Coldwater comes up short in state semifinal game

COLUMBUS - Coldwater had its chances.

But each time it did, Canton Central Catholic delivered a monstrous home run, a near-miraculous catch or a perfect pitch.

Canton Central Catholic right-hander Grant McCoury picked up the win and pounded two tape-measure home runs to help CCC hold off Coldwater 5-4 in a Division III baseball state semifinals Friday at Cooper Stadium.

"We're obviously disappointed," Coldwater starting pitcher Cory Klenke said. "It was a great experience and they have a great team. We had opportunities (Friday) to shine and we weren't able to come through."

McCoury's two-run home run in the third inning gave the Crusaders the lead to stay, 2-1. His second two-run home run pushed the CCC lead to 5-2 in the home fifth inning.

Coldwater scored two in the sixth to get within 5-4.

The Cavaliers had their best chance to take the lead in the top of the seventh.

Chad Westgerdes started the seventh by being hit by a McCoury pitch, Ryan Geier walked.

Exit McCoury. Right-hander Taylor Baker was brought on with runners at first and second and no out.

Tony Harlamert put down a sacrifice bunt to move runners over to second and third with one out.

Baker then got No. 3 hitter Klenke to fly out to shallow center on a first-pitch fastball. Keith Wenning struck out to end the game.

"What can you ask for when you get down to the seventh inning, with two guys on, and you have your 3 and 4 hitters up," Coldwater coach Brian Harlamert said. "In our mind, we had our best chance with our two best hitters up, with two guys on, to win or tie the game."

Baker said, "I went in there and my mindset was to get ahead of the batters. Adrenaline was a big part of it and I worked on locating my pitches."

McCoury went 2-for-2 with two home runs and four RBIs. On the mound, McCoury (9-2) went six innings and gave up four earned runs on three hits. He struck out seven and walked six. He threw 101 pitches, 57 for strikes.

"He's pitching in 90-degree weather, he hits the two home runs. I would say that's a pretty good day's work," CCC coach Doug Miller said.

CCC (29-4) advances to the state championship game against Hamilton Badin (26-6) at 4 p.m. today at Cooper Stadium. Coldwater, which was shooting for its sixth state title and first since 1992, ends the season 27-5.

Coldwater took a 1-0 lead on a perfect suicide squeeze bunt by Harlamert to score Justin Goubeaux from third in the top of the third.

But in the home third, McCoury jumped on a 1-1 breaking ball from Klenke and launched it 15 feet over the 385-foot mark in left-center field for a two-run home run. That gave CCC a 2-1 lead. Mike Roman (3-for-3) had an RBI single later in the third to make it 3-1.

McCoury's second home run, off a 2-2 fastball, again was a laser shot, easily clearing the 385-foot mark in left center and one-hopping a building at least 20 feet past the fence. That made it 5-2.

"Those are probably the two hardest hit balls I've hit this year," McCoury said of his seventh and eighth home runs of the year.

CCC center fielder Max Colaner made two sensational catches to rob Coldwater.

The first came in the fourth when he made a running catch on the warning track, just in front of the 400-foot mark in dead center, off the bat of Keith Schoenherr. The ball was so deep, Wenning was able to score from second on the sacrifice fly to get Coldwater within 3-2.

Then, in the sixth, Kyle Ahrens hit a rocket to right-center field that Colaner caught just at the warning track in front of the 385-foot mark. Once again, all Coldwater could get on the deep fly was a sacrifice fly to make it 5-3.

"He saved them three runs, in my mind, maybe more," Harlamert said of Colaner.

Miller said, "He made two catches that a lot of high school center fielders aren't going to make. And, without question, he kept us in the ballgame."

Bill Geeslin's RBI single in the sixth made it 5-4.

Klenke (6-3), who had his sharp control throughout the tournament, battled his control from the start of the game. He went four innings and gave up five runs, all earned, on five hits. He struck out one and walked five. Klenke threw 99 pitches, 54 for strikes.

"I was all over the place," Klenke said. "I didn't throw well enough for us to win. I didn't deserve to win, that's for sure. But we battled and that's what we're all about."