2023 Cambridge Bobcats

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Bobcats are one win away
Kevin Sutton
The Daily Jeffersonian



Senior Jake Valentine hugs catcher Regan Rogers after Cambridge secured a 3-2 win over New Philadelphia in Thursday's Division II regional semifinal at Cadiz Harrison Central. Valentine tossed a complete game effort to earn the pitching win for the Bobcats.
CADIZ − One win away.

That's all the Cambridge High baseball team needs to secure a coveted spot in the OHSAA Division II baseball Final Four championship bracket following Thursday's 3-2 victory over New Philadelphia in a Division II regional semifinal matchup at Mazeroski Field.

"We're now just one step away, and we are not done," an emotional CHS head coach Jamaal Lowery explained. "We are not satisfied. This group is just crazy and I'm so proud of them. We've been here before, but just couldn't take that next step.

"We got past that step now, so we might as well go win and get into the Final Four," Lowery added. "And we don't care who we play in the regional finals, just bring them on. We will be ready to go."

Cambridge will now take Washington Court House, which beat Bloom Carroll 4-2 in the other regional semifinal, in the regional final on Friday at 5 p.m. at Ohio Dominican's Panther Field.

And as usual in big game situations for the Bobcats, Lowery handed the baseball to his 'Dawg' in senior ace hurler Jake Valentine.

"All day it was Jake getting the baseball today," Lowery explained. "He's been my ace for three years, and it would have been four if not for COVID. It was a gutsy performance out there by Jake, they got back-to-back doubles there and got a run and its a one run-ball game.

"But then Jake did, just what Jakes does and that's delivers," Lowery added. "He battled back and struck that last guy out to get the job done and send us to the regional finals. Jake battled through a couple rough spots, but he's just such a great competitor. I always know I'm getting him best effort every time he steps on the mound."

Valentine delivered a complete game, five-hitter and closed out the 3-2 win by striking out New Philadelphia's Matt Steele to end the game.



Cambridge's Jake Valentine delivers a pitch during a 3-2 win over New Philadelphia in Thursday's Division II regional semifinal at Cadiz Harrison Central.
Valentine finished his day's work with six Ks and a pair of walks to earn the win on the mound.

"It feels really great to come through for my team in a big game like this," Valentine offered. "To start and be able to finish is just phenomenal, and knowing my team has my back. I can just relax and concentrate on pounding the strike zone.

"We are getting closer and closer to our ultimate goal," Valentine added. "A spot in the Final Four, and now we just need one more win. And I don't care who we play, although I would like a shot at Bloom Carroll as we owe them something from a few years ago."

Cambridge wasted little time in getting the offense cranked up with leadoff hitter Keaton Kyser greeting New Philadelphia starter Carter Vandall with a lead off single.

Senior Caden Moore then executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Kyser into scoring position at second base. Senior Regan Rogers sent a fly ball that was tracked down in deep right field for the second out of the inning.

Valentine then aided his own cause, with a clutch two-out RBI single to bring Kyser across the plate for a 1-0 Bobcats' lead.

But Cambridge was not quite done with its two-out magic, as senior Davion Bahr ripped a double into the left center gap to bring Valentine home, extending the Bobcats' advantage to 2-0.

In the bottom of the second, the Bobcats again came up with some two-out magic. Kyser banged out his second straight hit to get things started. The speedy Kyser promptly swiped second to move into scoring position, with Moore following with a base hit to put Bobcats on first and third with two outs.

Moore broke for second base on Vandall's second pitch to Rogers, and Quaker catcher Nick Bollen opted to throw down to second to try to gun down Moore for the final out of the frame. But Moore slid safely into second base, with Kyser crossing home plate on the play to boost the Cambridge lead to 3-0.

New Philadelphia reached Valentine for a run in the top of the third inning to pull within 3-1.

The Quakers then made things a bit interesting in the top of the sixth, with Vandall and Maddux Brown stroking back-to-back doubles to narrow the Cambridge advantage to 3-2.

But Valentine regrouped to put out the rally then closed out the victory facing just four hitters in the bottom of the seventh.

Kyser had himself a day for the Bobcats, finishing with a perfect 3-for-3 day with three singles, as Cambridge had seven hits in the game.

