On a chilly, damp, rainy Saturday, and sometimes foggy, the Tinora Rams and Liberty Center Tigers met at Grube Field as the OHSAA tournament started, for the right to move on to the District Semi-Finals.

The host Rams (16-5-1), seeded #4, sent starter Logan Stein to the mound. The Tigers (14-7), seeded #5, sent Nico Torres to the hill.

Tinora struck first with two runs in the bottom of the first for a 2-0 lead. Logan Stein, a first-team All-GMC selection, led off with a single. Owen Reynolds, a second-team All-GMC pick, hit a double down the leftfield line. The Rams had runners at second and third with one out. Parker Hancock’s sac bunt plated Stein for a 1-0 Tinora lead. Allen Burchfield’s RBI single brought in Reynolds for a 2-0 lead after one inning.

As the rain increased to start the second inning, Stein had trouble gripping the baseball. The Tigers scored a run to cut the Rams’ lead in half. Mason Smith led off with a walk. Henry Fitzenrider also walked. Tinora first baseman Parker Hancock made a great play in foul territory for the first out. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, putting the Tigers runners at second and third. Mason Smith scored on a sac fly to center by Mason Tallent, trimming the Tinora lead to 2-1.

Tigers starter Nico Torres would be pulled for a reliever to start the second, Mason Smith.

The Rams scored three runs in the bottom of the third for a 5-1 lead. After two quick outs, Parker Hancock drew a walk, and a pitch hit Allen Burchfield. Kaeden Massendale lined to right field, scoring Hancock for a 3-1 lead. Both runners advanced on the throw into the infield. Kolten Snyder sent a roller to second base. The wet ball escaped, allowing both Tinora runners to score. The Rams led 5-1 after three innings.

Liberty Center started the fifth with a walk to Tallent. Drew Silveus would single to right field, putting Tigers runners on first and second. Tallent would score on a wild pitch to cut the Rams lead to 5-2.
E.N. Bailey walked, putting Tigers runners on first and second with one out. Both advanced on a wild pitch. Nico Torres singled to score Silveus. Stein escaped the jam to end the top of the fifth.

The Tigers would chip away in the top of the sixth. Leading off, Mason Smith doubled against Stein. As Stein’s pitch count mounted, Tinora coach Eric Tipton called on Allen Burchfield for relief. After a flyout, Liberty Center’s Tatum Murdock drew a walk. A wild pitch allowed Smith to move to third, and a passed ball brought him home, cutting the Rams’ lead to 5-4 as Murdock advanced to second. Burchfield retired the next two Tigers, escaping the jam and ending the top of the sixth.

In the top of the seventh, Tinora’s second baseman, Avery Moser, stole a hit from Torres for the second out. Burchfield got the final out on a flyball to Owen Reynolds in centerfield.

The Rams advance to the Districts for the first time since 2022.

Liberty Center sees its season end at 14-8. The Tigers will graduate Mason Smith, Kaden Kreinbrink, and Braxton Light. Congratulations, gentlemen.

Tinora improves to 17-5-1 and heads to Defiance High School. The Rams will face the winner of Ottawa Hill vs Fairview (5/25) on Thursday, 5/28, at 4:30 pm.

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