by Akron, Ohio – Thanks to a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh, Sylvania Northview advanced to its first state final in school history with a 3-2 win over Kenston Friday morning.
Kenston loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the first. After Jake Vasil struck out, Parker Munday reached on a walk to put Kenston ahead, 1-0. However, Northview junior pitcher Garrett Zimmermann got a huge double play to get out of the inning.
Northview got on the board in the bottom of the first. Riley Arnes hit a one-out double to center field. He scored on a throwing error to tie it up. Benny Crooks hit a single to left to give Northview a 2-1 lead.
Kenston got a runner on thanks to a two-out walk in the third, but could do nothing with it. They also got a runner on in the fourth thanks to a hit-by-pitch. A sacrifice bunt moved runner Parker Munday to second, but alert defense caught Munday napping to thwart the threat.
Carter Flynn led off the top of the fifth with a single for Kenston’s first hit of the game. He advanced to second on a sac bunt and eventually scored thanks to a balk.
It was a battle of the aces, as Garrett Zimmermann and Jake Vasil were dealing all day. Vasil had 10 strikeouts, the last of those coming in the fifth inning.
Northview made their move in the bottom half of the seventh. Alex Prymas reached on an error at second base, and Garrett Draper followed by beating out a bunt single to the right side of the infield.
Another sac bunt put runners on second and third, but a grounder to Carter Flynn cut down what would have been the winning run. After an intentional walk, a wild pitch squirted under the glove of Drew McKenna, and pinch runner Adyen Hall raced home to give Northview the win.
Sylvania Northview advances to their first state championship game in school history. They will play the winner of Mason/Grove City Saturday afternoon.
Northview pitcher Garrett Zimmermann threw 100 pitches in seven innings, allowing just a pair of hits, four walks, and striking out four.
Kenston pitcher Jake Vasil went 6 1/3 innings, throwing 97 pitches. He allowed five hits, walked two, and struck out ten.
