The Newark baseball team was not satisfied with 20 wins and a district championship. The Wildcats indeed were not done.
Brody Randall fired a five-hit shutout June 2, pitching Newark to a 1-0 victory against Olentangy Liberty in a Division I regional semifinal at Beavers Field at Lancaster. The Wildcats advanced to their first final since 2006.
Newark plays for a regional title against either Olentangy or Olentangy Orange at 2 p.m. June 4 back at Beavers. The Braves and Pioneers played in the later semifinal.
Newark scratched out the lone run in the first inning off Parker Van Engelenhoven, a Louisville signee. Brody Driskel was a hit by a pitch and eventually advanced on a walk and a wild pitch before stealing home with two outs.
Moses Crane led the Wildcats with three hits, and Luke Miller added a pair. Randall, who struck out three, escaped a jam in the bottom of the sixth after the Patriots opened the inning with a triple.
Valley falls in Division IV
Bishop Fenwick used an eight-run third inning to take control and send Licking Valley to a 16-6 defeat in a Division IV regional semifinal at Day Air Ballpark in Dayton.
The Panthers scored a run in the first inning and two in the second to take a 3-0 lead before the Falcons fought back. Zane Hochschild led Valley with an RBI double and an RBI single, and Brody Rodgers added an RBI single.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Newark baseball advances to Division I regional final
Reporting by Kurt Snyder, Newark Advocate / Newark Advocate
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
