Thursday’s games
What: Division II state baseball tournament, Steubenville (25-2) vs. Defiance (27-2), 10 a.m.; Badin (21-11) vs. Poland Seminary (28-3), 1 p.m.
Where: Huntington Park, 330 Huntington Park Lane, Columbus
Championship: 10 a.m. Saturday at Huntington Park
Mitchell Raley’s glove has seen very little game action this season. Such is life when you’re owned by a designated hitter.
The senior has no problem with his role as the DH for Badin High School’s baseball team, which will meet Poland Seminary in a Division II state semifinal Thursday at Huntington Park in Columbus.
“I’ve felt pretty comfortable there,” Raley said. “I like it a lot.”
He’s played some first base this year for the Rams and plans to play there next season at Ohio Wesleyan University.
For now, though, Raley’s bat is his contribution. He’s hitting .288 with six doubles and seven RBIs, a big jump from his .150 performance (3-for-20) as a junior.
“He’s become a versatile hitter,” Badin coach Brion Treadway said. “He’s attacking pitches throughout the strike zone and not just having one sweet spot, which he kind of fell into last year. Now he’s protecting the whole plate and hitting offspeed. He’s an outstanding young man, a kid that just puts in the work.”
Raley said there’s no secret to his increased production: “Just a lot of work in the offseason, a lot of work on the tee and a lot of work with the hitting coach.”
The downside to being a DH is obvious: It’s a one-dimensional approach to helping the team. Most players that have a bad at-bat can grab their glove and try to make up for it with their defense. The DH waits for his next at-bat.
“That’s true, but I have confidence in my teammates,” Raley said. “If I do something wrong, I have confidence in the guys behind me that they’ll pick me up.”
He isn’t expecting the Rams to be affected by nerves when they hit the big stage in Columbus .
“We’ve been in big games up at Mason and throughout the tournament,” Raley said. “It’s the same thing. It’s just a game, and we’re preparing for it. We’ve got a good mind-set. We’ll be ready to go on Thursday.”
Championship memories: Badin's run to the state tournament marks the 20-year anniversary of the Rams' last state title in 1996.
Badin defeated Avon Lake 3-1 in the semifinals and Tallmadge 7-5 in the title game at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium in Canton. The winning pitcher in both games was a guy named Brion Treadway.
Just a junior that season, Treadway threw a two-hitter with eight strikeouts against Avon Lake, then came back with 1.2 hitless innings in relief of Ryan Pogozalski against Tallmadge.
What does Treadway, who finished with an 11-1 record in 1996, remember the most from that time?
“I think just winning it all with a team full of guys that I was friends with,” he said. “There’s nothing better than being able to say you’re the best team in the state. You throw that last pitch and hear the crowd erupt. You know you just won and you’re the best in the state, and there’s just no other feeling like that.
“I remember the drive home, the four-hour drive from Canton, knowing that we were state champs, knowing that we were coming back to Badin to celebrate with our community. Great memories.”
The last pitch he threw in the state tournament was hit very hard. Tallmadge had a man on first base with two outs when Aaron Caipen drove a ball deep to left-center. Fortunately for the Rams, Nick Yordy was there to grab it and start the celebration.
“Honestly, I thought it was gone off the bat. I don’t even think I saw Nick Yordy catch it because I feared to look out there,” Treadway said. “But then I heard the crowd erupt — our side — and I knew it was over. I just kind of collapsed into the arms of (catcher) Matt Marcum and started enjoying the special moment.”
Badin’s only other state championship also came with one pitcher getting both Final Four victories. That was Joe Giuliano in 1991.
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