When the high school baseball season begins in March, a main goal for many Geauga County baseball teams is to be playing baseball in June.
When the high school baseball season begins in March, a main goal for many Geauga County baseball teams is to be playing baseball in June.
Although most high school baseball teams will not attain this goal, the Chagrin Falls Tigers achieved this excellent accomplishment.
To realize this difficult task, the Tigers had an excellent regular season.
A clear sign that the Tigers were on their way to playing well was on April 2, when they faced the Lakewood Rangers, who went on to win 27 straight games.
Although they lost 5-1 to a tough Rangers squad, they bounced back quickly with a 2-1 victory over the Mayfield Wildcats and a 9-5, nine inning victory over the Orange Lions.
Throughout April, the Tigers battled hard going 8-7 for the month against tough competition. Many of their games were extremely close as they lost three games by one run (Rootstown, Solon, Crestwood), and one game by two runs (St. Vincent-St. Mary). They also lost close games to Hawken (6-3) and Berkshire (4-1).
However, in April, they also won close games with hard fought victories over Beachwood (12-11), Wickliffe (7-6), Brush (7-5) and Rootstown (3-1).
In their quest to play in June, things on the scoreboard turned around for the Tigers in May.
For the month of May, the Tigers went 10-2 defeating strong CVC competition including the Crestwood Red Devils (8-0), Kirtland Hornets (1-0 and 6-1), Hawken Hawks (9-1), and the West Geauga Wolverines (2-1). The Tigers also had excellent non-conference victories over the Holy Name Green Wave (8-7) and the Kenston Bombers (9-4).
In the first round of the OHSAA playoffs, the Tigers won the Sectional Title when they defeated the Clearview Clippers,18-0, on May 22.
The Tigers then defeated the Tuslaw Mustangs, 4-1, on May 27 and the Berkshire Badgers, 9-3, on May 29.
After defeating the Badgers to win the OHSAA District Title, the Tigers took on the Waynedale Golden Bears at Massillon High School on June 3.
In an extremely close OHSAA Regional Semifinal game against the Golden Bears, the Tigers fell, 2-0.
Starting on the mound for the Tigers was senior Jack Watson.
Watson pitched an excellent game as he threw 6 innings, only giving up 2 runs on six hits, while striking out six Golden Bears batters.
In fact, Watson held the Golden Bears scoreless through the first four innings of the Regional Semifinal game.
However, the Golden Bears were able to plate one run in the fifth, and one run in the sixth to claim a 2-0 victory over the Tigers.
“It came down to two phenomenal pitchers, probably two of the better pitchers in Division V, if not the state, and they both just have amazing stuff,” said Chagrin Falls Head Baseball Coach Mike Sweeney. “Neither one of them lights up the radar gun at 90 or anything, but their stuff is phenomenal.”
He continued: “We knew going in, if we could score a run or two, that might be all we need, and they probably knew the same. They came out and had a couple of big hits and we just weren’t able to get those big hits.”
Added sophomore left fielder Dylan Pribanic, “The defense was great all game.”
“If a few plays just went another way, I feel like we could have won this game.”
For the game, offensively the Tigers had four hits, one apiece by Henry Cimperman, Eric Nemunaitis, Dylan Pribanic, and Joey Tenebria.
Throughout the playoffs, Cimperman (5-10), Pribanic (6-13), and Tenebria (6-14) led the Tigers offensively.
For the season, the Tigers were led offensively by senior Henry Cimperman who hit .376 with a .480 on base percentage, 2 HR, and 25 RBI.
Also, on the mound throughout the season and the playoffs, Watson pitched extremely well. In fact, on May 22 against the Clearview Clippers, Watson threw a no hitter while striking out 13 batters.
Watson then followed up his no-hitter with another splendid outing against the Tuslaw Mustangs on May 28 when he only gave up one run on six hits and struck out 10 batters in the Tigers 4-1 OHSAA District Semifinal victory.
Overall, Watson had a great season on the mound, going 10-2, with 2 saves. In 76.2 innings of work, Watson accumulated a 1.187 ERA, while striking out 118 batters.
In reflecting on the season, Coach Sweeney said that the Tigers had a great year and met their main goals.
“It was an amazing season from where we started,” Coach Sweeney said. “I think at one point we were at 8-7, and we finished up 20-11. We got our goals of winning the conference, winning 20 games, and we got to Regionals. Obviously, we would like to get a little further, but when you run into a team like that, that team is as good as any teams in other divisions too, not just Division V. It was a great year.”
Sophomore left fielder Dylan Pribanic added, “Towards the beginning of the season, we knew we were going to have a really good season, with Watson back, Ash (Martin) back after missing last year with injuries. We started off pretty slow and then we decided we were going to start a whole new season after game six.”
“We’ve just been on a roll ever since, beating all the teams, winning the CVC, getting to the District, winning the District, getting this far in the playoffs, getting 20 wins, so we just turned the season around.”
