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Diamond Notes:

• May 12-18 | May 5-11 | April 28-May 4 | April 21-27 | April 14-20 | April 7-13 | March 31-April 6

Ohio Diamond Notes: May 19-25

Braylon Cordonnier has led Russia to three state trips and one championship in his time at the school and the Marshall commit is closing out his high school career in a big way.

The fifth-rated senior third baseman in Ohio went 5-10 with two doubles and two runs scored in breaking two school records this past week, career hits with 141 and career runs scored with 115.

The left-handed hitting shortstop for Russia is batting .475 on the season with five home runs, five doubles, 27 runs, 24 walks and 14 RBIs.  

So who else had big weeks? Read on… 

STRONG PITCHING

Abe Hermes threw a pair of shutouts on the week for Milan Edison.

The uncommitted senior, who also plays shortstop for last week’s fourth-rated Division V team in Ohio, beat D-V fifth-ranked Keystone 2-0 and had a perfect game for 6.2 innings against Fostoria.

For the week, Hermes  tossed 14 innings allowing six hits and two walks while fanning 23.

The southpaw is 10-0 on the year, giving up seven earned runs and 33 hits in 66.1 innings, with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 120-to-22.

There were a few more strong outings on the hill…

- Isaiah Tilse threw the shutout of his life in a 6-0 win over top-ranked Defiance, sending Tiffin Columbian to a Division III sectional championship. The 69th-rated senior right-handed pitcher in Ohio did not permit a walk in the seven-hit blanking of the Bulldogs, just their second loss of the season. The Bryant & Stratton College commit struck out six.

- Grant Cline pitched Logan Elm to a sectional win over Washington Court House with a 12-strikeout four-hit performance, allowing one run on two walks. The senior left-hander now has 82 Ks on the year in 50 innings while allowing 27 free passes. Cline has a 2.308 ERA and 1.3 WHIP.

- Tyler Barton threw his second no-hitter of the season, striking out nine in a 4-0 win for Jonathan Alder over Columbus Hartley. A Mount Vernon Nazarene commit, Barton is the 61st-rated senior right-handed pitcher in the state.

- CJ Santagata tossed a two-hitter for Gilmore Academy in an 8-0 blanking of Nordonia. The junior right-hander struck out five for the 17th-rated Division III team in Ohio.

HOT STICKS

Eight times to the plate and eight times on base for Grant Schag for the week.

The Triway shortstop, a Walsh University signee, walked five times and had two singles and a double with six runs, three RBIs and three stolen bases.

The 10th-ranked 2025 third baseman in the state has 38 runs scored on the year, 23 RBIs, 23 stolen bases, 20 walks and 10 doubles to go along with four home runs, a .418 batting average and .548 OBP.

In addition, Schag has committed just three errors in 85 chances in the field.

There were other standouts with the bat worth mentioning…

- Colin Coblentz hit a single, triple and home run in six ABs in addition to driving in five and reaching once on a walk for D-VI top-ranked Hiland. The 35th-rated 2025 outfielder in the state is hitting .405 overall with four homers, three triples and three doubles to go with 26 runs, 21 RBIs and a dozen steals. The Malone commit has also not given up a hit in seven innings with one win, three saves and 15 Ks.

- The remarkable season for Trent Smith continues. The Fostoria senior shortstop now has 35 hits on the season without striking out. Smith went 3-6 with a single, double, triple and two intentional walks in two games on the week. The single broke up a no-hit bid with two outs in the seventh inning. For the year, Smith is hitting .507 with a 1.285 OPS, belting six doubles and four  triples while scoring 14 runs and stealing 18 bases. He also has two saves for a team that has three wins on the season.

- Stone Fawcett reached base five out of seven plate appearances on the week for Chardon, producing a double and triple with a pair of walks. The 15th-ranked senior catcher in Ohio drove in six runs and scored three while also swiping a pair of bases during the week with a 2.114 OPS, 1.4 SLG, .714 OBP and .600 BA. The Ashland signee has 18 RBIs, 18 runs and 11 walks on the season.

- The eighth-ranked senior catcher in Ohio is living up to the hype for Mount Vernon. Ezra Kurek hit three doubles, walked twice and was hit by a pitch in 11 plate appearances over three games, driving in four while not striking out. The Eastern Michigan commit is batting .434 on the season with a .532 OBP, 1.19 OPS and .658 SLG with 25 runs, 17 RBIs and 13 doubles.

