2023 Baseball State Tournament Pairings

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2023 Baseball State Tournament Pairings

All games at Canal Park, Akron.
Home team listed first.
All games live on NFHS Network and OHSAA Radio Network.
Rankings are from the final Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association State Poll released May 22.

Division I
No. 1 Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (29-3) vs. No. 6 Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (26-3-1), Thurs., 10 a.m.
Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (22-10) vs. No. 10 Whitehouse Anthony Wayne (27-4), Thurs., 1 p.m.
Division I State Championship Game: Sat., June 10 at 10 a.m.

Division IV
No. 5 Russia (25-6) vs. No. 4 St. Henry (24-6), Thurs., 4 p.m.
No. 3 Tiffin Calvert (29-2) vs. No. 1 Berlin Hiland (28-1), Thurs., 7 p.m.
Division IV State Championship Game: Sat., June 10 at 1 p.m.

Division II
No. 7 Dayton Chaminade Julienne (27-5) vs. Chagrin Falls Kenston (19-11), Fri., 10 a.m.
No. 5 Washington Court House Washington (27-1) vs. Ontario (16-14), Fri., 1 p.m.
Division II State Championship Game: Sat., June 10 at 4 p.m.

Division III
Apple Creek Waynedale (22-9) vs. Toledo Ottawa Hills (22-10), Fri., 4 p.m.
No. 20 Heath (22-8) vs. Cadiz Harrison Central (19-12), Fri., 7 p.m.
Division III State Championship Game: Sat., June 10 at 7 p.m.
 
 
Games need to be in a centralized part of the state. (Tongue in cheek)

Although I haven't been since they left Huntington Park. That place was an amazing venue for the state finals. I remember some classics there. Chaminade/Wapak a few years ago. Badin/Defiance. Coldwater/ Wheelersburg semi final that went something like 12 innings. Great memories.
 
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Bill Davis would be awful, anyway, IMHO. Very, very limited seat back seating. Way too much bleacher seating. For a fan watching just one game, not a huge deal. But my wife and I have attended every state tournament game for 13 years, and we would be MISERABLE if we didn't get one of the seat back seats.

Canal Park has been great. Huntington Park was great, too. Two amazing sites and great atmospheres. I am so thankful it's not at Bill Davis.

The first year at Canal Park had a lot to be desired because of the parking situation and the downtown construction, but with that all completed, it's great.
 
thePITman said:
Bill Davis would be awful, anyway, IMHO. Very, very limited seat back seating. Way too much bleacher seating. For a fan watching just one game, not a huge deal. But my wife and I have attended every state tournament game for 13 years, and we would be MISERABLE if we didn't get one of the seat back seats.

Canal Park has been great. Huntington Park was great, too. Two amazing sites and great atmospheres. I am so thankful it's not at Bill Davis.

The first year at Canal Park had a lot to be desired because of the parking situation and the downtown construction, but with that all completed, it's great.
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Well Huntington Park would absolutely be my first choice.
 
an underlying kernel with the “playing the games at Bill Davis” hypothetical is baseball happens to be the one sport where Ohio State’s lunch gets thoroughly eaten by out-of-state programs (better ones) as it relates to recruiting, so any given season where BD hosts the state tournament is going to inevitably talent moving through a park where the hosting school’s program wasn’t a consideration.

Obviously, as with all sports, it boils down to whether a site wants the games, or not… but the above dilemma is a tough pill for Ohio State to swallow.
 
The Dock said:
an underlying kernel with the “playing the games at Bill Davis” hypothetical is baseball happens to be the one sport where Ohio State’s lunch gets thoroughly eaten by out-of-state programs (better ones) as it relates to recruiting, so any given season where BD hosts the state tournament is going to inevitably talent moving through a park where the hosting school’s program wasn’t a consideration.

Obviously, as with all sports, it boils down to whether a site wants the games, or not… but the above dilemma is a tough pill for Ohio State to swallow.
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And I'd argue Ohio State isn't even the best Division I baseball program in Ohio. Although, with the new coach, we'll see if that begins to shift.
 
thePITman said:
And I'd argue Ohio State isn't even the best Division I baseball program in Ohio. Although, with the new coach, we'll see if that begins to shift.
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Yep.

