Chieftains knock off Loveland to win Division I district title
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Bellefontaine’s baseball team celebrates after the final out of Monday’s Division I district championship victory over Loveland at Fairmont High School in Kettering. (EXAMINER PHOTOS | MATT HAMMOND) |
KETTERING — Bellefontaine is taking Division I Southwest Ohio baseball by storm.
Moving up from Division II this spring, the Chiefs were seeded just sixth for their sectional tournament, getting overlooked by the longtime big-school baseball powers in the Miami Valley area.
However, Bellefontaine showed again here Monday that it can hold its own with the best teams in this part of the state.
Fueled by another brilliant effort from senior right-hander Tyler Jones, Bellefontaine cut down a talent-laden Loveland squad 3-1 in a Division I district championship game at Fairmont High School.
“We are playing as a team,” said Jones, who tossed a four-hitter against a Loveland roster possessing three future Division I college players. “We are playing for each other. Nobody is playing for themselves. We are leaving it all on the line.”
The Chiefs have now collected tournament wins over Centerville, Beavercreek and Loveland, three well-established Division I programs. Loveland was ranked 10th in the final Division I state poll and Beavercreek was 13th.
“The more pressure there is, the better we play,” said first baseman Chase Braun, who drove in two of the three Bellefontaine runs Monday. “Good teams bring out the best in us.”
Read complete story in Tuesday’s Examiner.
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