- Jacob Brown closed out his senior season with a .511 batting average, .586 OBP, 1.310 OPS and .723 SLG. The shortstop for Tree of Life Christian had 19 runs, 18 RBIs and seven doubles while going 13-13 on stolen bases.

TWO-WAY STANDOUTS

Conner Eyink was spectacular on the mound as well as at the plate this past week.

The junior, a utility player for Mechanicsburg who pitches and catches, struck out 17 in a win over Madison Plains, giving up one unearned run on three hits in a victory, his seventh of the season in nine decisions.

Eyink also hit a double and walked three times in four plate appearances to improve his season batting mark to .516 with 26 RBIs, 22 runs, 18 steals, 10 doubles and a .627 OBP.

Eyink has 91 strikeouts on the season in 47.2 frames with a 0.88 ERA.

There were a number of others with impressive weeks…

- Tim Robertson was on base five out of six appearances at the plate for Chardon, hitting three singles and a double while also reaching on a walk. The sophomore outfielder scored two runs, drove in one and stole a base, finishing the week with a 1.825 slugging percentage. But it was on the mound where Robertson shined, ending the week with a five-inning no-hitter in the sectional finals against Lakeside. The 10th-grader struck out six and permitted one free pass, the lone batter out of 16 Robertson faced to reach base in the game.

- AJ Holbrook scored five runs during a 4-8 week that included three walks and two stolen bases. The junior RHP/CF for Fairfield Christian Academy also struck out seven and gave up one run in a complete-game win over Cardington-Lincoln. Holbrook is batting .468 on the season with 43 runs, 39 stolen bases and a .583 OBP. On the mound, the junior has a 6-1 record with two saves and a 1.59 ERA, fanning 76 and walking 10 in 52.2 innings.

- Sophomore southpaw Brady Basinger pitched Columbus Grove to districts with a no-hitter against Lima Perry. The 6-2 210-pounder fanned six and walked one in the 9-0 win, while also going 2-7 on the week with a double and four RBIs. Basinger is hitting .338 on the season with 23 RBIs and 20 runs while sitting 6-2 pitching with a 1.70 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, retiring 55 batters on strikeouts in 37 innings while allowing 29 hits and 15 walks.

- Christian Flowers did not permit an earned run in 4.1 innings of two-hit pitching in a win over Indian Hill, fanning six and walking one. In addition, the Lynchburg-Clay senior hit a pair of singles and a double in eight ABs with a walk. For the year, Flowers is carrying a .351 average with 23 RBIs, 22 runs and 19 walks while standing 6-1 pitching with 40 Ks in 30 innings, allowing 17 hits, eight free passes and seven earned runs. 

- Kenton Ridge junior Nic Stumpf belted a pair of home runs and a double in a 5-8 week that included four runs scored and a pair of stolen bases. The 145th-rated 2026 in Ohio also struck out eight in four innings for a win, not giving up an earned run.

TEAM NOTES

Things have certainly changed for Doylestown Chippewa, both as a program and especially this season.

Winners of just three games as freshmen, the senior class has helped Chippeway to a 14-game winning streak after a 6-7 start to the season that was affected by a number of injuries.

Now healthy, a team that started three freshmen when battling injuries but still gave D-V top-ranked Waynedale all it could handle before losing 2-1 on a passed ball despite throwing a one-hitter, is on a roll.

Anderson Hatfield is a big part of it and came through when needed most this past week in outdueling Oakland University signee Joshua Rosenblitt of Beachwood, the 17th-rated 2025 right-handed pitcher in the state, for a 3-0 win in the sectional finals. The senior righty permitted seven hits and one walk while striking out four, 

So what else took place for baseball programs in the state?…

- With only three wins on the season, 10th-seeded Logan Elm was not expected by many to last far in the tournament. But the team entered this week at 6-17 on the season after knocking off seven seed Washington Court House 6-1 and two seed Lancaster Fairfield Union 2-1 in tournament play. Next up is third seeded Williamsport Westfall.

- Fairfield Christian Academy won its third straight league championship despite having only one senior and just 11 kids in the entire program. A date with D-VI second-ranked West Jefferson is on tap Wednesday in the district finals.

- Wins over D-IV state-ranked Indian Hill along with New Richmond this past week has momentum on the side of Lynchburg-Clay, now at 19-3 and with a four-year starter returning from an ACL injury.

