Springfield's Dream Season Ends

Springfield's baseball team saw its season come to an end in the Division IV State Championship game, as the Tigers suffered a 6-0 defeat at the hands of the Wildcats from Minster.

2011 OHSAA Division IV Baseball Championship
Saturday, June 4 at 1 p.m. at Huntington Park
Minster (23-8) 6 Springfield (19-7) 0, FINAL

State Semifinal - June 2
Minster 6 Newark Catholic 5
...Down 4-1 entering the bottom of the fifth, Minster mounted a five-run inning highlighted by Mitchell Poeppelman's two-out two-run double. Newark Catholic committed four costly errors. Minter's second baseman Craig Purpus was 2-3 with 2 runs scored. Austin Knapke came in to relieve Doug Huber in the fourth inning and pitched 2 1/3 innings to register the win. Adam Niemeyer earned the save as he closed the door on Newark with a three-up, three-down seventh inning.

Springfield 9 Delphos St. John's 2
...The Tigers jumped out to a 3-1 lead after one frame and never looked back. Springfield's first four batters went a combined 6-12 with 5 runs batted in. Nick Russell tossed a complete game gem to pick up his eighth win of the year. Russell struck out six and only allowed 6 hits.

GAMECAST
Minster 6 Springfield 0, F

Starting Lineups
Minster Wildcats
Coach: Mike Wiss
1. Devon Poeppelman, ss
2. Chase Paxon, lf
3. Adam Niemeyer, p (6-0, 1.03 ERA, 58 K's)
4. Craig Purpus, 2b
5. Mitchell Poeppelman, cf
6. Doug Huber, 1b
7. Ben Heitbrink, c
8. Brett Meiring, 3b
9. Ryan Hoying, rf

Springfield Tigers
Coach: Matt Weymer
1. Cody Pitzo, ss
2. Joey Ohlin, 2b
3. Ronnie Bovo, c
4. Nick Russell, 3b
5. Brad Ferraro, p (5-2, 2.67 ERA, 45 K's)
6. Jake Noble, 1b
7. Jason Jorn, lf
8. Mike Buchenic, cf
9. Aaron Yoder, rf

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Final
Minster	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	6
Springfield	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

FIRST INNING
To open the game, Springfield's Brad Ferraro walked the first three batters to load the bases. Minster's lead off hitter, Devon Poeppelman, scored on a Craig Purpus sacrifice fly. Matt Chopp relieved Ferraro after Brad walked his fifth batter after Doug Huber was given a free pass. Wildcat Ben Heitbrink singled to center scoring Adam Niemeyer and Mitchell Poeppleman...Minster leads, 3-0...In the bottom half of the inning, Joey Ohlin reached base on a walk and stole second. However, the Tigers would strand Ohlin on second.

THIRD INNING
The Wildcats have gone down in order for the second consecutive inning. Since Matt Chopp entered the game in the top of the first, he has retired seven straight after giving up a single to the first batter he faced, Heitbrink.

FOURTH INNING
In the top of the fourth, Minster gets two base runners on but Chopp works out of the inning with two strikeouts and a ground out. In the bottom half, Springfield also gets runners on but Niemeyer shuts the door to keep the shutout intact.

FIFTH INNING
Nick Russell replaced Matt Chopp on the hill in the fifth for the Tigers. Russell gets three batters to fly out. Since the first inning, the Wildcats have had just one hit. Minster has batted .071 (1-14) with three base runners over the course of the last four innings. In the home half of the fifth, Austin Knapke fills in for Niemeyer on the hump for the 'Cats. Despite Knapke giving up a base on balls to Joey Ohlin, Devon Poeppelman registered a put out and two assists for Minster.  

SIXTH INNING
Russell faces three batters in the top of the sixth as he retires Knapke and Brett Meiring and picks off Jay Eilerman on first who was pinch running for Ben Heitbrink who reached base on a walk. Springfield is retired in order in the bottom of the sixth. Knapke was able to get Russell and Ferraro to fly out and Jake Noble to ground out to Devon Poeppelman at short for the final out of the sixth.

SEVENTH INNING
Minster's three-run seventh inning was highlighted by Ryan Hoying's lead off double and Austin Knapke's infield single. Eight Wildcats took swings in the top half of the seventh...Minster leads 6-0...In the bottom of the inning, Jason Horn struck out and Mike Buchenic flew out to center field. Aaron Yoder walked but Cody Pitzo grounded out to third base as Minster wins their first state championship, 6-0.