The best season in Hillsdale baseball history fell just short of achieving the ultimate goal, as the Falcons finished as Division IV state runners-up with a 3-1 loss to Toronto at Canal Park in Akron.

 

Despite being a game-time decision with a left ankle injury suffered after Hillsdale’s state semifinal win over Minster, senior pitcher Garrett Goodwin went the distance from the mound, allowing 3 runs on 10 hits with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. The Red Knights struck for a pair of scores in the third on a Falcons fielding error followed by an RBI single from Nick Sninchak who later drove in an insurance run in the seventh.

 

Toronto starter Nate Karaffa was lights out for most of the contest, allowing just 2 hits while striking out a dozen Hillsdale hitters. The Ohio-State commit gave up an RBI double to Briar Funk in the sixth that made it a 2-1 game but sat down the Falcons in order with a double-play and a strikeout the following inning to secure the title.

 

Hillsdale (28-3) finishes the season with a program record for wins as the first boy’s team in school history to make the state tournament. They will graduate 4 seniors in Goodwin, Jay Luikart, Garrett Crites and Garrett Smith.

 

Toronto (28-5) are state champs for the second time in school history (1998), finishing the season on a 16 game win streak.