- A 12-1 win over Ontario and a 13-0 sectional final victory over Brooklyn has Wooster Triway riding a school-record 16-game winning streak into districts.

TOURNEY NOTES

Anything can happen in the sport of baseball and upsets are just part of it.

Highly-regarded teams like Defiance, Westerville North, Bloom-Carroll, Tinora, Madison Plains, Cardington-Lincoln and Caldwell did not get out of sectionals.

So where will the next upsets take place?

Let’s take a look at districts this week and potential semifinal matchups for regionals to close out this week’s Diamond Notes….

Division I

Best District Matchups

• Canton McKinley vs. Strongsville
• Lancaster vs. Hilliard Darby
• Thomas Worthington vs. Upper Arlington
• Beavercreek vs. Centerville

Best Potential Matchup

• Saint Ignatius vs. GlenOak

Top Regional Semis Matchups (based on rankings)

• Medina vs. GlenOak
• Olentangy Orange vs. Lancaster
• Olentangy Liberty vs. Lakota West
• Springboro vs. Beavercreek

Division II

Best District Matchups

• Boardman vs. Stow-Munroe Falls
• St. John’s Jesuit vs. Clay
• Westerville Central vs. Mt. Vernon
• Loveland vs. Harrison

Best Potential Matchup

• Hudson vs. North Royalton

Top Regional Semis Matchups (based on rankings)

• North Canton Hoover vs. Lakewood
• Amherst Steele vs. North Ridgeville
• Big Walnut vs. Mt. Vernon
• Anthony Wayne vs. Troy

Division III

Best District Matchups

• Alliance vs. Uniontown Lake
• SVSM vs. Chardon
• Circleville vs. Athens
• Kenton Ridge vs. Franklin

Best Potential Matchup

• University School vs. Twinsburg
• Bonus Pick (Rematch) - Jackson vs. Athens

Top Regional Semis Matchups (based on rankings)

• Wooster vs. Medina Buckeye
• Wapakoneta vs Medina Highland
• Jackson vs. Tri-Valley
• Butler vs. Tippecanoe

Division IV

Best District Matchups

• Canfield vs. Marlington
• Bath vs. Galion
• Logan Elm vs. Westfall
• Alder vs. Heath

Best Potential Matchup

• Napoleon vs. Lake (Millbury)

Top Regional Semis Matchups (based on rankings)

• Lake Catholic vs. Perry
• NDCL vs. Napoleon
• Indian Creek vs. Carrollton
• CHCA vs. Indian Hill

Division V

Best District Matchups

• South Range vs. Cardinal Mooney
• Edison (Milan) vs. Liberty-Benton
• Harrison Central vs. Edison (Richmond)
• Greeneview vs. Versailles

Best Potential Matchup

• Ottawa Hills vs. Eastwood
• Bonus Pick (Round 3) - Wheelersburg vs. Lucasville Valley

Top Regional Semis Matchups (based on rankings)

• Keystone vs. Waynedale
• Centerburg vs. Coldwater
• Lynchburg-Clay vs. Lucasville Valley
• Ironton vs. Cincinnati Christian

Division VI

Best District Matchups

• Hillsdale vs. LaBrae
• Hopewell-Loudon vs. Elmwood
• Huntington vs. Manchester
• Fairview vs. Wayne Trace

Best Potential Matchup

• Hiland vs. Toronto

Top Regional Semis Matchups (based on rankings)

• Kirtland vs. Independence
• Van Buren vs. Marion Local
• Hiland vs. West Jefferson
• Summit Country Day vs. Ft. Recovery

Division VII

Best District Matchups

• Sandusky Central Catholic vs. Norwalk St. Paul
• Miller City vs. Leipsic
• Portsmouth Clay vs. Racine Southern
• Lehman Catholic vs. Tri-County North

Best Potential Matchup

• Ashtabula St. John vs. Andrews Osborne
• Bonus Pick (Rematch) - Miller City vs. Kalida

Top Regional Semis Matchups (based on rankings)

• Calvert vs. Maplewood
• Hardin Northern vs. Minster
• Franklin Furnace Green vs. Newark Catholic
• Russia vs. Mohawk

Midseason Player of the Year Watch (5/4/25)

CLICK HERE for 75+ names that are up for Player of the Year in their respective division. These names were provided to us by their coaches, or found on gamechanger/team websites. Obviously, there are many others having outstanding years that should be considered, but no stats were provided.

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.

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