Lancers fall to Russia 10-4 in title game

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

AKRON — No. 17 Russia kept No. 3 Lincolnview off balance and the Raiders used a big sixth inning to put away the Lancers 10-4 in the Division IV state championship game at Canal Park on Saturday.

Leading 3-2, Russia scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth, all with two outs. Starting pitcher Landon Price reached the 125 pitch limit and was replaced by Keegan Farris and the Raiders were able to score via a walk, a two-RBI single by Hayden Quinter, a throwing error and a two-RBI triple by Braylon Cordonnier. Jack Dunlap came in to finish the inning.

“We battled Price and his fastball,” Russia head coach Kevin Phlipot said. “We fouled balls off, we battled, we took a lot of pitches. Foul balls helped us and helped to get him out of the game early.”

Price entered the game 24-0 in his high school career, but was charged with the loss. The Ohio State bound senior struck out 10, walked two and allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.

His counterpart, Xavier Phlipot, pitched a complete game and allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits with five strikeouts and a walk.

After stranding two base runners in the first inning, the Lancers took a 1-0 lead in the second when Brandon Renner’s two out RBI single drove in Austin Bockrath. The Raiders (25-6) had three singles in the bottom of the second, with Zane Shappie and Jared Counts driving in runs for a 2-1 lead.

Cole Binkley tied the game in the third when he scored on a throwing error but an RBI single by Aiden Shappie gave Russia a 3-2 lead at the end of the third, a score that stood until the bottom of the sixth.

Dane Ebel and Carson Fox opened the fifth with back-to-back singles, but the Raiders recovered to retire the next three batters.

“Offensively I thought we hit the ball hard and had some success,” Lincolnview head coach Eric Fishpaw said. “Their first baseman and shortstop made some very good plays defensively. We tip our caps to Russia.”

The Lancers scored a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. Price opened the inning with a single, then advanced to second on a fielding error before stealing third and scoring on a triple by Binkley. Binkley then scored on a grounder by Ebel.

Binkley finished with a pair of hits and two RBIs, while Price and Bockrath each had two hits and an RBI. Quinter, Cordonnier and Aiden Shappie each had three hits for Russia, and Quinter and Cordonnier each drove in two runs. Lincolnview finished with four errors, while Russia committed three.

It was the final game for the trio of Binkley, Fox and Price.

“We will dearly miss our three seniors, Cole, Carson and Landon,” Fishpaw said. “Their leadership is what got us to Canal Park. It’s a special senior class.”

The Lancers finished the season 24-7 and as the runner-up for the second consecutive season. The 24 wins tied a school record set last year.