DISTRICT SEMIFINAL … Archbold lefty Zach Short unloads a pitch in Thursday’s district semifinal versus Ottawa Hills.
(PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
ARCHBOLD SECOND BASEMAN … Joe Williams makes an acrobatic throw to first for the out.
By: Elliot Schneider
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
DEFIANCE (May 29, 2025) – The Ottawa Hills Green Bears defeated the Archbold Bluestreaks in a district semifinal matchup on Thursday evening, led by a dominant performance from their ace, Colin Hennessey.
Hennessey was close to perfect on the mound, allowing only two total hits from the Bluestreaks. He struck out six batters while giving up no walks, keeping Archbold’s batters off balance all night.
The first inning didn’t see much offensive production from either team, as Jackson Snyder was the only batter to reach base in the inning, as he reached on an error from Archbold’s third baseman.
For the Bluestreaks, the second inning was more of the same, going three up and three down, with Hennessey picking up two strikeouts in the inning.
Meanwhile, The Green Bears entered the scoring column in the bottom half of the inning, as they took advantage of a defensive lapse from the Bluestreaks.
Jay Breed hit a two-out triple to give the Green Bears a scoring opportunity and the next at bat he would cross home plate on a dropped third strike that was a passed ball.
The offensive struggles continued for the Bluestreaks in the third, with all three batters retired, unable to produce any hits the first time through the lineup.
The bottom half of the inning saw the Green Bears extend their lead by an additional three runs. Gabe Grimm and Rocco Pillarelli led off the inning with back-to-back walks, giving Ottawa Hills a runner in scoring position to start the inning.
Snyder followed with a 2-run single to left, plating both Grimm and Pillarelli, extending the Green Bears’ lead to 3-0. A walk by Toby Stevens would put two runners on again for Ottawa Hills with only one out.
Both runners would advance on a wild pitch and a sac fly from Reddik Pillarelli followed, plating Snyder and giving the Green Bears their final run of the inning, making it 4-0 through three.
The fourth inning saw the Bluestreaks finally record a hit, when Collin Short doubled to left, but Archbold was unable to capitalize and was left scoreless.
The Green Bears continued to build on their lead in the fourth, putting pressure on the Bluestreaks to try and keep things close.
The Green Bears added a run on a passed ball with the bases loaded before Snyder was intentionally walked to reload the sacks.
Stevens followed by ripping a 2-run single to center, plating Pillarelli and Hennessey, giving the Green Bears a 7-0 lead through four.
The Bluestreaks would only record one hit in the final two innings, when Joe Williams singled to center. Archbold struggled to generate any offense against Hennessey all night.
The Green Bears scored another run in the fifth, when Chase Miller hit an RBI single to left, plating Collin Gruber. An additional two runs in the bottom of the sixth helped Ottawa Hills secure the mercy rule victory.
AHS 000 000 – 0 2 1
OHHS 013 312 – 10 9 0
Records: AHS 13-12, OHHS 23-3
WINNING PITCHER: Hennessey (6 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 6 strikeouts, 0 walks)
LOSING PITCHER: Short (5 innings, 10 hits, 10 runs, 6 earned, 7 strikeouts, 5 walks) Other: Castillo
LEADING HITTERS: (Archbold) C. Short – double; Williams – single; (Ottawa Hills) Snyder – double, single, 3 RBIs; Stevens – single, 2 RBIs; Miller – 2 singles, RBI; Breed – triple