Olentangy Orange Baseball's State Title Dreams Dashed by St. Xavier

AKRON – The quest for Olentangy Orange's first state championship ended in disappointment as they suffered a 5-0 defeat against Cincinnati St. Xavier in a Division I semifinal on June 11 at 7 17 Credit Union Park. St. Xavier's Jack Ryan, a pitcher committed to Boston College, delivered a stellar performance, allowing only three hits to the Pioneers, all of which came in the opening three innings. Ryan struck out eight batters and issued one walk during the game.

The Bombers, now with a record of 26-5, are set to face Cincinnati Moeller for the state title at 4 p.m. on June 12 in Akron. Meanwhile, Olentangy Orange concluded their season with a 24-6 record, marking their third appearance in the state tournament and their first since 2023. The Pioneers also competed in the state tournament back in 2017.

In a highly anticipated matchup featuring two standout pitchers, Ryan and Olentangy senior Reid Hemrick, a surprising offensive star emerged for St. Xavier: sophomore Dominic Dials. With a batting average of .245 leading into the game, Dials hit both of his first two home runs of the season. He opened the scoring in the third inning with a leadoff home run to right field and followed up with a two-run homer in the fourth, extending the Bombers' lead to 3-0.

Adding to the Pioneers' woes, Dillon Brus contributed a two-run triple later in the fourth inning. Hemrick, who is committed to Toledo, pitched five innings, giving up five runs on five hits while striking out three and walking four batters. Mason Poulter provided relief, throwing two scoreless innings for Orange.

This marks a significant chapter in Olentangy Orange's baseball journey, as the team continues to strive for success on the state level.

High school sports reporter Frank DiRenna can be contacted at fdirenna@dispatch.com and on social media @DispatchFrank.

This article was originally published in The Columbus Dispatch.