Staff photo / Mason Cole South Range’s Logan Baxter fires a pitch toward home plate Friday evening against Waynedale in the Division III regional finals

MASSILLON — The South Range baseball team knew that it was in for a tough matchup when it faced the defending OHSAA Division III state champion Waynedale Golden Bears in a regional final game on Friday.

With a bevy of early-game hits paired with a dominant performance from starting pitcher Otto Soloranzo, Waynedale crushed South Range 14-1, bringing an end to the Raiders’ season.

The Golden Bears’ bats were hot from the very beginning of the game. South Range’s starting pitcher Konnor Brogan gave up four runs in the first inning before being replaced by relief pitcher Shaun Updegraff. The Raiders faced all nine players in Waynedale’s lineup in the first inning and were lucky to only find themselves trailing 4-0.

South Range head coach Jim Hanek was not surprised by what he saw early in the game.

“They’re a very good hitting team,” he said. “I think they’re a very good ball club, and it’s one of those days where they brought the hit sticks. There wasn’t much we could do. Even the players who didn’t find the barrel, they were able to find their way on-base. We just couldn’t get off to a fast start.”

Things did not get easier for Raiders when it was their turn to bat. After a long first inning for South Range’s defense, Soloranzo retired the Raiders’ offense in order, striking out each batter. Soloranzo did not allow South Range to get a runner on base through the first three innings of the game.

Hanek said that the dominant performance by Soloranzo was difficult for the Raiders to work through. While South Range gave up hit after hit, Waynedale refused to allow even a baserunner, destroying any hope the Raiders had of building momentum.

“We were down 4-0 after the top of the first,” Hanek said. “And to come back up, one, two, three, he strikes the side out, and then they put more runs up. We were fighting an uphill battle from the very beginning. It’s tough. When you get behind, especially in a game like this when you’re up against a good arm, it’s tough to claw your way back. But our kids fought hard. Our kids didn’t give up and I’m proud of them.”

Soloranzo was undoubtably the player of the night for the Golden Bears. He pitched a complete game in five innings, striking out nine South Range batters and giving up only one hit.

“Their pitcher was very impressive,” Hanek said. “He pounded the strike-zone, he had command of his off-speed pitch, and our guys, at least the first time through the order were a little bit overmatched.”

Tyson Tarajack had the Raiders only hit of the game, an RBI single in the fourth inning which scored South Range’s single run.

The Raiders finished their year with an overall record of 24-8.

South Range will graduate four seniors, Nick Plunkett, Joey Aey, Shane Lindstrom, and Billy Skripac. Hanek said that working his seniors this year has been a privilege.

“It’s been special,” Hanek said. “We had the COVID year unfortunately, so I only got to coach these guys for three years. It was obviously an unfortunate circumstance, I would’ve loved to have had four years with these guys, but they’ve been special. Part of three straight district titles, and two time regional runners-up. That’s an accomplishment in and of itself.”