Tallmadge, Walsh Jesuit on collision course at district tournament

Zac Jackson, OhioHSsports.com, May 06, 2009 8:35 a.m.

The Tallmadge baseball team keeps racking up the victories.

It also keeps counting down the days to the game it really wants.

That the Blue Devils are 15-3 and well on their way to another Suburban League title is no surprise; they have senior leadership, pitching depth and a lineup good enough to flirt with double-digit runs nearly every game.

What’s also no surprise? That last week, when Tallmadge was gutting out a 4-2 road win over league rival Wadsworth, a coach from Walsh Jesuit and his notebook were seated just behind home plate.

“Can’t miss him there,” Tallmadge coach Kenny Linn said. “And we’ll be at their game this weekend.”

With full apologies to the rest of the field in the Akron Div. II district tournament, the Blue Devils and defending state champion Warriors are on a collision course. They’ve met for the district title seven times in the last 10 years; Walsh has won the last five including a 3-0 decision last year, one of only two close games it had en route to the title.

But the Blue Devils earned the top seed for this year’s tournament as last week’s seeding meeting, a sign that somebody thinks this team is good enough to end that streak. The results say that, too.

Tallmadge’s resume shows the Blue Devils are undefeated in the SL, own two wins over defending Div. I state champion St. Edward and another over Cincinnati Elder. The Blue Devils host St. Ignatius, last year’s Div. I runner up, on Thursday at Kent State. Ignatius won the teams’ first meeting in early April, 3-1.

“We play those teams for a reason,” Linn said. “We know we have talent and our kids have proven they’re ready for that stage. We play Cincinnati LaSalle and Dublin Coffman and the big Cleveland schools because we want ready for ourselves for what we know is ahead.”

Walsh.

The Warriors have one of the state’s best pitchers in 6-foot-6 junior Tyler Skulina, and he’s not a one-man show. His classmate, Greg Greve, struck out 10 in shutting out St. Edward earlier this week.

But Linn likes his roster, too, a group that includes several players who played on a Little League World Series team six years ago and many that have had success with Tallmadge’s playoff football team and successful basketball team over the last two or three years.

Senior Joe Cochran has been a stud at the plate and on the hill. He leads the team in strikeouts (37) and RBI (25). Junior Brian Kilway, senior Matt Keen and freshman Tucker Linder have also contributed quality innings.

Keen went the distance in the win at Wadsworth, improving to 4-0 and getting his second complete game victory. He plays second base when he’s not pitching and was hitting .434 with 3 home runs and 18 RBI through Monday.

“Keen is a perfect example of why I think this team has what it takes to be special,” Linn said. “He’s a senior who’s been with us for some big wins and those tough losses. He was on that Little League World Series team and he played in some big, big basketball games the last couple years. He’s the type of leader who’s going to have the other guys ready and he’s going to want to be in those pressure situations when the tournament starts.”

Tallmadge played to a rain-shortened, 8-8 tie against perennial Div. II regional contender Canfield last Friday night before topping Copley, 7-1, on Monday. Tournament play starts next week.

“In terms of goals, we have one of them right now and that’s to be playing our best baseball in May,” Linn said. “Our seniors know what this time of year is about. They know what we’re playing for.”