“We’ve got a good vibe, a quiet confidence about us,” first-year Fairfield coach Tommy Begley said. “We’ve been practicing so well. I couldn’t ask for anything else from my guys right now.”
The Indians (23-6) rallied from a 7-1 deficit to beat Kings 8-7 in a nine-inning sectional final, then dispatched Vandalia Butler 7-0 to win a district crown.
Begley said the Kings game worked as a catalyst for his team.
D-I REGIONAL: Elks up next for Lakota West
D-II REGIONAL: Ross sees major challenge in DeSales
D-III REGIONAL: Carlisle taking aim at Country Day
“Coming back in that emotional way has propelled us and made us hungry as a ballclub,” he said. “What we’re thinking is, ‘You know what? We’re as talented as any ballclub we’re going to see the rest of the way, and if we play baseball the way we’re capable, we’ve got a great shot at doing something special.’
“The game of baseball is so wild. It’s crazy to think that we were on the brink of elimination and now we’re on the brink of maybe playing in a regional final and going to Columbus. We’re here, so we might as well win it.”
St. X (21-4) is a formidable opponent, the Greater Catholic League South Division champion. It’s the Bombers’ first outright title since 1999.
Junior right-hander Nathan Kappers (7-1, 0.92 earned run average, 33 strikeouts in 53.1 innings) will get the mound start for St. X. His Fairfield counterpart will be senior righty Kurt Lange (6-2, 1.84, 38 strikeouts in 49.1 innings).
“We’re going to put our money on Nathan on Thursday,” fourth-year Bombers coach Bob Sherlock said. “He’s come through for us all year. We like our chances with him on the mound.”
Kappers is the GCL South Pitcher of the Year. Sherlock said he wouldn’t necessarily call Kappers a power pitcher, even though he throws it pretty well.
“Fastball, curveball, changeup … he’s just very, very solid all the way around,” Sherlock said. “I’ve always described him as having a better mound presence than half the guys in the big leagues. Nothing rattles him. He’s about 70 percent strikes and can pitch to both sides of the plate.
“He’s got a classic power pitcher’s build, but that’s not really his game. His game is throwing strikes and making the opposition put the ball in play, and we field it pretty well.”
Begley said St. X might be the best defensive team he’s seen this season.
“They’re not going to give you anything,” the FHS coach said. “Everything we’ve heard about Kappers is that he’s going to pound the zone with that fastball and go right at you and then try to get you to chase the pitch out of the zone. That’s been his M.O. all year according to all the coaches I’ve talked to.”
Lange is a top-notch pitcher in his own right. Begley said he’s been the Tribe’s most consistent hurler in 2017.
The two coaches know a bit about each other’s styles from previous matchups when Begley was at Waynesville and Sherlock was at Fenwick.
“We know we’re going to play somebody who’s very fundamentally sound, who’s very aggressive, who’s going to be tough to beat,” Sherlock said. “We’re going to have to beat them. They are not going to beat themselves.”
The Bombers are hitting .303 as a team. They’re led by senior left fielder Pete Fisher (.377, 11 RBIs, 10 steals), senior right fielder Jon Brus (.369, 14 RBIs) and senior shortstop Trevor Kuncl (.349, 11 doubles, 20 RBIs). And Sherlock believes senior Michael Cleary (.301, 14 RBIs), the son of former UC coach Brian Cleary, is the best center fielder in the area.
“It’s a senior-laden team,” Sherlock said. “We’ll most likely start seven seniors on Thursday, and there’s times where we can start all nine seniors. So they’re experienced, they’re incredibly smart players and they’re very good at making adjustments as the game wears on, so that lends itself to them playing with a lot of confidence.”
St. X has made a major turnaround under Sherlock. His first three years at the helm produced a 35-46 record.
“There’s been a lot of factors in that,” Sherlock said. “The kids have bought in, we’ve got great assistants, and the school’s been very supportive of the changes we’ve made and what we’re trying to do.”
Five Bomber seniors have committed to the play at the next level: Kuncl (George Washington), Brus (Indianapolis), designated hitter Alex Markley (Findlay), second baseman/outfielder Andy Mills (Ohio Northern) and catcher Nick Meyer (Otterbein).
Fairfield has a .311 team batting average and is led by the senior trio of catcher Brock Mathis (.405, 10 doubles, three homers, 27 RBIs), third baseman Andrew Sams (.488, 20 RBIs) and second baseman Kaleb Ford (.396, 16 RBIs).
The last time the Indians made it to the regional semifinals, they lost to Lakota West 4-3 at Wright State University. Fairfield’s first-year coach in 2002 was Rodney Hubbard.
West (23-5) and Centerville (17-9) will meet in Thursday’s first semifinal at 2 p.m. The regional crown will be decided at 5 p.m. on Friday at UC.
About the Author