This is probably a topic warranting further discussion elsewhere, since it’s both interesting and nuanced as hell but also straying greatly from the OP. I will say it’s possibly fair to assume the disinterest in hosting could be from Gene, the current program leadership, or both — and until Ohio State has a realistic gameplan to becoming a better program in this heavily-challenging new world of NIL, portal, yadda yadda yadda they are prob not putting in to host the state tournament.
 
Ohio State pulled interest years back b/c of the potential to host a regional or super, whether or not that's realistic is a different story, and not wanting their facility taken. That's why it went to Huntington Park, and then Huntington Park pulled out one year because they couldn't block the date of the state tournament out from being home games for the AAA affiliate that plays its games there, so the event kicked to Canal Park. Just a little bit of history on why the games got moved to Canal Park.
 
Here's the tournament preview:

2023 Baseball State Tournament Preview

Division I By Dylan Hefflinger, Prep Baseball Report CINCINNATI MOELLER: Moeller is at the state tournament for the first time since 2015 after a 7-6 win over Greater Catholic League rival Elder in the regional finals. Winners of 15 straight since losing to Elder back on April 24, the...
www.ohsaa.org
 
bucksman said:
Ohio State pulled interest years back b/c of the potential to host a regional or super, whether or not that's realistic is a different story, and not wanting their facility taken. That's why it went to Huntington Park, and then Huntington Park pulled out one year because they couldn't block the date of the state tournament out from being home games for the AAA affiliate that plays its games there, so the event kicked to Canal Park. Just a little bit of history on why the games got moved to Canal Park.
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Definitely was realistic at the time. They went to the tournament 3/4 years from 2016-19, which was when the decision was made I believe.
 
thePITman said:
Here's the tournament preview:

2023 Baseball State Tournament Preview

Division I By Dylan Hefflinger, Prep Baseball Report CINCINNATI MOELLER: Moeller is at the state tournament for the first time since 2015 after a 7-6 win over Greater Catholic League rival Elder in the regional finals. Winners of 15 straight since losing to Elder back on April 24, the...
www.ohsaa.org
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What a terrible article. I don't know the other schools histories, so I cannot comment on them, but it said St. Henry is making its second ever state appearance first since 2011. We have 3 State titles in Baseball and have made it to state at least 6-7 times just off the top of my head.
 
AllSports12 said:
All it takes is for it to happen once…….

And it already has
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Fix the pitching. Although, I will admit that the Bucks finished strong, but against the conference they just struggled. Did they host a super regional in the mid 2000's? It has been a while and honestly, watching the SEC and ACC, they just don't look competitive. I have very little confidence it will happen anytime soon. Anyway, Bill Davis is not big enough or has the amenities that the OHSAA demands. I wouldn't have it there anyway. Dragons stadium would be nice though.
 
BigPSH said:
What a terrible article. I don't know the other schools histories, so I cannot comment on them, but it said St. Henry is making its second ever state appearance first since 2011. We have 3 State titles in Baseball and have made it to state at least 6-7 times just off the top of my head.
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He got St Henry confused with St John (Delphos).
 
TraditionNeverGraduates said:
No, I think he's simply stating how ridiculous it is that the OHSAA cannot settle on facilities in Columbus for the state final's/final 4 in football and baseball.
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Kinda hard to do when the facilities for baseball aren't available and the main facility for football doesn't want you.

And it is an excuse (and incessant whining from the SWO crowd) in advance of playing a game.
 
AllSports12 said:
Kinda hard to do when the facilities for baseball aren't available and the main facility for football doesn't want you.

And it is an excuse (and incessant whining from the SWO crowd) in advance of playing a game.
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Doesn’t sound like an excuse sounds like a joke. Who do you think they’re making an excuse for?
 
TraditionNeverGraduates said:
I would love to see the reaction when Fans form Canton, Massillon, Cleveland and Akron would have to drive to Cincinnati every year for the Baseball and Football Finals.
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I remember driving 2 hours to Columbus for the baseball State Tournament. Wasn't a problem and enjoyed the games. Wouldn't mind driving anywhere in the state to watch my school play in a championship.

Personally, I've never understood the complaining. Every part of the state is a long drive from some other part of the state...including Columbus. It may be closest to the most central location but it is still a long trip to make for most of the teams. Columbus is a great city but we have alot of great cities. Championships should be at the best facility, not in just one city because it's a little bit less of a long drive.

Teams already get to stay in hotels so they are close by for their games.
 
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