OBERLIN — During a pressure-packed regional championship Friday, Twinsburg starting pitcher Lucas Tinter basically had all the answers against a tough, tenacious Hoover High School baseball team.
It was only after the game, when asked to explain this Twinsburg turnaround, that he seemed stumped.
"I can't honestly," the junior right-hander said, his eyes widening. "It's unexplainable. It's so surreal."
It's almost like there is something supernatural at work.
Twinsburg's magical season is heading to Canal Park. The Tigers beat Hoover 6-3 in a Division I regional final at Oberlin College's Dill Field on Friday, sending them to their first final four in 18 years. Twinsburg will face Olentangy Berlin in a 4 p.m. state semifinal on June 7.
This from a team that went 6-17 overall and 1-11 in the Suburban League last year. But losing baseball games doesn't compare to the tragedy the Tigers endured over the winter. Head coach Jeff Luca died in a car accident in December at the age of 59.
Fast forward to Friday, and the Tigers (wearing Coach Luca T-shirts under their jerseys) now are 23-6, co-champs of the Suburban League with North Royalton and two wins from calling themselves state champions.
Head coach Jim Lipinski has kept his advice simple during this run: "Just embrace it and enjoy it."
"And that's what they've done," Lipinski said. "They came in and played relaxed, Twinsburg baseball from the district semis to here, like there is no pressure. It's been fun, pure joy, excitement. The kids just play. The moment is not too big for them."
Lipinski last was a head baseball coach for the Twinsburg freshman team when this year's senior class was in ninth grade. He stepped away for family reasons, but with Luca's death, he felt a calling. He first sought permission from his wife and sons.
"I said, I think I've got to do it," Lipinski said. "I've got to step up.
"And it's been a heckuva ride."
Hoover (23-9) was on one of those special postseason rides, a young team (four sophom*ores, two juniors in the starting lineup) that felt a little ahead of schedule, that had just beaten rival Jackson in the regional semifinal. The Vikings, who shared the Federal League title with Jackson, sought the program's first state appearance since 1999.
That special ride ran into Tinter, who was terrific Friday, going six innings and limiting Hoover to two runs on five hits. He did not walk a batter in running his record to 6-1.
"To be honest, I was a little nervous," Tinter said. "But I kept looking at what I've done so far this season, as kind of a reminder to myself that I'm able to do it. By gametime, I was ready to go. Felt confident as ever."
Built on pitching and defense, Hoover was uncharacteristically sloppy early.
Two walks and a hit loaded the bases for Twinsburg in the bottom of the first inning. Two runs came home on a single play, with a passed ball allowing the first run in and a high throw back toward the plate allowing the runner from second to scoot all the way home.
Senior A.J. Taneja then really made it hurt with the first of his two RBI singles on the day to put Twinsburg in the lead 3-1.
Twinsburg scored a run later in the game when Jack Phillips stole third and then trotted home on another Hoover throwing error.
"Unlike us," Hoover head coach Bryan Ashby rued. "Maybe you call it being youthful. Maybe it's the pressure of the regional final. It can be anything. Baseball is a hard sport."
Twinsburg senior DH Josh Stalnaker, who struck out 12 in the Tigers' shutout of Wooster in the regional semifinal, went 2-for-3 with two runs Friday. Junior catcher Lane Conway had an RBI double in the Tigers' two-run fifth, which doubled their lead from 4-2 to 6-2.
Sophom*ore starter Jake Donaldson pitched into the fifth for Hoover, finishing with five strikeouts, four walks and four hits allowed. He fell to 3-2 on the season.
Mason Ashby led off the game with a single, stole second, stole third and scored on fellow senior Kyle Gudat's RBI single to give Hoover a quick 1-0 lead. Ashby finished with a pair of hits and three steals, while senior Carson Dyrlund smashed an RBI triple into the left-center gap in the third.
Down 6-2 entering the seventh, the Vikings did not go quietly against Twinsburg closer Ryan Hojdar. Hoover had the bases loaded with one out when Gudat walked to force in a run. But that would be it as Hojdar settled down and got a pop up and a strikeout to end the game.
"You get to this point and you're so close to getting to Canal Park," Bryan Ashby said. "It's so close, yet it's so far. But we're going to regroup and try again next year. That's the nature of sports."
OHSAA baseball state tournament schedule for Division I
The state tournament is in Akron at Canal Park. Here's a look at what awaits Twinsburg there:
- State semifinals, 4 p.m., Friday, June 7 vs. Olentangy Berlin
- State championship, 1 p.m., Sunday, June 9
Reah Josh at josh.weir@cantonrep.com
On X: @jweirREP
