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2026 OHSAA Tournament: Division II State Final - #6 New Albany vs #26 Walsh Jesuit

AKRON - Hard-luck losers in the state semifinals a year ago, New Albany is the Division II champion after knocking off Walsh Jesuit 4-1 on Saturday night at 7 17 Credit Union Park.

Aidan Wyche scattered seven hits for the Eagles, which were nipped by Amherst Steele 3-2 at state in 2025.

"You could tell from when we started this year they had that extra motivation," New ALbany head coach Michael Sandman noted. "We wanted to get back. We wanted to write a different story. The hurt last year created a fire. They wanted  to end the last game not with a loss. They wanted to continue to fight for one more day with each other, to continue to fight for one more dogpile."

Trailing 1-0, the No. 6 team in D-II scored four unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth and Wyche was dominant from that point on.

"Pitching ahead made me more relaxed, made me more comfortable," Wyche related. "I think it just calmed everyone donwn."

Connor Bahr hit a one-out single and Van Routhier followed with a perfectly placed bunt to put two on with one away in the deciding fourth inning. A line out to right came next and Nick Nardell followed with another shot to right that appeared to be the end of the fourth. But the ball was dropped and Bahr came in with the tying run.

Caden Kistner then put New Albany on top to stay with a run-scoring base shot to right. Remy Trautner gave the Eagles more comfort with a two-run single to center making it 4-1.

"My first two at-bats didn't go as planned," Kistner admitted. "I hit it hard, just not where I wanted. On this one I stayed back and saw it breaking away."

While Kistner had a big hit, it was the defense the senior shortstop and the whole team that was big in the state championship, with New Albany not committing an error in the two games this weekend.

"They take pride that every time we take live batting practice we structure it where we play live defense," explained Sandman. "They took it to heart. If you play clean baseball you've got a chance against anyone. We have some incredible athletes and we just let them go be athletes. Clean baseball wins championships and they bought into it and executed to a high level."

It was the third state title in school history, the last coming five years ago.

"It's absolutely unreal," Kistner said. "I was sitting in the stands on the first-base side when the 2021 team won it. I was in seventh grade. I wanted to be one of those guys on the field and here I was today making plays at shortstop. I have no words for what I'm feeling. I broke down crying in the dogpile. It's just awesome."

Making it even more special is who the title was won with for the Eagles.

"I've been playing with some of these same guys since 8U," Kistner related. "We've had New Albany on our chest and we never left. We always wanted to play together with our town. A lot of guys go play prep or travel ball but we all stuck together. The chemistry is unmatched with New Albany."

HOT TAKES

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Wyche was a bulldog in the complete-game effort for the Eagles. The 2027 RHP got out of two big jams in the second and fourth innings and once in front, retired nine of the last 10 batters of the game. There were only two strikeouts, but one came with two on and one out in the first and the other with runners on second and third and one down in the second when Walsh was at the top of the order. Wyche threw 62 of 92 pitches for strikes in his seven-hitter.

D-II TOURNEY MVP: It was only fitting the game ended with three ground ball outs to New Albany SS Kistner, who gets the nod thanks to some great defense to go along with clutch hitting. Seven ground balls, one that was turned into a double play with two on and one away in the fourth, were turned into outs by the senior. Kistner also had the go-ahead RBI single on Saturday after hitting a single in the first inning to help put the Eagles on top to stay in a 4-1 victory over Harrison in the semis.

WHAT'S NEXT?: Three starters are back for Walsh Jesuit in sophomore catcher/pitcher Will Blueter, sophomore RF Ben Babinec and junior third baseman Sean McHugh, who had two of the seven hits by the Eagles in the title game. Saturday's pitcher Luca Borichevsky is another back for head coach Joe Bowers, who could reach 100 career wins at the school in his fifth season at the helm next season. ... A trio of infielders along with the corner outfielders bring promise to the 2027 New Albany squad, who will be strong on the mound with the two starting pitchers at state, Bryson Gittins and Wyche, ready for their seniors campaigns.

LINESCORE

Walsh Jesuit     010  000 0  -  1  7  1
New Albany     000  400  x  -  4  7  0

Records: New Albany 26-7, Walsh Jesuit 16-13.

Winning Pitcher: Aidan Wyche (7 innings, 1 run, 7 hits, 2 strikeouts, 2 walks).

Losing Pitcher: Luca Borichevsky (4 innings, 4 runs, 0 earned runs, 7 hits, 0 strikeouts, 0 walks). Other: Will Blueter.

Leading Hitters: (Walsh Jesuit) - Colin Locigno single; Shawn Sullivan single; Sean McHugh 2 singles, run; Will Blueter double; Tanner Fitzwater single; Ben Babinec single. (New Albany) - Caden Kistner single, run; Remy Trautner single, 2 RBIs; Jate Hoovler single; Connor Bahr 2 singles, run; Van Routhier single, run; Justin Seert single; Nick Nardell run.

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