AKRON, Ohio — Midway through Saturday's OHSAA Division IV state baseball championship game, the Hiland Hawks appeared to be teetering on the edge.
You would never know it by the final score, as the squad from Eastern Holmes County quickly turned this one into a laugher.
Hiland scored the game's final 10 runs to defeat defending champ Russia 14-4 at Canal Park in Akron. It's the final cherry on top of an already remarkable season for the Hawks, who entered the tournament ranked No. 1 in Ohio and finish with a near-perfect 30-1 record.
The Berlin boys were in control early, going in front 4-0 thanks to three Russia errors. However, the Raiders (26-7) fought back with four runs in the fourth, as Hiland starter Will Schlabach threw four wild pitches and Braylon Cordonnier tied it up with an RBI double off Hawks reliever Isaak Yoder.
All the momentum appeared to be on the Russia side, but in the top of the fifth, Hiland blew things wide open with six runs. Isaak Yoder gave his team the lead with a two-run double, and his brother Nolan drove in two of his own with a single to make it 10-4.
Isaak Yoder also settled down on the mound, not giving up a run over his final three innings while striking out eight to pick up his fifth victory. After the Hawks added four more to officially put the game out of reach, the senior got his final K with the last out of the game, fanning Zeb Schulze as the celebration began.
It's the second baseball title for Hiland, and the first since head coach Chris Sages took over in 2018. It also represents quite the turnaround for the Hawks, who finished just 17-10 in 2022 and lost in the regional finals.