Russia’s Hayden Quinter slides home as Twin Valley South’s Seth Carver attempts to tag him during a Division IV district semifinal on Monday in Russia. The Raiders won 13-3 in six innings to advance to a district final against Felicity-Franklin on Wednesday in Miamisburg.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
RUSSIA — The middle innings weren’t perfect, but the early and late ones were close. The big reminder for Russia in a district semifinal on Monday according to coach Kevin Phlipot: survive and advance.
Russia scored four runs in the sixth inning to beat Twin Valley South 13-3 and advance to a district final on Wednesday. The Raiders (24-4) advance to face Felicity-Franklin at Miamisburg High School.
“Wasn’t the cleanest game,” Phlipot said. “Started off well. We had a 9-0 lead, maybe we just kind of took our foot off the gas, relaxed a little bit. …So it wasn’t the cleanest, but we survive and move on.”
Phlipot said it’s a good reminder tournament games most often don’t come with adverse situations, as many of the Raiders’ players have experienced in state tournament runs the last two years, in which they made several comebacks.
Russia is battle-tested team full of veterans this year. Seniors Hayden Quinter and Brayden Monnin have set program records for hits and runs in a career, senior Felix Francis has set a program record for career stolen bases and junior Braylon Cordonnier has set a record for career runs.
The squad is hitting well; Russia has scored 10 or more runs in its last five games and in eight of its last 10 games.
“We prepared ourselves with (a strong) late (season) schedule. We saw some good pitching, and the better pitching we saw, we felt like we hit better,” Phlipot said. “So we’re hoping that trends in our favor.”
Russia had 10 hits on Monday, drew three walks and had four batters get hit by pitches. Cordonnier, a Marshall University commit who plays at shortstop when he’s not on the mound, was 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs and one double.
Monnin was 2 for 3; he hit a two-run homer to left field in the second inning. Ben Rinderle was 2 for 4.
Russia, which was voted the No. 1 seed in the Dayton Div. IV sectional, had several hard hits right to Twin Valley South fielders in middle innings after building a 9-0 lead in the first three.
But Cordonnier, Adam Hoehne and Rinderle each hit singles in the sixth to help the Raiders reach the run-rule margin.
“We hit two line drives out at them in the fourth or the fifth inning; that’s baseball,” Phlipot said. “We stayed focused and hit enough balls hard up the middle, and they helped us, put a few guys on base, and we took care of the rest.”
Jude Counts started for the Raiders. He was strong in the first three innings but struggled with control in the fourth. He pitched 3 2/3 innings and gave up three earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six batters.
Rinderle relieved him in the fourth. The Panthers scored all three of their runs in the inning and had runners on first and second when Rinderle entered, but he struck out the first batter he faced on three pitches to end the threat.
Rinderle pitched 2 1/3 innings and gave up two hits and one walk while striking out four.
“They have some scrappy hitters and they made us work,” Phlipot said. “We made a few mistakes, not covering first base and certain things that prolong an inning. We weren’t the cleanest, but we found a way and got through that inning.
“I brought Ben in, and Ben did his job. He wasn’t perfect, but he felt his way through some things.”
Cordonnier, the team’s ace, is scheduled to pitch against Felicity-Franklin on Wednesday. Felicity-Franklin was the No. 3 seed in the Cincinnati Div. IV sectional and beat No. 2 Fayetteville-Perry 13-3 in six innings on Wednesday.
Wednesday’s district final is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. in Miamisburg. If the Raiders win, it will be their seventh consecutive district title.
Reach Sidney Daily News editor Bryant Billing at 937-538-4822, or follow @BryantBillingSDN on Facebook or @TopBillingSport on X (Twitter).
