ASHLAND — The Johnny Appleseed Baseball Club 17-and-under team, with players from Ashland, Hillsdale, Mapleton, Fredericktown and Northmor, won the 5 Tool Regional Championship Tournament on Sunday at Ashland University.
Games were played at Ashland University, Ashland High School, Wooster High School and Triway High School starting Thursday, June 23, with the championship game being played at Ashland University on Sunday, June 26.
JABC went 3-1 in pool play winning two games by one run and losing their 3rd pool play game by one run.
In the quarterfinals JABC 17U defeated Ohio Velocity 2-0. Drew Hammond (of Northmor High School) was the winning pitcher striking out nine Velocity Hitters in a complete game. The semifinal game saw a rematch from pool play with JABC defeating the E80 Iron Pigs by a score of 3-1. Luke Bean (of Fredericktown High School) was the winning pitcher striking out 7 Iron Pig hitters in a compete-game performance.
In the championship game, Jack Fickes (of Hillsdale High School) got the start on the mound and went 4.2 innings striking out four. Jake Hoverstock (also of Hillsdale) came in and went 2.1 innings, striking out a pair of batters to preserve a 7-6 victory.
The championship game was also a rematch from pool play that saw the Ball Hawgs win 7-6. JABC was able to turn the tables in the finals and win the title by the same score of 7-6.
JABC’S offensive leaders for the weekend were Xavier Mullins (Fredericktown High School) and Ethan Truax (Ashland High School).
Both racked up 7 hits apiece with Mullins hammering two triples, two doubles, and three singles, while Truax had a triple and six singles.
In the top of the 6th inning of the finals game Mullins ripped a triple and Truax hit a long sacrifice fly to center, plating Mullins, to set up the final score of 7-6.
Hoverstock, Bean, and Jon Metzger (Ashland) all recorded six hits apiece and the team racked up 52 hits on the weekend.
Defensively, JABC turned seven double plays. Blake Benner (Mapleton High School), Jax Rogers (Hillsdale High School), Bean, Truax, Hoverstock, and Hammond, were all apart of those diamond gems. Mullins, Hammond, Fickes, Bean, Hoverstock all picked up wins on the mound. Kollin Cline (Mapleton High School) was the iron horse of the team catching all 42 innings over four days.
The team is sponsored by Hi-Point, Truax Printing, Theils Home Solutions, Bowling Real Estate, Home Turf, The Inn at Ashland Woods, and Kokosing Construction.