Moore, Valentine and senior Angelo Rocco added singles with Bahr collecting his run-scoring, two-base hit for Cambridge, which improved to 17-4 with the victory.

Kyser added a stolen base, scored two runs and then teamed with shortstop Bradyn Gregg to turn a key fourth inning double play to short circuit a New Philadelphia rally attempt.

"I just tried to go up to the plate calm and look for a pitch to hit," Kyser explained. "Once I got on to start the game, C Moore bunts me over with a perfect sacrifice. Then JR (Valentine) comes through like he always does and gets me home.

"It's just a team game and that's how we play," Kyser continued. "It was a nice play by Bradyn on the double play, he came and got the ball and gave me a sweet feed and I was able to get it over to Andy. Like I said, its a team game, that's the way we roll."

Vandall took the loss for New Philadelphia (13-10), allowing three runs on seven hits with eight Ks and one walk.

[email protected]; @KevinDJsports

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Bobcats come up short in Final Four quest
Kevin Sutton
The Daily Jeffersonian

COLUMBUS − Cambridge High's spirited tournament run came to an end on Friday afternoon at Ohio Dominican University's Frank Damian Field, just one game short of earning a spot in the OHSAA's Division II Final Four.

The Bobcats dropped a 10-0 decision to Washington Court House in a six-inning, mercy-rule game to come up just short of winning the school's first-ever regional baseball championship.

"Naturally this was not the result we wanted," Cambridge head coach Jamaal Lowery explained. "We knew coming into the game that they had some really good pitching, with the lefty (Miller) that we saw today throwing a perfect game this season.

"We started slowly offensively," Lowery added. "Then we started to hit the ball hard, but they were able to make the plays, including a few really standout plays. They just had all the answers, and that's just the game of baseball sometimes."

Ending the Bobcats' postseason march was a stellar pitching performance from the Washington Court House duo of Will Miller and Andrew Dallmayer, who combined to toss a no hitter. The pair only issued one free pass, facing 19 batters while recording 18 outs.

Despite the disappointing conclusion, Lowery pointed out the accomplishments of his squad with the Elite Eight appearance.

"For me I think back to where this program started, and where we are now," Lowery explained. "In the last 2-3 years, this team has played for OVAC championships, captured a pair of district titles and today played for a regional championship with a shot at advancing to state championship Final Four.

"All stepping stones to now have this program headed in the right direction," Lowery continued. "This was a storybook season with this group putting up memories that will last a lifetime. I'm just very proud of this group, and they have nothing to feel bad about. This result does not take anything away from what they accomplished."

Freshman Garrett Carpenter took the mound for the Bobcats and got off to a shaky start with the Washington Court House offense jumping out to the lead early, scoring three runs on four hits in the bottom of the first inning.

Cambridge leadoff man Keaton Kyser takes out of the box after connecting during Friday's Division II regional championship matchup with Washington Court House at Ohio Dominican University.
Carpenter settled down after the rough start, keeping the Blue Lions off the scoreboard in both the second and third innings before surrendering the fourth run on a hit and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth frame.

Freshman Dawson Geese relieved Carpenter in the fifth, recording the final two outs of the inning. Geese then ran into trouble in the sixth and was replaced by senior Caden Moore after the Blue Lions put together five singles with three hit batters to score six runs and end the game early with the 10-0 final margin.

Carpenter took the loss for the Bobcats, allowing four runs on six hits and four walks, while striking out three. Geese worked an inning and was charged with six runs, while giving up four hits and a base on balls with three strikeouts. Moore recorded a strikeout before the game ended.

Washington Court House improved to an impressive 27-1 mark on the season and will now take on Ontario on Friday at 1 p.m. in Division II state semifinal action at Canal Park in Akron.

"My five seniors, Jake Valentine, Caden Moore, Davion Bahr, Andy Ogle and Angelo Rocco, are going to be missed,” Lowery said. “Those seniors went out with an Elite Eight appearance and were huge part of building the program to what it is today. They all have bright futures and I’ll always cherish these past four years with them.”

The Bobcats finished the season with a 17-5 record and their second District Championship in three seasons.