Staff photo / Dan Hiner McDonald pitcher Brady Shobel delivers during the first inning of a Division VII regional semifinal against Tiffin Calvert on Tuesday.

OBERLIN — Tiffin Calvert was just too much for the McDonald baseball team on Thursday.

The Senecas scored in bunches early and downed the Blue Devils 14-4 in a regional semifinal at Oberlin College.

“They swing the bat well, and I’ll be surprised if they don’t go all the way,” McDonald head coach Andy Timko said.

The Senecas started the game with a walk and a single to put runners on the corners. An RBI groundout by AJ Shoemaker plated the first run of the game. Connor Moyer put Calvert up 2-0 with an RBI double, and right after, Cameron Moyer blasted a two-run home run over the fence in left field. Jacob Kidwell scored on a throwing error to cap the Senecas’ five-run first.

“If we got through the first inning there, I was thinking if we could have kept that 0-0, it could have been a different story,” Timko said. “They swung the bat well. It’s a good hitting team.”

Josh Srock got the first hit for McDonald, a double to left field in the top of the second. Chayse Hickox followed with a walk, but the Blue Devils were unable to push a run across.

Then the bottom fell out for McDonald’s pitching and defense in the top of the third inning. The Senecas (24-3) scored nine runs to break the game open and push their lead to 14-0 on several hits, several walks and three wild pitches.

But the Blue Devils (16-9) didn’t roll over.

Anthony Larson drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the third, and Nate Metzinger and Brady Klockner singled to load the bases. Quinn Schmidt cleared the bags with a three-RBI triple to right to get the Blue Devils on the board. Jaxson Candel drove in Schmidt with an RBI groundout to make it a 14-4 deficit.

However, the Blue Devils couldn’t push another run across to keep the game alive.

“They could’ve quit when we were down 14-0,” Timko said. “They came back, they showed how we could swing the bats and put four on the board there. But you almost have to play a perfect game to beat those guys at this point.”

Brady Shobel took the loss. He allowed five runs – four earned – on four hits and a walk in one inning pitched.

Calvert will see another area team in Thursday’s regional final. Warren JFK beat St. John in their regional semifinal 8-1 in the game prior to McDonald taking the field.

While the Senecas advanced, the Blue Devils’ season ended. But there is plenty of hope for the future.

McDonald was about a year ahead of schedule, with the team composed of almost all underclassmen. The lone senior was outfielder Nate Metzinger.

Timko believes the 2025 tournament will give his team the experience it needs to build and make a run again next spring.

“We had a great year,” Timko said. “Got a lot of kids coming back, we only lose one senior. Now they know what it’s like to be here. (The Senecas) have been here five years in a row, so it’s no big deal to them. Some of our kids were starry-eyed right off the first inning, but we’ll be back.

“I believe we’ll be back here. Baseball’s a tough sport, but I believe we’ll rebound and this will make us a better team for next year.”