Thursday's High School Baseball Preview
Dayton, Ohio- The Dayton Dragons are hosting high school baseball at Fifth Third Field for the 11th straight season in 2016. This year's 17-game series moves forward on Thursday, April 21 with a doubleheader consisting of three teams from the Greater Western Ohio Conference and one from the Greater Miami Conference. This spring, 32 high schools will play regular season games at the home of the Dragons.
High school baseball at Fifth Third Field also serves as a fundraiser for those participating. This year's series of games will raise approximately $30,000 for the schools to help with the cost of uniforms, equipment, and bus transportation.
All games are sponsored by MAC Athletics, Inc., experts in athletic facility planning, design, construction, and equipment acquisition. Go to macathletix.com for more information on their services.
The first game gets underway at 4:30 p.m. and will have Lebanon from the GWOC South Division opposing Springfield of the GWOC Central. Lebanon is off to a 9-2 start to 2016 and sits in second place in their division at 4-2. The Warriors tied for first place in the division last season. Senior outfielder Shea Kenneally is headed to play for NCAA Division 3 powerhouse Marietta College next year. AJ Fritz has been swinging a hot bat and leads the team with a .441 batting average and 12 runs scored. Tyler Inloes has knocked in 13 runs. Joey Perkins is 3-1 in the mound with a 1.03 earned run average.
Springfield is 1-4 in conference play and brings a 5-7 overall record into the match-up. Speedy senior Kalus Arnold has been a thorn in opponents' sides all year long, hitting .483 with ten stolen bases. Avery Swigart is the main run producer for the Wildcats so far with nine RBI.
After the conclusion of the first game, Springboro and Lakota East will square off in a game stocked with future collegiate baseball players at 7:00 p.m. Springboro is the team that tied Lebanon for first place in the GWOC South last season and their quest to repeat is off to a great start. The Panthers are an unscathed 6-0 in conference and have been beaten just once in 14 total contests. They have outscored their opponents 105-32.
Cameron Rountree is fourth in the conference with 15 RBI and both Jeremy Chapman and Jack Pagliarini have earned four wins on the bump. Senior shortstop Jake Bourke who will head to South Carolina Upstate is off to a .364 start at the plate with three doubles and five RBI. Teammate Justin McConnell who will play at Wright State in two years is hitting .386 with seven RBI and nine steals.
Lakota East comes into the showdown with an impressive resume of their own. The Thunderhawks are 11-3 overall and in second place in conference with a 7-3 mark. Jefferson Szydlowski is the team leader in runs batted in with 20, good enough to tie for him third in the GMC. Meanwhile John Sherman has not allowed an earned run in his first 26.2 innings on the mound. He has a 4-1 record and leads the conference in wins and strikeouts.
Outfielder Kaleb Lepper has committed to Cornell for next season, catcher Austin Hatfield plans to suit up for Carson-Newman, and pitcher Ryan Middendorf is off to Lake Erie College.
Fifth Third Field will also be busy on Wednesday evening as Celina and Indian Lake play at 4:30 p.m. and Wayne meets West Carrollton at 7:00.
The Dayton Dragons have been hosting the Miami Valley's best baseball teams since 2006 and are proud to continue the tradition for an 11th year. A complete list of high school baseball games scheduled to be played at Fifth Third Field can be found below.
All games are free to attend and the media are invited to cover them. Gates will open 30 minutes prior to the first game played that 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.
Below is the remaining schedule for 2016:
|
Wednesday |
April 20th, 2016 |
4:30 PM |
Celina |
Indian Lake |
|
Wednesday |
April 20th, 2016 |
7:00 PM |
Wayne |
West Carrollton |
|
Thursday |
April 21st, 2016 |
4:30 PM |
Lebanon |
Springfield |
|
Thursday |
April 21st, 2016 |
7:00 PM |
Springboro |
Lakota East |
|
Friday |
April 22nd, 2016 |
4:30 PM |
Newton |
Covington |
|
Friday |
April 22nd, 2016 |
7:00 PM |
Fairborn |
Beavercreek |
|
Tuesday |
May 3rd, 2016 |
4:30 PM |
West Liberty |
Cedarville |
|
Tuesday |
May 3rd, 2016 |
7:00 PM |
Russia |
Allen East |
|
Wednesday |
May 4th, 2016 |
4:30 PM |
Greenon |
Tippecanoe |
|
Wednesday |
May 4th, 2016 |
7:00 PM |
Summit Country Day |
Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy |
|
Thursday |
May 5th, 2016 |
4:30 PM |
Oakwood |
Waynesville |
|
Thursday |
May 5th, 2016 |
7:00 PM |
Lehman Catholic |
Fort Loramie |
|
Friday |
May 6th, 2016 |
4:30 PM |
Greenville |
Northmont |
|
Friday |
May 6th, 2016 |
7:00 PM |
St. Henry |
Covington |
More Information: The Dayton Dragons are the Midwest League affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds and play a 70-game home schedule at beautiful Fifth Third Field in downtown Dayton, easily accessible from Interstate 75. Individuals and groups seeking information about Dayton Dragons group tickets, lawn tickets, the season ticket wait list, sponsorship opportunities or booking a Dragons speaker are encouraged to contact the Dragons by calling (937) 228-2287, by email at [email protected], or on the web at daytondragons.com
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