Scholvin returns as Orange holds off Liberty
Thursday, June 1, 2023
By Michael Rich
mrich@cbussports.com
Olentangy Orange’s Cole Cahill pitches against Olentangy Liberty during a Division I regional semifinal June 1 at Grove City. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Charlie Scholvin wasn’t supposed to step into the batter’s box in the first inning.
But there he was grounding a one-out infield single that jump-started the Olentangy Orange baseball team to a 7-6 victory over Olentangy Liberty in a Division I regional semifinal on June 1 at Grove City.
The Pioneers play Grove City on its home field on June 2 as they seek their second regional championship overall and first since 2017.
The senior shortstop came around to score on a base hit by senior pitcher Cole Cahill to give Orange a 1-0 lead. They added two more runs in the inning and built a 7-1 lead through six.
“It felt amazing to get back out there,” Scholvin said. “It’s probably the hardest six or seven weeks I’ve definitely had. The boys got me here – I’m so grateful to be here. The energy carried over and won us a game.”
He missed 23 games after breaking his hand, collarbone and puncturing his lung in a collision with left fielder Luke Shearer on an in-between ball on April 10.
“I love having Charlie back in the lineup,” Cahill said. “It put a smile on my face (to see him on first base in the first inning). If Chuck gets on, I’m getting him in. That’s just how we work.”
Shearer is lost for the season with a knee injury and Scholvin was told the recovery would take 8-10 weeks.
“Having Charlie in the lineup getting that single in the first made us believe. We didn’t think he was going to play the rest of this year,” Orange coach Tom Marker said, trying to hold back tears. “He’s so big to my family – both of my kids look up to him. I love Chuck – that’s my guy.”
Orange’s Charlie Scholvin makes a catch against Liberty during a Division I regional semifinal June 1 at Grove City. Photo: John Hulkenberg
Scholvin had a little angst as he went back on a pop fly in fourth inning that he caught on the left field foul line as third baseman Keegan Knupp and left fielder Wyatt Lidke converged. Calling off others is a point of emphasis now for the Pioneers.
“There were definitely some nerves,” Scholvin said. “Before the game, I went to (Lidke) and said, ‘Hey, let’s make sure we call the ball today.’ I was going back on (the ball in the fourth inning) and didn’t hear anything and just let instincts take over and ended up making a play thank goodness.”
As Scholvin was adjusting to being back on the field, Orange (21-10) was building its six-run lead with two runs in the third inning and two more in the fourth.
Cahill finished with two hits, including a double. He had two runs and drove in two more to pace the Pioneers on offense.
Meanwhile, he held Liberty (27-4) to run over the first six innings.
“We didn’t think we were the underdogs,” Cahill said. “We were confident and we had a plan going into the game and it worked and we got the job done. We were all so prepared for Liberty and so excited to beat Liberty. Our energy kept us in the game.”
Olentangy Orange’s Wyatt Lidke (18) and teammates celebrate their win over Olentangy Liberty in a Division I regional semifinal June 1 at Grove City. Photo: John Hulkenberg
The seventh was a different story as Liberty 11 batters to the plate and scored five runs. Brock Amelung’s two-run single was the big blow of the inning.
Amelung had two hits, three RBIs and a run to lead the Patriots on offense and tossed three scoreless innings in relief on the mound, allowing just one hit.
Senior pitcher Jacob Tabor, who was scheduled to pitch in tomorrow’s game, got a strikeout to save the game after issuing a walk to load the bases.
“Coming into close was my role my sophomore year,” he said. “I told Marker, ‘We’re not going to lose this game. I’m not going to let that happen.’ The energy was nuts. We had that game no matter what. No matter how close it was, we had that game.”
Diego Astacio had two hits and a walk, scored two runs and drove in one and Tyler Fuller added two hits and a run for Orange.
“The stuff we went through with the injuries this year – we lost (Shearer), we lost Chuck and we lost our left fielder (Gabe Miller) before today’s game because he was sick – it was just guys stepping up and making plays,” Marker said.