The Jackson Polar Bears showcased their high-powered offense, excellent defense and great pitching for an 8-2 win over Strongsville in the 2017 Division I State Championship.
Sophomore right hander Yianni Skeriotis (9-0) worked a complete game, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits, striking out five.
Jackson’s star senior catcher Dillon Dingler continued to impress, going 3-for-3 with two singles, a double, a run scored and two runs batted in.
The Ohio State commit put Jackson on the board in the bottom of the third with an RBI bunt single, scoring Josh Romans from third.
Dillion Dingler RBI bunt single. 1-0 Jackson bottom 3 pic.twitter.com/iyUEEWeAVQ
— NEO Sports Insiders (@NEOSportsInside) June 3, 2017
Dingler went 6-for-7 in the two State Tournament games in Columbus with five singles, a double, 3 RBI and two runs scored.
Senior Kyle Nicolas, who pitched a complete game in the State Semifinal, drove in the second run of the night with an RBI single.
RBI single from Kyle Nicolas makes it 2-0 in the bottom of the 3rd pic.twitter.com/LJdHO1o6VX
— NEO Sports Insiders (@NEOSportsInside) June 3, 2017
Strongsville left hander Jaret Beechy escaped the inning, but Jackson would strike again in the fourth, as Nick Harrison added onto the lead with a sac fly, scoring Davis Graham from third.
Sac fly from Nick Harrison makes it 3-0 Jackson in the bottom of the 4th pic.twitter.com/TZJMdP8f59
— NEO Sports Insiders (@NEOSportsInside) June 3, 2017
Mitch Midea moved from shortstop to the mound to relieve Beechy, but Jackson added two more runs in the fourth.
Alex Gray came in to pitch after starting the game in center field and worked his way out of the inning, but the damage was done, as Jackson owned a 5-0 lead.
The Mustangs loaded the bases in the top of the fifth, but Skeriotis kept Strongsville off the board.
Cade Mottice delivered a two-run double to left to blow the game open, making it 7-0 in the bottom of the fifth.
Cade Mottice 2 run double. Jackson leads 7-0 in the bottom of the 5th pic.twitter.com/41b25Z5e0J
— NEO Sports Insiders (@NEOSportsInside) June 4, 2017
Dingler added onto the lead with an RBI double, giving Jackson an 8-0 lead heading to the sixth.
Parker Shannon and Jack Frank started the sixth with back-to-back singles.
Shannon scored on an errant throw to first from Dingler and Frank advanced to third.
Noah Trizzino plated an RBI double to make it an 8-2 game.
Noah Trizzino RBI double. 8-2 pic.twitter.com/r0sUKWQL8b
— NEO Sports Insiders (@NEOSportsInside) June 4, 2017
Trizzino finished the day 3-for-3, with three of Strongsville’s six hits.
The Mustangs went down fighting, as senior right fielder Kyler Damm plated a triple to left center with one out in the top of the seventh, but Skeriotis stayed in to finish the complete game.
“We never quit,” Strongsville head coach Doug Cicerchi said after the game.
“We never ever quit. Jackson was just better tonight. They’ve been the best program for the last two years and they showed that in all facets, but our kids never quit. Even when things weren’t going well for us, they kept competing. I never saw bad body language, maybe for a pitch, but then they’d take a breath and come right back, lock it back in and go and approach and attack the next at-bat. I’m just extremely proud of them.”
Jackson finishes off the historic season with 30 wins, two losses, and its second state championship in school history. The first one came in 2014, when the members of Jackson’s impressive senior class were freshmen.
Jackson head coach Bill Gamble reflected on his team’s accomplishments after the game.
Jackson Coach Bill Gamble post game comments pic.twitter.com/BmDsQbbwQY
— NEO Sports Insiders (@NEOSportsInside) June 4, 2017
Dingler also spoke to media after the win, crediting his team’s selflessness.
Dillion Dingler State Championship post game comments. pic.twitter.com/PcyjdIKr7H
— NEO Sports Insiders (@NEOSportsInside) June 4, 2017
Nicolas talked about winning two state championships in his senior year, along with Dingler, as a member of the basketball team, as well.
Kyle Nicolas reflects on State Championship pic.twitter.com/a09ZPGfORz
— NEO Sports Insiders (@NEOSportsInside) June 4, 2017
Nicolas will move on to Ball State, but the pitching staff is in good hands with Skeriotis, who credited his teammate for showing him the way of what it takes to be great.
Yanni Skeriotis credits Kyle Nicolas and seniors for showing him what it takes to be great pic.twitter.com/usafJV1iME
— NEO Sports Insiders (@NEOSportsInside) June 4, 2017
Congratulations to the Jackson Polar Bears on their State Championship, to the Strongsville Mustangs on an outstanding season and to both of these programs for representing Northeast Ohio with class.
Best of luck to all the seniors going forward.
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