Orange standouts take talents, friendship to Toledo
Monday, May 22, 2023
By Scott Hennen
shennen@cbussports.com
Olentangy Orange’s Jacob Tabor (from left), Charlie Scholvin, and Cole Cahill, all bound for the University of Toledo, share a moment before the Pioneers’ game with host Hilliard Bradley on May 8. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Three friends expected to have one final high school season together with the Olentangy Orange baseball team, but fate took away much of that experience.
After planning the Pioneer Pit student section for Orange sporting events, especially football and boys basketball contests, seniors Cole Cahill, Charlie Scholvin, and Jacob Tabor expected to suit up together for baseball success. However, on April 10 in a 17-5 OCC-Central Division win at Hilliard Davidson, Scholvin suffered a broken collarbone during a collision with center fielder Luke Shearer, who was lost for the season with a knee injury.
The trio will continue their camaraderie in college as all three have signed to play at Toledo.
Scholvin has a chance to return to the diamond should the seventh-seeded Pioneers win a Division I district championship. But for that to happen, 10th-seeded Pickerington North stands in the way in a district final May 24 at Grove City. The regional semifinal is slated for June 1, also at Grove City.
“The doctor said waiting was best because I’m starting the process of coming back,” said Scholvin, who started at shortstop after playing at second base the last two seasons. “Over the past few days, I have felt good swinging, but we just wanted to make sure I was ready.”
The three Toledo recruits have been the heart and soul of the team for three seasons. Cahill has started at pitcher and first base and Scholvin at second base since their sophomore years when the Pioneers lost to eventual state champion New Albany 3-1 in a regional final. Tabor, a left-handed pitcher, came out of the bullpen that season, which was the first for all three after the COVID-19 pandemic erased their freshman season.
“It’s kind of crazy because it feels like it just started yesterday, especially with freshman year and COVID,” Cahill said. “It goes fast and you’ll never get to play with some of those dudes again. You have to embrace it and take it all in. Coach (Tom) Marker has made it great and we’re thankful for the opportunity to play at Orange.”
Olentangy Orange’s James Wimsatt makes the putout of Hilliard Bradley’s Alex Koons at second base before throwing to first and completing the double play May 8, at Bradley. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Cahill was batting .381 with 25 runs and team-highs in home runs (3) and RBI (30). On the mound, the left-hander was 6-2 with one save, 47 strikeouts and a team-leading 1.88 ERA in 56 innings. He will be a position player with the Rockets.
Tabor was 6-1 with a 3.75 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings.
In his seven games, Scholvin was batting .412 (7-for-17) with five doubles, five RBI and nine runs. In the win over Davidson in which he was injured, Scholvin was 2-for-3 with two doubles, two runs and two RBI.
“The three of them not only will leave a baseball legacy but an overall leaky as well at Orange,” said Marker, whose team is 19-10 entering its district championship. “They were in charge of the Pioneer Pit, which is a student section that are pumping classmates up for football and basketball games but also volleyball, soccer and other big sporting events at the school. They don’t miss events, and I know they will do the same for the Toledo baseball program.”
Tabor said the student section was just another way for the three friends to stay together as much as possible.
“It’s one of those friendships that we’re always there for each other and I was so excited when we all went to Toledo,” said Tabor, who is strictly a pitcher. “Chuck, Cole and I were in charge of the Pioneer Pit along with Will Butler. It was a memorable experience, especially the (boys) basketball run (ending with a 57-53 to Pickerington Central in a Division I regional final at Ohio University).”
On the diamond, they all have left a legacy. Cahill has been the team’s ace for the last two years and a No. 3-hole hitter for the Pioneers.
Last spring, he was second-team all-state, first-team all-district and league co-Player of the Year, going 7-1 in 47 2/3 innings with a 1.32 ERA and 42 strikeouts. At the plate, he had a .295 batting average with 23 runs and a team-leading 25 RBI.
As a sophomore, Cahill was honorable mention all-state, first-team all-district, and all-league, batting .396 with 26 RBI and 17 runs. As a pitcher, he was 7-1 with a 1.84 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 57 innings.
“I think Cole’s ability to affect both sides of the ball is key,” Marker said. “He’s been our man on the mound for the last two years and he has been in the middle of the (batting order) since Day One. He’s been a bona fide (No.) 1 with three pitches he can throw for strikes. He’s such a competitor.”
Olentangy Orange’s Tyler Fuller pitches against host Hilliard Bradley on May 8. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Cahill tossed a five-hit shutout with six strikeouts as visiting Orange blanked sixth-seeded Dublin Scioto 7-0 on May 22 in a district final. At the plate, he added an RBI single. Senior Josiah Ross, an Akron signee, had a double, two singles, two runs and drove in a run, and senior outfielder Evan Eichel had a solo homer with a single, scored twice and had one RBI.
The Pioneers had a first-round bye before defeating 37th-seeded Big Walnut 11-1 in six innings May 17 in the second round.
Marker praised Tabor for his arm, which had 37 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings last season.
“Jacob hits 89 or 90 with his fastball, and gets strikeouts,” Marker said. “Our top three pitchers (Cahill, Tabor and Olivet recruit Diego Astacio) are lefties.”
Marker has high praise for Scholvin, whom he calls “the best shortstop we have had at Orange.” That’s high praise considering he started at second his first two seasons behind Matt Wolfe, who plays at Vanderbilt. Wolfe’s predecessor, Tyler Ross, now plays at Bowling Green.
“If you play shortstop at Orange, you’re a player,” Marker said. “Matt Wolfe had God-given talent but Charlie created himself. He’s so smooth, and before he was hurt he was putting up numbers he had never had before.
“After he got hurt, Charles never left. He’s in the dugout watching the game and helping us out. He’s working with James Wimsatt, his replacement, and helping him make the team better. His attitude has helped make us a better team.”
Wimsatt, a sophomore, was batting .368 with 23 RBI and 27 runs before getting hit in the face with a pitch in the postseason win over Big Walnut. He had surgery and will miss the remainder of the season.
“It’s definitely different, being on the bench,” Scholvin said. “I’m doing everything I can to help the team. I’m constantly staring at the (opposing) pitcher to see if I can pitch up what pitches he’s going to throw to tell the hitters. I try to keep the energy up as much as possible.”
Cahill said the season has been an adventure that he has been able to share with his best friends. And the journey will continue for three of them at Toledo.
“We have had some ups and downs this year, like Chuck and Shearer getting hurt was big,” he said. “Hopefully Chuck can come back and make an impact in the postseason. We’re confident in each other and excited to play ball.”