District drama

COLDWATER, Ohio — The Wildcats were down to their final out.
With sophomore Isaac Schmiesing standing on second base, his senior brother Bryce ripped a liner down the third baseline.
The younger sibling came around to score the game-tying run, sending Minster and its fans into an uproar.
“Foul ball,” the home plate umpire said.
Sigh of relief for the Indians.
Moments later, they celebrated another title.
Fort Recovery High School senior Jackson Hobbs then struck out the older sibling, securing a 1-0 victory for the top-seeded Indian baseball team Saturday in the Division IV district championship at Coldwater.
It gave Fort Recovery a district crown in back-to-back seasons after going more than six decades between titles.
“I thought it was foul,” said Hobbs, whose team advances to the Region 14 semifinal against the Defiance Ayersville Pilots at 5 p.m. Thursday at Patrick Henry in Hamler. “It bounced on the (foul) side of the line, I don’t know if it bounced in fair territory after the bag.
“That kid just kept battling me though.”
Bryce Schmiesing fouled off four straight pitches, eventually succumbing to Hobbs’ changeup, which had been fooling Minster hitters all afternoon.
“Jackson is Jackson,” said Mike Wiss, Minster’s coach. “He’s not going to overpower you with his fastball, but he’s going to get you out front a little bit as evident by some of the off-the-end-of-the-bat bloopers.
“It’s tough to square one up.”
Hobbs gave up five hits and one intentional walk while striking out five in seven innings, extending his school record for career wins to 29.
“We got this win because our senior pitcher Jackson Hobbs erased all of our mistakes that we tried to do offensively,” said FRHS coach Jerry Kaup, whose team moves to 20-8 on the season. “Jackson Hobbs took it upon his shoulder to erase our mistakes. Here we are with the win. We knew it would be close and we’re thrilled to death.”
Kaup opted to play aggressively from the get-go, testing Minster catcher Ben Stubbs every chance he got.
Nick Thwiats and Hobbs were both picked off trying to steal in the first inning. Again in the third, Thwaits was cut off trying to take second, and Ross Homan was thrown out at third base on a dribbler in front of the plate.
Cade Wendel was also picked off during the fourth inning.
“We wanted to be quite aggressive offensively and put them in a hole,” Kaup said. “Minster responded with every play that they could. (Stubbs) was outstanding. Everything we tried to do backfired or we weren’t successful.”
But it was the aggressiveness of Minster’s defense that led to the game’s only run.
In the third inning, FRHS sophomore speedster Will Homan reached base on the fielder’s choice that got his brother Ross out at third, and he successfully stole second to get in scoring position. Minster second baseman Alex Lehmkuhl was cheating more toward second to hold Will Homan at the bag, and Thwaits hit an opposite-field single between Lehmkuhl and first baseman Brett Hoelscher to bring Homan around for the game’s only run.
“He’s an excellent hitter and that’s why we have him in the (leadoff) spot,” Kaup said of Thwaits, who dazzled on the mound and at the plate in the district semifinal on Wednesday. The sophomore flamethrower had a double and two singles at the dish, and struck out 10 while no-hitting St. Henry for 6 2/3 innings.
“Fabulous piece of hitting,” Kaup said. “Will, with his speed, was able to come around to score. As it ended up, that was the only run anyone got.”
It was also the only time a player from either team reached third base.
Minster (19-10) had its chances, but the Fort Recovery defense came through with some big plays, particularly from second baseman Ben Homan.
The sophomore extended to cut down a line shot during the first inning. He bobbled a ball right at second base with two runners on but fired to first for the final out of the fifth inning.
One inning later, Minster’s Josh Nixon hit a bullet up the middle that appeared as if it was going to be a leadoff single, but the lanky infielder took two steps to his right and leaped to make a backhanded grab.
“Benny Homan, I have to tip my cap to him,” Hobbs said. Homan also had three assists. “Great play in the first (inning) and great play in the sixth. Those are big momentum builders because it quiets them down and gets us up.
“It is great to trust my defense and keep pounding the (strike) zone.”
Kaup feels he finally has his players in the right defensive positions after spending most of the year finding the right spots for his long list of versatile players.
“Sometimes you have players who are unique or are going to be designated to certain spots,” he said. “This year I didn’t. I have a handful and a half that can play anywhere.
“We’re feeling more comfortable about where we need to position players and where they are the most comfortable. I’m tickled and very happy they were able to perform.”
When the season began, Kaup, Hobbs and the Indians expected to reach another district championship. With that goal out of the way, two more wins separate the Indians from another regional title, and four from the ultimate goal of a state championship.
“The expectations are to just keep winning,” Hobbs said. “Four more to win the whole thing, but two more just to get back to (the state finals in) Columbus.
“We’re right where we want to be right now.”