Region 9, Division III, is the toughest regional.

[BaseballRepresent]

This region includes Woodridge, Beachwood, Canton Central Catholic, and Youngston Ursuline. Four of the best pitchers in the State, all divisions, will be throwing in the regional semi-finals. Jones for Woodridge, Goldberg for Beachwood, McCoury for CCC, and Switka for Ursuline. Can anyone base an argument that this ISN'T the toughest regional? I can't see any.

[Bseballaddict]

Agreed. In addition to having four of the best pitchers in Div. III, these TEAMS are four of the best. Whoever survives this regional will be a a team to be reckoned with in Columbus.

[BaseballRepresent]

Plus, offensively, these four teams are loaded 1-9! Woodridge has two of the best hitters in the state in Jones and Debord. CCC's McCoury and Colaner are right up there as well. Ursuline always hits the snot out of the ball, and beachwood's goldberg can go yard as well.

[natisports09]

This is a good region, but the Cincinnati/Dayton region is also loaded

CHCA- #2 in the state
Heath- #7 in the state
Badin- underrated at #11 in the state
Fenwick- played tough GCL season and can kill the ball

[BBallMan]

This region includes Woodridge, Beachwood, Canton Central Catholic, and Youngston Ursuline. Four of the best pitchers in the State, all divisions, will be throwing in the regional semi-finals. Jones for Woodridge, Goldberg for Beachwood, McCoury for CCC, and Switka for Ursuline. Can anyone base an argument that this ISN'T the toughest regional? I can't see any.

I'll take Gruver from Austintown over any of those 4. I would say they are in the top 20 in the state.

[pnthrz4life]

I only have one question for you. Can Austintown hit like like Woodridge or play defense like the athletes from CCC. These pitchers coupled with the rest of the team makes the team amazing. I don't know if I would take Jones over Gruver, but I would take Jones and Woodridge over Gruver and Austintown. This thread is about teams not individuals.

[BaseballRepresent]

This is a good region, but the Cincinnati/Dayton region is also loaded

CHCA- #2 in the state
Heath- #7 in the state
Badin- underrated at #11 in the state
Fenwick- played tough GCL season and can kill the ball

Good region, but i think the massillon region is stronger.

[Bearly Breathing]

I will take the toughest D1 district as the best. That being said I am sure both districts house teams capable of winning it all in D3.

[BBallMan]

I only have one question for you. Can Austintown hit like like Woodridge or play defense like the athletes from CCC. These pitchers coupled with the rest of the team makes the team amazing. I don't know if I would take Jones over Gruver, but I would take Jones and Woodridge over Gruver and Austintown. This thread is about teams not individuals.

The poster said 4 of the BEST pitchers in the state. My comment is they arn't even close. The teams may be very good but like another poster said, I'll take the best D-1 over any of them anyday! Not to take anything away from these very good D-3 teams but I have seen Ursuline play. There not bad.

[Wilco98]

There are really no bad regions in D-III. Every one of them will be tough to get out of.

[Hometeam]

Plus, offensively, these four teams are loaded 1-9! Woodridge has two of the best hitters in the state in Jones and Debord. CCC's McCoury and Colaner are right up there as well. Ursuline always hits the snot out of the ball, and beachwood's goldberg can go yard as well.

You're forgetting about Robbie Hoagland from CCC, one of the best hitters around with some of the best stats.

[BBallMan]

There are really no bad regions in D-III. Every one of them will be tough to get out of.

I agree. From this point on it's a meat grinder!

[BaseballRepresent]

You're forgetting about Robbie Hoagland from CCC, one of the best hitters around with some of the best stats.

oh wow. good find. I can't believe i forgot hoagland. Kid can definitely rake.

[BaseballRepresent]

The poster said 4 of the BEST pitchers in the state. My comment is they arn't even close. The teams may be very good but like another poster said, I'll take the best D-1 over any of them anyday! Not to take anything away from these very good D-3 teams but I have seen Ursuline play. There not bad.

