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

To view all things Spring HS Baseball, please click here.

If you are a coach and haven't filled out your 2025 Team Preview, click here.

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

Ohio Diamond Notes: April 7-13

While Licking Valley has lost three games this season, don’t let that fool you. A strong one-two pitching punch could be deadly to deal with come postseason time in Division III for a program that finished 22-5 a year ago.

The senior duo of Evan Lichtenauer and Evan Roberts showed why this past week with a pair of impressive performances. An Ohio University commit, Lichtenauer has yet to permit an earned run in 14 innings on the mound this season, winning both of his decisions with 21 Ks and three walks. This past week the 17th-ranked 2025 left-handed pitcher in the state did not give up an earned run in a five-hit 2-1 win over Division II Mount Vernon, striking out 10.

Roberts, a hard throwing uncommitted senior right-hander, has also fanned 21 on the season, recording a 1.36 ERA in 10.1 frames. In an 80-pitch win over Granville this week, Roberts tossed a three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts and one free pass. 

STRONG PITCHING

Though still early in the season, a number of hurlers have yet to allow an earned run which is just some of the highlights on the mound to date.

- Brayden Poltrone of Avon Lake moved to 3-0 on the year with a 0.00 ERA. The Lake Erie College commit struck out two of four batters in relief against Midview this week before a five inning four-hit outing with five Ks in a win over Berea-Midpark. The 94th-ranked senior RHP in Ohio now has 15 Ks in 10.1 innings, giving up just five hits.

- Carson Powell of Lucasville Valley has still not permitted an earned run in 11.2 frames, fanning 18 and walking just two. The 13th-rated junior right-handed pitcher in the state fired a shutout with eight Ks in a 1-0 blanking of Waverly this week for the 15th-ranked D-V team in the Buckeye state.

- North Ridgeville’s Jason Begalla tossed a two-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts against Avon (No. 12 D-II) in a battle of state-ranked teams. The 241st-rated junior in Ohio is now 3-0 with 18 Ks in 14 innings and a 0.00 ERA for the 10th-rated D-II team in the state.

- Zach Short of Archbold continues to impress in moving to 2-0 on the year with 29 Ks in 14 innings, allowing just five hits and two walks along with one earned run. The 23rd-rated senior LHP in Ohio, a Findlay commit, struck out 15 and walked just one in a no-hitter against Elida this week.

- JJ Foti of St. John’s Jesuit did not give up an earned run in a 6-2 win over St. Edward’s. The hard-throwing senior right-hander struck out 13, walked four and gave up just one hit in moving to 2-0 on the year. Foti now has 20 Ks in 12.2 innings with just two hits allowed for the No. 14 D-II team in Ohio.

- Nick Gemienhardt of Olentangy Berlin did not surrender a run in nine innings this week, winning one game and recording a save for No. 15 D-I team in the state. The 74th-rated senior RHP struck out seven and gave up five hits.

- Drew Oerther of Loveland fanned eight batters in a row against Little Miami. A Kent State commit, the third-rated junior southpaw in Ohio finished with a dozen Ks in 5.2 innings, not allowing an earned run.

- Shane Coblentz of Waynedale has been nearly unhittable this season, with the 176th-rated 2025 in the state fanning 16 while allowing three hits and one run in seven innings this week to win two games for the unbeaten top-ranked D-V team in Ohio. Coblentz is now 4-0 with 38 Ks in 17 innings on the season.

TWO-WAY STANDOUTS

Coblentz is a last name to remember this year in Ohio, with Caden Coblentz of Berlin Hiland off to a big start for the No. 1 D-VI team in the state. The Malone University signee struck out six and walked one in a two-hit victory over D-IV Indian Valley in moving to 2-0 on the season. The 72nd-ranked 2025 RHP has given up just five hits in 12 innings with 14 strikeouts and has yet to surrender an earned run.

A shortstop when not on the mound, the senior was 6-13 this week with two doubles, two walks, three stolen bases, four runs scored and an RBI.

There were other players also worth noting that came up big on the hill and at the dish this week.

- Kyle Hopkins of Columbus Grove had a huge week with the bat, going 11-14 with an .813 OBP.  The senior SS/RHP scored six runs and was never caught stealing in six attempts and now has 13 stolen bases on the season. On the hill, Hopkins was the starting pitcher in a combined no-hitter against Patrick Henry.

- Madden Lillard of Indian Lake drove in three runs, scored once and is now hitting .500 on the season. The ninth-ranked senior second baseman in Ohio also gave up one run with six Ks in 4.2 innings pitched and is 2-0 on the season.

- Braxton Prosser threw a one-hitter to beat Shelby, fanning 12 in six innings for Galion. The seventh-rated 2025 catcher in the state, a Youngstown State commit, was also 4-7 with a double, four runs, three RBIs and six stolen bases.

