It’s been six days since Barnesville’s improbable run through the Ohio Division III regional tournament began, highlighted by two comebacks and just the program’s second regional championship, and first since 2004.
Six days after a marathon 12-inning, 3-2 victory that saw the Shamrocks need, and successfully push, two runs in the bottom of the 12th.
It’s been five days since that same team came back the following morning and dispatched of Minford, after 10-7, after getting down 4-2 after three innings.
Late Monday evening, Barnesville head coach D.J. Butler was still a bit wide-eyed at the weekend’s events. He was certainly taking it all in.
“It’s still kind of surreal,” said Butler late Monday evening. “I’m not sure if it’s sunk in yet. I don’t know if it will really hit me until we walk into that stadium Thursday.”
There, waiting now on Friday morning at 10 a.m.–thanks for an impending wet foreast–at Akron’s Canal Park, will be Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, with the winner advancing to the Division III state championship game.
Barnesville’s never won a state title in baseball and, for that matter, neither has CHCA. This is, however, the Eagles fourth trip to the state semis and first since 2017.
For Barnesville? Just its second and, in Butler’s case, his first. The longtime Shamrocks’ coach has enjoyed a successful career in Western Belmont County, but that 2004 team was before his time. His previous best mark was a regional final appearance as the head coach at Jewett-Scio.
Business Trip
Butler allowed himself the opportunity to take it all in. He made sure the team arrived in Akron early Wednesday to be able to do the same.
But this isn’t a sightseeing trip, and Barnesville certainly isn’t playing the “we’re happy to be here” fiddle.
Barnesville is here to win. The Shamrocks set a school record for victories in a season, but it’s not like the program is devoid of strong teams.
Butler noted he’s had a number of good teams throughout his tenure, along with some extremely talented players. The problem? They couldn’t quite get over that postseason hump.
“We’ve had very good teams and seasons, but we didn’t have that tournament success. We couldn’t finish it off,” Butler said. “Honestly, the way these kids get a long, and the way they work, even extra work on their own, that’s the difference.”
That’s why two weekends ago, Butler made a drive through Memorial Park and saw many of his players taking ground balls in the infield, working in the batting cages, and all on their own volition.
They practice on their own together. They hang out together. They recently gathered, ordered pizza, and watched the Floyd Mayweather-Logan Paul “fight” on television.
It’s a close-knit group that is ready to stand and get each other’s backs.
That’s also why twice when Shamrocks got down during the regional, Butler didn’t panic. He certainly wasn’t concerned about his players doing so.
“Even after we walked off the field after (Fredericktown) scored, Ayden (Hannahs) and Jeremy (Hunkler) were like ‘don’t worry, we got this,’ and they did. They don’t give up,” Butler said. “They don’t panic at all. (Friday) I think adrenaline carried over into the next day and when they got to the stadium, it woke them up and they realized what they were playing for.”,
Getting It Done
Stats never tell the entire story. But a quick glance at Barnesville’s season numbers and it’s easy to see a big reason why this team is playing tomorrow in Akron—pitching.
Ayden Hannahs is the staff ace and for good reason. He’s 5-1 with a 1.79 ERA with a team-leading 71 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings of work.
Hannahs will likely take the hill Thursday, and when Barnesville needs a big out, Butler needs look no further than his right-hander.
But he’s far from alone.
Jake Edwards actually leads the team in wins (6-1), and is second in ERA (1.56). Kason Powell (4-1) actually boasts the team’s lowest ERA at 1.12 while Brady Wildes is second in strikeouts with 46. The staff combined has a 2.07 ERA.
Don’t forget Gavin Carpenter either. He’s 5-1 with three saves and 39 strikeouts.
Only five times did Barnesville opponents score more than five runs in a game, and the Shamrocks still found a way to win two of those.
Offensively, three batters hit for .350 or better, led by Hannahs at .421, followed by Edwards at .396 and Carpenter at .355.
“Last weekend, they went out to the park on their own and were hitting ground balls to each other and hitting in the cages. They do stuff together outside of baseball. They enjoy playing together.”
This is not a team that lives and dies by the long ball. Collectively, the ’Rocks only have two home runs. But they two average .325 as a team and possess a great degree of team speed.
In short, the Shamrocks get on base. And when they do, they are running. Led by Hannahs, who leads the team with 16 steals, Barnesville has 66 steals, including five guys with, at minimum, eight.
Edwards and Carpenter have 29 RBI apiece; Jeremy Hunkler has 28 right behind them. Nothing gawdy by any stretch, but the teams 193 RBI are spread out throughout the order.
The team has been hitting recently, and every batter is getting involved.
“We had a bit of a lull (following the OVAC Tournament),” Butler admitted. “We were winning close games, but only having like 3-4 hits per game. Even the other night, when we only scored three runs (against Fredericktown), we still had 10 hits. When we’re not, we’re getting hard outs and putting the ball in play.”