The best D-1 pitcher? or the best D-1 district? If it's pitcher then it's simply opinion because the four pitchers i mentioned are at least going division 1 in college. McCoury to Elon, Switka to Eastern Michigan, Jones to Savannah, and Goldberg to Coastal Carolina. In terms of d-1 district, ccc beat hudson, woodridge beat strongsville and twinsburg, and i'm not sure if ursuline or beachwood played any d1 schools or not.

[BBallMan]

The best D-1 pitcher? or the best D-1 district? If it's pitcher then it's simply opinion because the four pitchers i mentioned are at least going division 1 in college. McCoury to Elon, Switka to Eastern Michigan, Jones to Savannah, and Goldberg to Coastal Carolina. In terms of d-1 district, ccc beat hudson, woodridge beat strongsville and twinsburg, and i'm not sure if ursuline or beachwood played any d1 schools or not.

Ursuline lost 2 to D-1 Boardman and I think D-1 Canfield beat them to.
Never the less Ursuline is one of the best D-3 programs in the state! Bar non.
Gruver from Austintown is going to Tennesee if he doesnt get drafted and his partner Kinick is going to YSU. Pretty good D-1 programs too! Gruver hands down over all 4 of your guy's.

[BaseballRepresent]

Ursuline lost 2 to D-1 Boardman and I think D-1 Canfield beat them to.
Never the less Ursuline is one of the best D-3 programs in the state! Bar non.
Gruver from Austintown is going to Tennesee if he doesnt get drafted and his partner Kinick is going to YSU. Pretty good D-1 programs too! Gruver hands down over all 4 of your guy's.

Switka and Goldberg could both be drafted. I'm sure gruver is the best of the five, but is austintown fitch still in the playoffs? And, trust me, even though ursuline lost to two d-1 programs that has no bearing on the fact that they are one of the best teams in the state for d III.

[Ned Bolcar]

Ursuline lost 2 to D-1 Boardman and I think D-1 Canfield beat them to.
Never the less Ursuline is one of the best D-3 programs in the state! Bar non.

Ursuline split with D1 Canfield, split wth D1 Toledo St Francis, split with D2 Mooney and beat D2 Regonal qualifier Poland 3 times.

[GoTribe06]

The best D-1 pitcher? or the best D-1 district? If it's pitcher then it's simply opinion because the four pitchers i mentioned are at least going division 1 in college. McCoury to Elon, Switka to Eastern Michigan, Jones to Savannah, and Goldberg to Coastal Carolina. In terms of d-1 district, ccc beat hudson, woodridge beat strongsville and twinsburg, and i'm not sure if ursuline or beachwood played any d1 schools or not.[/

Savannah is Division 1? Aren't they NAIA?

[DennyCrane]

Savannah is Division 1? Aren't they NAIA?

Yes it is NAIA. I discussed this on another thread awhile back. NAIA is the equivalent of NCAA D3. In NAIA there is only 1 division in baseball. If you play NAIA you are basically playing D3 level baseball.

Regardless, to play in college at any level is great.

[Mr. Slippery]

Yes it is NAIA. I discussed this on another thread awhile back. NAIA is the equivalent of NCAA D3. In NAIA there is only 1 division in baseball. If you play NAIA you are basically playing D3 level baseball.

Regardless, to play in college at any level is great.

NAIA would fall between NCAA D2 and D3. NAIA can give scholarships, D3 cannot. Usually when teams jump from NAIA to NCAA, they go D2 and not D3.

[Hometeam]

Yes it is NAIA. I discussed this on another thread awhile back. NAIA is the equivalent of NCAA D3. In NAIA there is only 1 division in baseball. If you play NAIA you are basically playing D3 level baseball.

Regardless, to play in college at any level is great.


Actually, based on what I've seen (and heard from others), I've always felt that NCAA D3 ball is more competitive ball than what you'd find at an NAIA school. I would think even at their tournaments (NCAA D3), you'd be playing at a higher level and tougher teams than what you'd play at an NAIA tournament. I've also heard that more and more schools are changing from NAIA to NCAA D3 because of the better competition.

Even though NCAA D3 can't give athletic scholarships, they DO give academic scholarships so actually, they can "hide" athletic money in an academic scholarship.

[badinfan9196]

Ursuline split with D1 Canfield, split wth D1 Toledo St Francis, split with D2 Mooney and beat D2 Regonal qualifier Poland 3 times.

