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HIGH SCHOOL-OHIO

Lakota West's lefty shines in win over Mason

By Mark Schmetzer
Lakota West pitcher Grant Schuermann came within one out of pitching a no-hitter against Mason on Wednesday. He settled for his third win.

If any of the 36 games in the third annual Skyline Chili Reds Futures Showcase presented by Safeco Insurance promised to live up to the event's name, it was Wednesday's matchup between Mason and Lakota West.

Both teams went into the game at Prasco Park in Mason undefeated. Lakota West was 5-0 overall and 3-0 in the Greater Miami Conference, yet the Firebirds were ranked third in the Enquirer's Division I coaches' poll, one spot below the 4-0 and 2-0 Comets.

Instead, it turned into a showcase for Grant Schuermann. The Lakota West senior left-hander came within one out of pitching a no-hitter, but he ended up settling for improving to 3-0 with a 3-2 win.

Schuermann didn't allow a hit until a blooper by Mason senior left fielder Connor Osborn, the No. 9 hitter in the Comets' lineup, landed in front of senior left fielder Aaron Bruch.

"The little ones hurt," said Schuermann, who has never pitched a high school varsity no-hitter.

Senior shortstop Connor Bryan followed with a ringing triple to center field, breaking up Schuermann's shutout and knocking him out of the game.

"He'd thrown 109 pitches," Lakota West coach Bill Dreisbach said. "That's a lot of pitches. If he hadn't been throwing a no-hitter, we probably wouldn't have left him in that long. He's a pitcher with a future."

Bruch replaced Schuermann and after allowing an RBI single by senior second baseman Chris Martin, got a fly ball to end the game.

Schuermann survived a bout of wildness in the the third, walking two batters and hitting a third to load the bases with two outs before coming back to strike out T.J. Dunn swinging.

"I was rushing my pitches a little bit," said Schuermann, who credited changing speeds and his change-up with his performance. "It took me an inning to get back on track."

A Comet error opened the door for Lakota West to score two unearned runs and take a 3-0 lead in the third. Senior designated hitter Austin Boggs led off the inning by reaching on Martin's error.

Junior catcher Brandon Giltrow followed with a walk and, one out later, junior second baseman Austin Allinger drove in Boggs with a single to left.

Sophomore third baseman Justin Moyer loaded the bases with a single to left, and after senior center fielder Blake Griffiths drew a bases-loaded walk, junior right fielder Dallas Hall lofted a sacrifice fly.

PLAY OF THE GAME: Mason senior right fielder Tyler Thamann's diving catch of Boggs' blooper to short right field near the line to end the sixth inning.

STAR OF THE GAME: Schuermann, who finished with a season-high 10 strikeouts. He went into the game with 18 over his first two appearances.

VIEW FROM THE SIDELINE: First-year Mason coach Curt Bly on Schuermann: "He's special. We knew going in that we would have our hands full with him, and he didn't disappoint."

EXTRA INNINGS: Lakota West was coming off a 10-2 win at sixth-ranked Lakota East on Tuesday. The Comets were coming off a 6-1 win at unranked Fairfield. … The two teams are scheduled to meet again Friday at Mason after Lakota West plays Hamilton in a makeup GMC game Thursday.

WP – Schuermann (3-0, 10 K). LP – Osborne (1-1). Hitting leaders: M – Brynan 3B. L – Allinger 2-3, Moyer 2-3. Records: M 4-1 (2-1 GMC), L 6-0 (4-0 GMC).