Baseball | 6/9/2026 10:23:00 AM

The Bombers grit and grinded their way to the regional finals following senior Jack Ryan's second no-hitter of Elder the Bombers came into this match up rocking and rolling hungry for a final four appearance. Standing in their way was a tough Oak Hills team who were coming off a dominant 11-5 victory over the Mason Comets and 4-0 win over Springboro.

The Bombers looked to junior Liam McGeady to shut down a red hot Oak Hills offense. McGeady would open the first inning with an easy 1-2-3 inning forcing the Highlanders to go down in order with a ground out, strikeout, and fly out. The Bombers would respond to McGeady's efficient first after the Highlanders two quick outs, Ryan would draw a two-out walk which would be followed up by a single to center by senior Jackson Sherrard. After an error by the pitcher, the Bombers would have runners on the corners with Logan Von Hoelle at ths plate and he'd come thru big slapping a line drive single to left to score Ryan to give the Bombers a 1-0 lead headed into the second. 

The Highlanders would go down quick with McGeady striking out two to continue to swing the momentum back to Bombers. After an opening fly out to center, freshman Cam Schaefar would smash a double to left field followed by a bunt single to senior Sam Sprengard. Sprengard would slow the momentum as he'd be caught trying to nab second before senior Dillon Brus would fly out to end the inning. Heading into the third, McGeady would give up an opening walk, he'd continue to struggle after a wild pitch and sacrifice bunt the Highlanders would be threatening with a runner 90 feet away and one out. The Highlanders would tie the 1-1 game with a single to Von Hoelle. McGeady would settle down with help from Sprengard nabbing a runner of his own allowing McGeady to get his confidence back and striking out the final batter of the inning. 

The Bombers opened their half with two runners on and no outs with senior Braden Bricking reaching on an error and Ryan being hit by pitch. After a double steal, the Bombers would be threatening with one out. Bricking would get frisky as he'd be caught trying to nab home. The Bombers wouldn't let that mistake stop them as Von Hoelle would draw a two out walk. Sophomore Griffin Doxsey would put the Bombers back on top of with a screaming line drive triple to left to give the Bombers a 3-1 lead going into the fourth.

McGeady would cruise to his second 1-2-3 inning of the game adding his fifth strikeout of the game close out the inning. Schaefer would open the inning with a hit by pitch, Sprengard would move him to second after a sac bunt. With one out, Brus stepped to the plate looking to keep the bats hot for the Bombers and he'd come up big for the Bombers crushing a triple to to right field to give the Bombers a 4-1 lead. After a strikeout, the Bombers would load the bases with two outs. However, they would strand the bases juiced with a fly out. 

The Bombers would struggle in the fifth, as McGeady would end his day loading the bases with no outs caused by an error and two singles. The Bombers would call on junior Eric Nienaber to limit the damage. The Bombers would first plate a run after a double play, they'd then cut the deficit to one with a single to right field, after a walk and runners on first and second, they'd slap another RBI single to left field to tie the game. The Bombers would then call on dominant sophomore reliever Sam Vovak. He'd give the Highlanders fifth single of the inning to give Oak Hills a 5-4 lead heading into the middle of the fifth.  The Bombers would end the fifth stranding Schafer after the team flew out three times to end the inning. 

Vovak would give up an opening single to start the sixth, before settling in with a strikeout, pop out, and fly out. The highly dangerous Brus opened the sixth slapping a single to center. He'd proceed to swipe second and third to put the pressure on the Highlanders. He'd force the pitcher to walk Bricking giving the Bombers runners on the corners with no outs. Ryan would score Brus on a sac fly to left field to knot the score at 5-5. After another single from senior Jackson Sherrard, the Bombers would put sophomore Griffin Lyons for Sherrard to pinch run. Von Hoelle would swing the lead back to the Bombers with a sac fly to right field. 

Vovak would shut down the Highlanders with a pop out, strikeout, and ground out to end the game handing the Bombers their first final four appearance since 2003 in a 6-5 win over the Highlanders.