Seniors Zach Larkin, Ross Mulcare and Garrett Hogan combined for 10 hits and nine RBIs for Badin, which secured a Division II district title by run-ruling Reading 14-4 in six innings at Mason.
“Fortunately, that mind-set’s been set by all the guys that came before us,” Rams coach Brion Treadway said of his team’s businesslike approach. “Thirty or 40 years ago, whenever a group of men at Badin decided to be good in baseball, they set the bar and set it pretty high.
“This group is motivated to get to practice on Monday. These guys are fired up to get back to Alumni and get better. All we can do is say thank you to the guys that came before us that established Badin baseball for what it is.”
Devon Valentino pitched into the fourth inning to collect the mound win as Badin gave Treadway his 100th career victory.
The Rams (19-11) will return to Mason for a 5 p.m. regional semifinal Thursday. They will meet either Greater Catholic League Coed Division rival McNicholas or Waynesville — those teams will square off Monday.
“It’s a good feeling,” Larkin said of Badin’s 18th district championship. “That’s what we wanted coming in to today. That’s what we were expecting.”
“Our energy was there, the whole team was up, and that’s been the key to our wins,” Hogan said. “That’s what keeps us alive in these games.”
Added Mulcare, “We’re focused on today to get better for tomorrow. That’s our motto. Any day we get to practice and get better, it’s a good day.”
The game wasn’t as easy as the final score might indicate. The Blue Devils (21-5) put up four runs in the fourth inning to cut a 6-0 deficit to 6-4, but Hogan’s two-run, two-strike single in the fifth gave Badin some breathing room, and the Rams scored six times in the sixth.
Larkin was 4-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs — he’s 8-for-8 in Badin’s last two tournament games. Hogan and Mulcare were both 3-for-4 with three RBIs, and Mulcare had two doubles and scored three times.
“They were just playing better than us in all aspects of the game,” Reading coach Pete Muehlenkamp said. “They deserve a lot of credit. Our scouts didn’t see them hit the ball that hard.”
The Rams piled up 17 hits against Blue Devil hurlers Logan Barron, J.D. Vanover and Spencer Kirby.
“We definitely started out struggling offensively this season, but I like the approach our guys have right now,” Treadway said. “I’m happy with their swings. We’re putting the ball in play hard, and we’re aggressive on the basepaths.”
Barron, who brought a 7-0 record and 0.45 earned run average into the contest, allowed five runs in two-plus innings and was pulled from the mound after tweaking his elbow.
“He hasn’t pitched in almost two weeks,” Muehlenkamp said. “He gave it a shot today. He was doing OK for a while.”
Reading had zero success trying to get Larkin out. Fenwick couldn’t get him out last week either — the first baseman was 4-for-4 with four singles against the Falcons.
“Earlier in the year, I think I was just kind of getting used to it,” said Larkin, now hitting .411. “Now I’m used to it and I’m seeing the ball well, hitting some curveballs I normally don’t hit. My hits are just falling for me.”
He played baseball as a freshman, but didn’t play again until joining the team early this season. Asked if he wished he had played the last two years, Larkin replied, “A little bit, but I’m here now and that’s all that matters.”
Treadway said there’s no point to playing the “what if” game with Larkin.
“Life’s all about choices, and he put his focus in football and obviously it’s paid off … he’s going to Indiana State to play quarterback,” Treadway said. “I’m just glad he decided to come out his senior year. I’m glad my team embraced him. He’s been awesome.”
Mulcare, Badin’s right fielder, hit .194 last year. He’s been among the Rams’ top hitters all season in 2016 and pushed his average to .469 on Sunday.
“It felt good,” Mulcare said. “I let a few outside pitches go by and saw ’em good. Then (I was) just slapping to the right side, and it turned out my way.
“I struggled a little bit last year, so I really hit the cage hard, put in a lot of work in the offseason. You start off the season and get lucky drops here and there, get your confidence up, and then things start falling and going your way.”
Treadway said Mulcare deserves credit for elevating his game.
“He platooned last year a lot,” Treadway said. “I’m proud of Ross. We had him with Coach (Ken) Brown two nights a week in our four-man hitting groups after football. Coach Brown really focused on Ross, and Ross really bought into what Coach Brown was saying and put the time and effort in.
“I think he’s always been a good hitter, but he’s matured a lot physically and focused on the weight room, so he’s stronger. The balls that he was flaring last year are now line drives, and Ross keeps it simple. He’s just your typical Badin baseball player. He keeps his mouth shut and gets to work.”
Hogan also earned Treadway’s praise for his offensive outburst while batting ninth.
“That’s my favorite place because there’s no pressure there,” said Hogan, the Rams’ third baseman. “I’m nice and relaxed vs. the No. 1 spot. The 9-hole’s a lot more relaxing.”
His two-run single in the fifth was the game’s biggest hit. Hogan plated Mulcare and Gavin Matthews with a single down the right-field line, making it an 8-4 contest and squashing Reading’s momentum.
“I was trying to calm myself down, take my hack and get it to right field like I’m supposed to do,” Hogan said. “Treadway told me to come in clutch like I do in practice. So I thought, ‘You know, I’m going to the right side,’ and that’s what I did, make him proud.”
“Hogan does a good job when he gets two strikes,” Treadway said. “We’re trying to get him to do a better job on the first strike. But when he gets two strikes, he bears down. That sums up his season right there. I’m proud of him for having that moment.”
Matthews and Cole Heflin both had two hits for Badin. David Begley and Matthews drove in a run apiece.
Valentino, Cameron Madden and Jeff Beadle combined on a seven-hitter for the Rams. Beadle pitched the last 1.2 innings and picked up a save despite the blowout (he went to the mound in a save situation).
“I thought Devon did a good job keeping us in that ballgame,” Treadway said. “He threw a lot of quick outs early in the game. Then we had that big inning (five runs in the third), and he went out there and walked the first batter. That’s something we just can’t do. It turned into one bad inning for us.”
Jacob Courtney and Vanover marked two hits apiece for the Blue Devils, the Cincinnati Hills League co-champions. Courtney, Kirby and Chase Koebbe all plated runs.
Reading had a chance to tie the game in the top of the fifth, but stranded runners on second and third.
“We just needed the big hit. It didn’t happen, then they played add-on,” said Muehlenkamp, in his 14th season as the Blue Devils’ head coach. “We’ve kind of limped through the season and were able to get away with some stuff at some points, but you can’t get away with anything against a good team like Badin.
“We’re still very proud of our guys. We’re losing six seniors, but we’ve lost guys before and rebounded. We’ll reload.”
Three of the four spots in the regional have been determined. Tipp City Tippecanoe and Columbus DeSales are slated to play at 2 p.m. on Thursday on Mason, with the Badin game to follow.
The Rams split with McNicholas (winning 3-1 and losing 4-3) during the GCLC Central Division campaign, though the Rockets were outright Central champions for the first time. Badin defeated Waynesville 8-3 on April 2.
This is Treadway’s fifth season at the BHS helm. His career record is 100-49.
Reading 000-400—4-7-4
Badin 105-026—14-17-1
WP — Devon Valentino (5-2); LP — Logan Barron (7-1); S — Jeff Beadle (2). Records: R 21-5, B 19-11
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