PARMA — Hillsdale is headed to the Sweet 16 for the second time in three years.
Gavin Casdorph scattered five hits and the third-seeded Falcons erupted for 11 runs in the fourth inning of a run rule-shortened 16-1 win over No. 5 Ashtabula St. John in the Division IV Parma district championship game at Cuyahoga Community College’s Mottl Field.
The Heralds (16-6) got to Casdorph for a run in the top of the first, but the Falcons (17-10) responded with three in the bottom of the frame.
Leadoff hitter Jack Fickes singled, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on Owen Hoffman’s groundout to tie the score. Braylen Jarvis and Kael Lewis drew back-to-back two-out walks and Jarvis scored on Brady Heller’s single. Lewis moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an error.
The Falcons added two more runs in the second. Casdorph singled to lead off the inning and scored on Brock Bower’s infield single. Bower scored on Hoffman’s single.
Hillsdale sent 15 men to the plate in the fateful fourth. Casdorph had a two-run single, while Bower laced a three-run double.
Bower led the Falcons with three hits and four RBIs. Hoffman had two hits and three RBIs while Jarvis and Casdorph each had a pair of hits.
Casdorph went all five innings. He struck out three and walked one.
“After that first inning, Gavin really settled in and threw strikes and we made the plays behind him,” Hillsdale coach Jason Snow said. “He just pounded the zone and they were off-balance quite a bit.”
The Falcons will play Lake Center Christian in the regional semifinals May 30 at 2 p.m. at Louisville. Lake Center beat Dalton 12-7 in the Struthers district final Thursday.
Hillsdale is in back in the Sweet 16 after reaching the regional championship game in 2022. The Falcons won a regional championship in 2019. Hillsdale reached the Division IV state championship game before falling to Toronto, 3-1.