Derrick Webb, Managing Editor
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
MARIETTA — Before they even stepped to the plate on Thursday, with their season on the line, the Valley Indians faced a 3-0 deficit.
Harrison Central had used two base hits and three walks to gain an early edge in a Division V regional final at Marietta College.
But when the Indians responded with four of their own runs in the bottom half of the frame, it erased early game jitters and turned into a wave of momentum that sent Valley surfing into a Final 4.
In fact, they didn’t even need a full seven innings to make that happen.
The Indians (22-7) put up crooked numbers in the first, second and fourth innings, cruising to a 17-6 win over the Huskies to clinch the program’s sixth regional championship, and first since 2021.
“Our adversity, in my opinion, started last offseason when we found out Carson Powell had a torn UCL,” Valley coach Nolan Crabtree said. “Losing the top pitcher in the Southeast District to injury really shakes up your ball club. That changed everybody’s role and everybody’s expectation.”
After Harrison Central (20-10) scored a trio of runs in the top half of the first, Valley took a 4-3 lead in the bottom half on a bases-loaded walk issued to Gabe McNeil and a three-run double via Collin Greene.
“Trailing 3-0 today was not going to be something that kept these guys down,” Crabtree said. “Our veterans and senior leaders got things started in the bottom of the first, and Collin Greene came up with a huge bases-clearing double. The entire mood of the dugout changed, and I had a great feeling about our club.”
In the second, the Indians continued to leave the faucet running.
Carson Powell singled, Nolan Barnett logged an RBI groundout, and Hunter Cunningham was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 7-3. When Thad Lansing followed with a two-run single, followed by based-loaded walks to both Powell and Gavin Hannah, Valley was sitting comfortably, up 11-3.
The Huskies would get a run back in the third, and two more in the fourth, cutting the deficit to 11-6.
But in the bottom of the frame, Valley answered with six runs of its own — coming on yet another bases-loaded walk to Nick Queen, a three-run double from Barnett, an RBI single from Brady Hanes and an RBI groundout via Lansing.
Statistically, the Indians pounded out 13 hits and worked five free passes.
Barnett led the offensive explosion, going 1-for-2 with a double, three runs scored and four RBIs, and Greene finished 1-for-3 with a double and a trio of RBIs. Lansing was 1-for-3 with two RBIs, and Powell ended the day 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs of his own.
On the bump, McNeil picked up the victory, tossing 3 1/3 innings and striking out four hitters.
Valley now advances to a Division V state semifinal at 1 p.m. on Thursday at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium in Canton. The Indians will meet with Apple Creek Waynedale, who beat Poland Seminary to move on.
“Our senior class has been incredible this season,” Crabtree said. “They’re all highly-decorated players. Carson, Gabe, and Barney showed great resilience today and came up with multiple hits and RBIs. And I was really happy for Brady Hanes coming off the bench to drive in big run in the decisive fourth inning. I couldn’t be more proud of those four kids.”
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