About 28 hours before, with Kenston trailing 2-0 and down to their last three outs in the regional semifinal, it seemed improbable that the Bombers would be celebrating in this way — but they definitely did believe that they could win. The momentum from June 9 carried over to June 10 in the Bombers' victory over Ontario, 4-3, to win the OHSAA Division II State Championship.
Game photos click here. For the box score click here.
“I believe!” “I believe!”
“I believe that we have won!” “I believe that we have won!”
So shouted the Kenston Crazies student section on June 10 as their baseball team won the state championship.
About 28 hours before, with Kenston trailing 2-0 and down to their last three outs in the regional semifinal, it seemed improbable that the Bombers would be celebrating in this way — but they definitely did believe that they could win.
The momentum from June 9 carried over to June 10 in the Bombers’ victory over Ontario, 4-3, to win the OHSAA Division II State Championship.
“Best feeling in the world,” Kenston’s Parker Munday said. “I have been waiting for this moment since I was a kid. I am happy that I could go out on a high note like this.”
Added senior Carter Flynn, “It’s an unreal feeling. All the hard work and dedication, all the early mornings and late nights, just feels all the better now.
“We did it, this was the goal: come back from last year and make another run.”
Ontario took a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning of this championship game.
But the Bombers came right back with three runs of their own in the second inning to go up, 3-1.
Georgiou singled in the first run, followed by a Bridger Bischof double that drove Georgiou in from first.
Kenston scored its third run on a squeeze bunt by Grant Beclay, which scored Bischof.
The Bombers scored a very important insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Jimmy Cehra drove LA Mighton home to put the Bombers up, 4-1.
The Ontario Warriors were not going to give up, go. They scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to fight back, making it 4-3.
“They started getting hits, putting the pressure on,” Georgiou said. “We just had to bear down. Struck out two, got the pressure off.
“I just knew I had to go out there the last inning and just give it my all.”
In the seventh inning, Georgiou made a game-ending double play thanks to nice defensive play by Kenston second baseman Tommy Pecoraro.
“I saw him (Tommy) catch it on the palm; I thought it dropped,” Georgiou said. “He got up, threw it to second — oh my god, I could not be happier.
“I’m speechless, it’s just such a surreal moment. We’ve worked so hard for this, to come out here and win. It’s just wonderful.”
Georgiou pitched an excellent championship game. He scattered seven hits, only allowed two earned runs, and struck out seven.
The Bombers were led offensively by Tommy Pecoraro (2-2), Bridger Bischof (1-2) and Grant Beclay (1-2).
Excellent offensive and defensive performances have been led the past two years by Head Coach Joe Hritz and his coaching staff — continuing the great success developed by former Kenston Head Coach Bob Ford.
Tyler Rendlesham, a former Kenston baseball player under Coach Ford, now pitching coach for the Bombers, talked about how meaningful the win felt.
“To come back and be able to coach this team and win a state championship means the world to me,” Rendlesham said. “We’ve told these guys from the beginning, they are so much better than they believed they were at the beginning of the year. They just had to believe and put some games together.
“I think we proved to everybody we are a team to be reckoned with for years to come. We’re trying to build something, and I think this is a good foundation that we have started.”
Added Assistant Coach Ryan Kitay: “Kenston is a baseball school now!”
