“Sullivan threw the heck out of the ball today,” Mohawks coach Matt Morrison said. “Hats off to him and the Madeira team. They’ve got some great leadership over there with a lot of talent. They were the better team today for sure.”
REGIONAL BASEBALL COVERAGE
» Division IV: Cincinnati Christian 6, Russia 1
Sullivan, a junior right-hander, struck out nine, walked two and gave up an unearned run. Madison’s Jesse Jones reached base on an error in the second inning and came home on a wild pitch.
The Mohawks, Southwestern Buckeye League Buckeye Division champions, finished 23-5 and are still seeking their first regional win. They also advanced to regional play in 1975.
“I’m sad to see it all go,” said Jones, who played his last game for Madison along with fellow seniors Reid Davis and Ben Paarlberg. “It was a very good year. We went 12-0 in the league, and that was pretty exciting. I just think we could’ve played better today.”
Davis was the lone Mohawk with two hits, a single and a double. Sophomore lefty Tristan Sipple took his only loss of the season on the mound, giving up seven hits and three runs in six innings before Davis finished.
Sipple admitted he wasn’t 100 percent.
“We went to the chiropractor Tuesday, and he said my ribs are out of place,” said Sipple, who struck out 10 and walked three. “He popped them back in, but I went back Wednesday and they were out. I didn’t think I was going to be able to pitch. I just tried to battle through it.”
Even with the pain, he didn’t want to leave the mound after six innings.
“I thought it was my business to finish,” Sipple said.
Sullivan scored three times for the Mustangs (19-6). He reached base on a fielder’s choice and crossed the plate on a wild pitch in the fourth inning.
Josh Cobb delivered a tie-breaking two-run single in the sixth. He also had an RBI single in the seventh.
REGIONAL SOFTBALL COVERAGE
» Division I: Lebanon 6, Lakota East 3
» Division I: Lakota West 9, Mason 3
“We just strung it together,” Madeira coach Scott Stocker said. “They threw a really good lefty at us, and we battled and pieced it together, stole some bases.
“Ty was dominant on the mound. He commanded the strike zone very well. I kind of knew the way Ty was throwing they weren’t going to get much once he settled in.”
Tyler Richmond, Trey Waltz and Sullivan all had two hits for the winners. Nick Schroeder marked an RBI in the seventh when he got hit by a pitch with the bases full.
Sipple said the Mohawks were loose and ready to go when the game started. They actually played a little basketball before making the trip to Xenia.
“Sipple has kept us in games all year, and he did the same thing tonight,” Morrison said. “We just didn’t catch a rhythm offensively, and that’s my fault.
“I’m very proud of this group. They accomplished a lot. You hate to say goodbye to your seniors, but Ben, Jesse and Reid have been great building blocks for our future. I wish them the best because they’ve done nothing but become great young men for us. We’re thankful for them.
“I knew we had talent to work with this year, but I wasn’t sure exactly where we were going to be. These guys have exceeded expectations. Now the bar is set high.”
Madeira will be back in Xenia on Friday to meet Blanchester for the regional title at 5 p.m. Stocker said he’ll start his ace, Wright State-bound Sam Wirsing, on the mound.
Madeira 000-102-2—5-11-2
Madison 010-000-0—1-4-1
WP — Tyler Sullivan (4-1); LP — Tristan Sipple (8-1). Records: Madeira 19-6, Madison 23-5
About the Author