“It was rough at first with the mound and the environment, but I think after I realized that I gave up a run and bases were loaded, I just got to trust myself and just throw strikes and make them hit it,” Roether said.
Roether threw 3⅓ innings and Beavercreek (22-5) surged past Centerville 10-3 to advance to the district final against Cincinnati Elder on Thursday at Lebanon High School.
“I think we situationally hit very well from the beginning,” Beavercreek coach Brandon Long said. “Conditions at the beginning weren’t the best for Roether on the mound, but to get out of that first with only one run scored, bases loaded, nobody out, that was pretty big. But again, situationally hit. We did the little things at the plate tonight.”
Kuhn’s triple came after Anthony Wright led off the bottom of the first inning with a hit by pitch. John Gruenberg reached on a bunt and error, Ethan Paplios hit a sacrifice fly and two batters later Kuhn drove the go-ahead hit the opposite way to right field.
“For him to go that way with the pitch was big,” Long said. “He’s not gone the opposite way a lot, but in that situation he came through in the clutch. That was great to build off of in the first.”
Beavercreek plated one run in each of the second and third innings before scoring four more in the fifth. Papalios collected two RBIs and Roether finished the game with four strikeouts.
“I think he did great,” Papalios said. “He pitched through a lot of adversity and ultimately trusted himself, stayed confident and came out on top for the team.”
Centerville (17-9, 9-4) scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning and made it 6-3. Jackson Clark drove in a run on a double and Luke Franklin touched home after a passed ball.
“I think the first inning kind of decided it; we weren’t able to scratch more than one across,” Centerville coach Jason Whited said. “Their guy did a good job and settled down, and then that last part of the inning, they just got to us. Had a big hit. They had the hit with runners on, and then it kind of carried over throughout the game, so, they were the better team today.”
Long said Beavercreek has “seen” Cincinnati Elder play before and hopes to build off momentum from Tuesday’s victory having won nine of its last 10 games.
“These guys are pretty self-motivated,” Long said. “We know what kind of program they are. Historically, they’re a great program, so we know what’s coming. We know what’s coming.”
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