Baseball: Southeastern, Northeastern win district titles

Credit: Name Test

Credit: Name Test

BATAVIA — Southeastern High School sophomore Zach McKee pitched a two-hit shutout, striking out eight batters as the Trojans beat Felicity Franklin 3-0 in a Division IV district final Wednesday at the Midland Baseball Complex.

McKee was efficient throughout the game, throwing 56 of his 76 pitches for strikes without allowing a walk.

“I’m super proud of him,” said Trojans coach Craig Isaac. “He was a bulldog. He meant business. For him, it was getting that first pitch strike over. He put the team on his back and carried us, but our defense was really good today.”

The sophomore didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning, giving up back-to-back singles to start the inning. The Trojans righty struck out the next hitter and got a forceout at third base for the second out. Catcher Aidan Harbage threw out a runner at second base to end the threat.

“We made some routine plays, and we made a few spectacular plays in the outfield,” Isaac said. “(Trojans senior center fielder) Mason Coil made some great plays out there today, too. There were so many different plays I could talk about. It’s a team game. One guy can’t pitch it and catch it at the same time. It took 11 guys today for us to win.”

The Cardinals walked three straight hitters to start the game. McKee singled to give Southeastern a 1-0 lead. Trojans junior Austin Miller followed with an RBI groundout. Senior Sam Smith added a two-out RBI single in the top of the fifth inning to give Southeastern a three-run advantage.

Harbage had two hits for the Trojans (19-7), who won for the ninth time in their last 11 games.

Southeastern, the Ohio Heritage Conference South Division champion, advanced to face Russia at 2 p.m. June 2 at Princeton High School. The Trojans last played in the regional semifinals in 2012, falling to eventual state champion Minster 6-3 at Carleton Davidson Stadium in Springfield. Russia beat Cincinnati Christian 9-2 to advance to a regional semifinal game.

In other action Wednesday;

Fort Loramie 8, Catholic Central 0: Freshman Ben Bramel had two hits as the Irish fell in a D-IV district final at Versailles High School.

The game was scoreless through four innings until the Indians broke through for three runs in the fifth and five more in the sixth inning.

Irish senior Jack Bramel, senior Luke Spracklen and junior Will Lopez each had hits for Catholic Central, which finished its season 13-14.

Northeastern 3, Cincinnati Summit Country Day 2, eight innings: Jets junior Dylan Haggy singled in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring Preston Graves from third base as Northeastern won a D-III district final game for the first time since 1961 at Kings High School.

“The boys played well and they fought all the way to the end,” said Jets coach Tom Piatt. “It was a good team effort.”

Summit Country Day grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Jets took a 2-1 lead on back-to-back RBI singles by senior Seth Hall and junior Travis Tuttle.

The Silver Knights tied the score in the seventh inning, setting up Haggy’s last-inning heroics. With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Graves doubled and advanced to third on an overthrow. Haggy singled to left field, sealing the victory for the Jets.

“He came in clutch,” Piatt said. “The infield was in and he squeezed one by both (the third baseman and shortstop). It hit off one of their gloves and Graves jetted in there.”

Tuttle earned the win in relief on the mound, pitching a scoreless eighth inning. Jets starter junior Cade Houseman pitched seven innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits and four strikeouts for the Jets.

Northeastern (17-7), the OHC North Division champion, advanced to play the winner of Versailles and Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy at 2 p.m. June 2 at Wright State University’s Nischwitz Stadium in Fairborn. CHCA was beating Versailles 6-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning when the game was delayed due to inclement weather.

Roger Bacon 4, Mechanicsburg 2: Indians senior Fisher Morgan had two hits as Mechanicsburg fell in a D-III district final game at Newton High School.

Indians junior Mason Hess and sophomore Lane Poland each had RBIs as Mechanicsburg finished its season 19-6.

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