Dragons High School Baseball Showcase Returns to Day Air Ballpark
DAYTON, Ohio – For the 19th year, the Dayton Dragons and Day Air Ballpark are proud to host high school baseball games. Twenty-four teams from across the Miami Valley will compete in the heart of the Water Street District this spring. This year’s Dragons High School Baseball Showcase is presented
DAYTON, Ohio – For the 19th year, the Dayton Dragons and Day Air Ballpark are proud to host high school baseball games. Twenty-four teams from across the Miami Valley will compete in the heart of the Water Street District this spring.
This year’s Dragons High School Baseball Showcase is presented by the Bob Ross Auto Group.
All games are open to the public. Gates will open 30 minutes prior to the first game of the day. High schools may provide their own PA announcers, broadcasters, cheer squads, and national anthem singers. Participating schools sell Dragons tickets to help raise money for their programs. The Dragons have been hosting the Miami Valley’s best high school baseball teams since 2006.
Additionally serving as a fundraiser for participating schools, this season’s high school games at Day Air Ballpark will generate approximately $20,000 to assist participant programs with the cost of uniforms, equipment, and bus transportation.
Action commences on Wednesday, April 24, when Eastern Cincinnati Conference heavyweights Lebanon and Kings square off at 6 pm. Lebanon reached the OHSAA Regional Finals and claimed a share of the conference title in 2023, while Kings placed third in the ECC standings last season. The schools contributed a combined eight players to the ECC All-First Team in 2023. According to Eddie Meyers of the Starting 937 baseball podcast, a player to watch in the matchup is Lebanon right-handed pitcher and infielder Grant Keffaber. A Kent State commit, Keffaber was named to the ECC All-Conference Honorable Mention list last season.
A Friday, April 26 doubleheader opens at 5 pm with a Northwestern Conference showdown between Lima Perry and Allen East. Tippecanoe and defending Three Rivers Conference champion Bethel will square off in the 8 pm nightcap. Meyers says fans should keep their eye on Tippecanoe infielder Preston Zumwalt, who returns for his junior season in 2024. A Toledo commit, Zumwalt became a Miami Valley League Second Team All-Conference selection last year. Bethel placed a conference-high three players on last season’s Three Rivers All-First Team.
On Saturday, April 27, action gets underway at 3 pm when Upper Scioto Valley faces Waynesfield-Goshen in a matchup between two Northwest Central Conference schools. National Trail and Brookville close out the packed weekend with a 6 pm first pitch.
May’s slate begins at 6 pm on Tuesday, May 7, when Beavercreek clashes with Springfield-Shawnee.
A pair of games will follow on Wednesday, May 8. Union County (IN) will take on Lehman-Catholic at 5 pm. Lehman-Catholic returns infielder and pitcher Turner Lachey, the reigning Three Rivers Conference All-First Team selection, who notched team highs in batting average (.468) and RBI (20) last season. At 8 pm, Lima Shawnee and Northmont wrap up the evening with non-conference action.
A Friday, May 10 doubleheader kicks off with a star-studded matchup between Chaminade-Julienne and Sidney. CJ, a state Final Four qualifier last season, was ranked 12th in this year’s Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association Division II preseason poll. The Eagles are led by numerous key standouts, including Prep Baseball Report’s Division II Preseason All-State Co-Player of the Year, Co-Position Player of the Year, and Co-Pitcher of the Year Jackson Frasure. Last season, the Akron commit dealt an imposing 1.28 ERA in 71 IP and batted .340 with 28 RBI. Eastern Carolina commit Charlie Hoagland additionally returns to CJ for his junior season. Catcher and pitcher Christian Gongora, a key contributor to the Eagles’ playoff run in 2023, is also back for his senior year. According to Meyers, Sidney right-handed pitcher Mitchell Davis is another star to watch in the matchup. Prep Baseball Report ranks Davis as the eighth-best pitcher in Ohio. The Toledo commit amassed a 0.60 ERA in 35 innings with 67 strikeouts on the mound last season.
The nightcap on May 10 features a Western Ohio Conference Matchup between Franklin-Monroe and defending WOAC champion Arcanum. Arcanum, a regional finalist in last season’s OHSAA playoffs, was victorious in both matchups between the teams last season.
This year’s final two high school baseball games will take place during a Saturday, May 11 doubleheader. Fairlawn battles Houston at 3 pm, and Xenia takes on Greenon at 6 pm.
A complete schedule of this season’s high school baseball games at Day Air Ballpark can be found below. The away team is listed first.
Wednesday, April 24
6:00 pm
Kings vs. Lebanon
Friday, April 26
5:00 pm
Lima Perry vs. Allen East
Friday, April 26
8:00 pm
Tippecanoe vs. Bethel
Saturday, April 27
3:00 pm
Upper Scioto Valley vs. Waynesfield-Goshen
Saturday, April 27
6:00 pm
National Trail vs. Brookville
Tuesday, May 7
6:00 pm
Beavercreek vs. Springfield-Shawnee
Wednesday, May 8
5:30 pm
Union County (IN) vs. Lehman Catholic
Wednesday, May 8
8:00 pm
Lima Shawnee vs. Northmont
Friday, May 10
5:00 pm
Sidney vs. Chaminade-Julienne
Friday, May 10
8:00 pm
Franklin-Monroe vs. Arcanum
Saturday, May 11
3:00 pm
Fairlawn vs. Houston
Saturday, May 11
6:00 pm
Xenia vs. Greenon