Austin Taylor’s two-out, bases-loaded single in the bottom of the eighth inning terminated the Rams’ title hopes as Defiance repeated as state champion with a 3-2 victory at Huntington Park.
“We’re going to get it. There’s no doubt in my mind,” Treadway said after Badin completed a 22-12 campaign and lost in the finals for the fourth time in the last 12 years. “But this is a great moment for Badin and my players. I’m not going to put a negative spin on it because playing in the final game is something only two teams get to do.
“I’m proud of my guys. This senior group could’ve gone one way or the other, and they chose to pull it together and make a run at a state title. I’m proud to have coached them. It’s been a lot of fun.”
The Rams, state champions in 1991 and 1996, forced an extra inning by scoring in the top of seventh. Ross Mulcare delivered his second double of the day and came home on Mitchell Raley’s one-out single to tie the game at 2-2.
The Bulldogs (29-2) loaded the bases with one out in the eighth against Jeff Beadle, who relieved starter Nick Taylor in the sixth.
Jacob Jimenez popped out to BHS first baseman Zach Larkin in foul territory for the second out, but Austin Taylor ended it by lining a single into center field to score Shay Smiddy.
“I just felt confident. I knew I had to get that ball in play and score that run,” said Taylor, a junior second baseman. “It was a fastball right down the pipe. I saw it and took advantage of it.”
Beadle was feeling confident as well.
“That’s just how the game goes,” he said. “We had that popup to Zach the play before, so we had a lot of momentum. He just saw that pitch and hit it right up the middle. Someone was going to get a hit, someone was going to end it. Unfortunately, that’s how it ended.”
Mulcare scored twice for Badin, crossing the plate on Raley’s sacrifice fly in the second inning, and Garrett Hogan had two hits. Nick Taylor and Beadle combined on a seven-hitter.
“I’m proud of the way we fought,” said Mulcare, a senior right fielder. “We were chipping away all day. It was a good, hard-fought game. I wouldn’t trade any of my memories with these guys. I love ’em all like brothers. I had a blast here.”
“We had plenty of chances where we could’ve just gave that game away and let down, but we just kept battling,’” added Raley, a senior designated hitter. “I’ve been proud and honored to wear this B every single day for the past four years. I’ve had a ton of fun. I’ve met a bunch of great people.”
Defiance got a combined six-hitter from Abram Smith and Smiddy. Smith pitched into the sixth inning before Smiddy got the last nine outs.
The 6-foot-5 Smiddy, headed to the University of Louisville, tossed a five-hitter against Steubenville on Thursday. Pitchers can only throw 10 innings in three days by rule, so Smiddy would not have been able to pitch the ninth if Saturday’s game had gotten that far.
“These guys have done this all season long. It’s been a different guy every game,” Bulldogs coach Tom Held said. “That’s a great team over there. I have the utmost respect for Brion Treadway. But today was our day.”
The seventh inning was a roller coaster for Badin. Trailing 2-1, Larkin led off with a 6-3 ground out. Treadway argued that he should’ve been called safe because the throw pulled Smith off the first-base bag too quickly. Videos and still photos of the play seemed to back up his point.
“I don’t go out there to argue unless I really feel something one way or the other,” Treadway said. “That’s all right. It’s a tough job to umpire. They get ’em right most of the time.”
It became a bigger deal when Mulcare followed with a double and scored on Raley’s single.
“You step in the box and just kind of clear out your head and do your job,” Mulcare said. “Like the coaches have been saying, we’ve been playing this game our whole lives. It’s nothing different. The bases are the same 90 feet. The ballpark’s a little bigger, but (it’s) the same game.”
Raley hit the ball hard three times, all to right field.
“They were pitching me away, so I just took it that way,” Raley said. “My friend Ross was on second base, and my job’s to get him in. I was just looking for a pitch over the plate to line into the outfield. I got one, and I took care of it. We’ve got confidence in our teammates. I had plenty of confidence that Daunte (DeCello) behind me would’ve hit him in if I couldn’t have.”
Andrew Walsh ran for Raley, and DeCello’s single put runners on first and second. Gavin Matthews then struck out on a pitch in the dirt and Walsh got nailed at third trying to advance.
“I was a little disappointed in how things transpired after Raley’s hit,” Treadway said. “We’ve been aggressive all year. But I thought we shot ourselves in the foot.”
Beadle entered the game after Nick Taylor gave up a leadoff double to Braden Frederick in the bottom of the sixth. A two-out single by Jimenez gave Defiance its 2-1 advantage, though heading into the eighth, that was the only hit Beadle had allowed.
He then hit Smiddy with a pitch to start the eighth.
“I wish I had that pitch back,” Beadle said. “The break wasn’t very good on it.”
Frederick moved Smiddy to second with a sacrifice bunt, Connor Stykemain was walked, and Charlie Gordon added an infield single. Jimenez and Taylor were the next two batters.
“My arm feels really good. It’s felt good for a couple weeks,” Beadle said. “Coach has put a lot of confidence in me coming back from two surgeries, and I think his confidence is what’s wearing off on me. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get the job done.”
Treadway said he went to Beadle because of his ability to induce ground balls.
“I just wanted to keep it out of the air and let the defense play,” Treadway said. “Jeff’s done a really good job. For him to be pitching in the state finals after labrum surgery from a football injury and coming to me right before tryouts saying he’d like to give pitching a shot, that’s a pretty cool situation.
“Another one of my takeaways was Nick Taylor in his last two starts and the moments that those were in. To see him come out of there as a really great pitcher is great news for the program and for his future.”
Neither team made an error in the home of the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. Center fielder Cole Heflin, shortstop DeCello, left fielder Matthews, third baseman Hogan and Taylor provided some shiny defense for the Rams.
Jimenez marked two hits and an RBI for Defiance. Gordon also drove in a run.
The Bulldogs have won three state championships in the last four years and four titles overall. Badin has made 12 state appearances and is 2-6 in title games.
Badin 010-000-10—2-6-0
Defiance 100-001-01—3-7-0
WP — Shay Smiddy (13-0); LP — Jeff Beadle (0-1). Records: B 22-12, D 29-2
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