- Swanton’s Luke Marlow hit .667 on the week, going 10-15 with three doubles, a triple, eight runs scored, four RBIs and four stolen bases. The No. 37 junior shortstop in Ohio also recorded wins over Springfield and North Central allowing two earned runs in nine innings pitched to improve to 3-0 on the year.

- Brody Snyder picked up two wins allowing two runs on three hits with 17 strikeouts in 11.1 frames for Triway and now has 25 Ks in 16.1 innings pitched. The versatile senior was also 7-14 at the plate with two doubles while driving home five and stealing five bases.

- Parker VanEngelenhoven had eight RBIs with three doubles and a home run, walking three times in a 7-10 week. The Olentangy Liberty junior also struck out seven and gave up two hits in 5.1 innings to beat Dublin Coffman. The 25th-rated 2026 RHP in the nation, a Louisville commit, has yet to give up an earned run in 13 innings with 18 Ks and a 3-0 record.

- Newton junior Austin Tippie had two home runs and six RBIs in going 3-6 at the plate. The third-rated 2026 first baseman in Ohio also picked up a win with eight strikeouts in five innings of two-hit pitching for the No. 2 Division VII team in the state.

- James Hennen of Hamilton Township gave up one earned run and struck out 24 in 14 innings. A left-handed pitcher and center fielder, the junior is hitting .471 on the year with a .765 slugging percentage.

HOT STICKS

Two shoulder injuries have relegated Jackson Snyder to DH/duties, but last year’s number two pitcher on a Final Four team has continued to produce at the plate for Ottawa Hills.

The 14th-rated senior third baseman in Ohio was 5-7 with a home run, two RBIs and a pair of runs scored last week, adding a walk and stolen base for the unbeaten second-rated team in the state in Division V, which picked up a big win over D-I 16th-rated Beavercreek. Snyder is now 6-9 on the year with seven runs and four RBIs.

There were other standouts with the bat worth mentioning as well.

- Kade Bowling of Badin scored eight runs and drove in seven in 12 plate appearances on the week for the third-rated Division III team in Ohio. The Southern Wesleyan recruit had a home run, triple and two doubles while walking once in going 7-11 at the plate. Bowling is the No. 8 senior third baseman in the state.

- Isaac Goldschmidt is a big reason why LaSalle improved to 4-3 with wins over Fairfield, St. Xavier and Miamisburg last week. The senior center fielder had four extra-base hits with a home run, triple and two doubles, going 4-7 with four RBIs.

- Gavin Kohlhofer is not your average catcher. The Lake backstop had three stolen bases last week to up his season total to 10. The left-handed hitting junior is also not too bad with the stick going 5-9 with four RBIs, five runs and three walks for the No. 5 D-IV team in Ohio. The 15th-ranked junior catcher in the state is now 11-19 on the year with 19 runs scored, 11 RBIs, 11 walks and a .733 OBP.

- Isaiah Lantz of Lakeview reached base in all but one plate appearance on the week, going 4-5 with two walks, a double, one run and a stolen base. The junior center fielder is now carrying a .538 average to go along with eight walks on the year.

YOUTH SPARKLES

A quartet of 10th graders had big weeks at the plate, with two also providing strong performances as pitchers.

- Brody Rosswurm of Wayne Trace had seven hits and seven RBIs with a pair of doubles in a 7-11 week for the No. 9 Division VI team in the state. He is now hitting .458 with 11 runs scored on the season. The sophomore right-hander also gave up just two hits and no earned runs in a win over 10th-ranked D-VI Lincolnview. Rosswurm fanned seven and did not give up a free pass in six innings.

- Caleb Shelly fanned three in 2-plus innings of relief against Louisville and has not surrendered an earned run in 11 innings of pitching for D-VII No. 2 Lake Center Christian. The sophomore, who leads LCC in batting with a .536 average, was 8-14 on the week with eight runs, five RBIs, two doubles and a pair of stolen bases.

- Cooper Fiebig of Andrews Osborne Academy was very efficient in his three at-bats this week, hitting two singles and a home run, driving in seven and scoring three runs. The sophomore catcher is now 4-5 on the year with eight RBIs.

- Genoa’s Jaxon Magnone had three doubles and two singles in eight official at-bats, scoring three runs. A catcher/pitcher/infielder, Magnone also stole six bases and had a pair of walks.

A Look Back At The 2024 Season:

To view the 2024 Team Previews, click here.

To view the 2024 Ohio Spring HS Report, click here.

To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup, click below.

• State Final Four Roundup
• 10th Annual OHSAA Final Four All-Tournament Team

To View the 2024 Prep Baseball All-State Teams, click here.

To view the 2024 Preseason All-State Teams, click below.

To view the Weekly Team Rankings, click below:

• Final Rankings | Update 6 | Update 5 | Update 4 | Update 3 | Update 2 | Update 1 | Preseason

To view the 2024 Ohio Spring Scout Blog, click here.

Recent Articles