I know nothing about the D-III teams up north, but it's hard to imagine a D-III team in Ohio that's played a more difficult schedule than Badin from the Fairborn Regional. Rams are 23-6 and have won their last 17 games. They are 7-5 against Division I teams, 9-1 against Division II teams and 7-0 (3-0 in the tournament) against Division III teams this season. Badin's been in D-II for many years, dropped down to D-III this year.

[BBallMan]

Switka and Goldberg could both be drafted. I'm sure gruver is the best of the five, but is austintown fitch still in the playoffs? And, trust me, even though ursuline lost to two d-1 programs that has no bearing on the fact that they are one of the best teams in the state for d III.

I don't know about Goldberg but you are dreaming if you think Switka has any chance of gettting drafted. You must be his best freind? He is a very good high school pitcher and we'll have to wait ans see if he is any good in college. D-111 high school to D-1 college is a big jump.

[BaseballRepresent]

Why is it whenever anyone talks up a player, it is automatically assumed that someone is either THAT player, his close friend, or a relative? I watched switka, after a rough first inning, absolutely dominate woodridge in the regional semi-final last year. The kid is good, will do fine. The jump won't bother him at all. It really isn't that big of a jump for him considering who he's beaten.

[ohiobaseball45]

I heard that the Brewers was at one of Switkas games this year.. and he had a 15 k performance. His presence on the mound makes him one of the best pitchers around. Most pitchers who give up 2 homeruns in the same inning usually gives up and throws the game away but he didnt he showed that he can battle back againt woodridge and give his team a chance to win. He finished the game with 13 ks against probably the toughest lineup in d 3. In the state-semi he gave up jus 3 runs to bloomsdale elmwood and they had 2 good hits and the rest were infield singles.

[BaseballRepresent]

I heard that the Brewers was at one of Switkas games this year.. and he had a 15 k performance. His presence on the mound makes him one of the best pitchers around. Most pitchers who give up 2 homeruns in the same inning usually gives up and throws the game away but he didnt he showed that he can battle back againt woodridge and give his team a chance to win. He finished the game with 13 ks against probably the toughest lineup in d 3. In the state-semi he gave up jus 3 runs to bloomsdale elmwood and they had 2 good hits and the rest were infield singles.

Exactly. The kid is mentally tough. He knows what is necessary to win. CCC has a handful to deal with on thursday in switka. He's also 6'5, right ohiobaseball45? About what, 220? Major-league worthy to me, and many credible scouts think so too i'm sure because Goldberg's virtually the same body-type.

[BaseballRepresent]

Wow. 7-6 and 4-0 were the finals. Both games were nail-biters. Woodridge and CCC for the title!

[Hometeam]

CCC for the win!

[itsa3]

The best D-1 pitcher? or the best D-1 district? If it's pitcher then it's simply opinion because the four pitchers i mentioned are at least going division 1 in college. McCoury to Elon, Switka to Eastern Michigan, Jones to Savannah, and Goldberg to Coastal Carolina. In terms of d-1 district, ccc beat hudson, woodridge beat strongsville and twinsburg, and i'm not sure if ursuline or beachwood played any d1 schools or not.

Jones is not going D-1. Savannah College is an Art and Design school and is NOT D-1. Savanah is a NAIA school like Walsh University in Canton. The only D-1 pitchers of the 4 are Goldberg, Swtika and McCoury.

[Bseballaddict]

A. The weather is better in Savannah than at Walsh and
B. The girls are better looking

Also I heard Jones turned down a full ride to Cleve State (D-1) and a 25% scholarship to West Virginia (also D-1)


Maybe he likes a and b better than d. (1)

[TaterSalad]

I played NAIA Baseball at Anderson University and the level of competition is not that far off from D1. We beat some D1 teams. Obviously, D1 teams have more depth and overall talent but we were competitive with anyone. Many times at the D1 level you get great athletes with tons of potential but not necessarily the best Baseball players. Many NAIA players are overlooked because of their size but are just great Baseball Players. We had many players drafted. Certainly I'm not saying NAIA is the level of D1 but you would be surprised how close they really are.