 2 RBIs, run; Vince Borchers single; Zach Schulze single; Cooper Unverferth 2 singles.

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