Baseball: Academy’s magic runs out late; Waynedale wins 2nd straight title
Friday, June 12, 2026
By Michael Rich
mrichnotwealthy@gmail.com
Columbus Academy’s Dominic Dunkle, a Denison commit, put together a quality start against Waynedale Friday at Akron’s 7 17 Credit Union Park but the Golden Bears won 9-5 to capture their second consecutive state championship. Photo: Kevin Rouch
It took the best baseball of Columbus Academy’s season to make an improbable run to the Division V state final where it held a two-run lead over the top-ranked team in the state entering the sixth inning.
But it was a five-run seventh inning that ended up being the Vikings’ undoing in a 9-5 loss to Apple Creek Waynedale, which captured its fourth state championship in five years on June 12 at 7 17 Credit Union Park in Akron.
“In my opinion, we only had one bad inning the entire playoff and that was the seventh inning,” senior catcher Cooper Leibas said. “They were tough to beat there.”
The fact that Academy (17-17) was even in the final was a minor miracle.
The Vikings had two separate five-game losing streaks during the regular season, opening the year with one and then losing five straight towards the end before winning their finale against Bloom-Carroll.
Academy’s 16 losses entering the state tournament were the fourth-most in state history. The 2005 Gibsonburg team, which had 17 losses, won a Division IV state championship.
Academy’s Cooper Leibas watches his single down the right field line, which drove in the Vikings’ first run against Waynedale Friday in Akron. Leibas ended the day with four RBIs. Photo: Kevin Rouch
“It’s special because I didn’t know that,” Academy coach Todd Dunkle said. “When we got in the tournament, we didn’t care what our record was. We knew that we were battle-tested, and we knew that we could do it. Our goal every year is to play in a district final. Once you play in a district final, anything can happen. We gave it our all – we just gave up too many runs in the seventh.”
Conversely, the Golden Bears entered the state tournament for the fifth consecutive time, also a state record. Their only other appearance at state was in 2016 where they were runners-up. Waynedale also won titles in 2022, 2023 and 2025.
Leibas’ two-out, two-run triple in the fifth inning staked the Vikings to a 4-2 lead. He finished with four RBIs on two hits to lead Academy.
But those final six outs proved to be too much. Brayden Steiner’s RBI double and Logan Troyer’s RBI single tied the game in the sixth. Troyer led the Bears with four hits and added an RBI and Hudson Barkman had two hits, two RBIs and a run.
Then, the Golden Bears (30-3) scored five runs on just two hits, three walks and a hit-batter. Waynedale had four stolen bases and a run from second base on a wild pitch.
Academy second baseman Anthony Penney makes a throw to records an out against Waynedale in the OHSAA Division V title game Friday at Akron’s 7 17 Credit Union Park. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Dominic Dunkle, the coach’s son, went 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs, all earned on eight hits and three walks. He also scored twice on offense on the strength of three walks and a hit.
“(Our run) really starts with my dad,” Dominic Dunkle said. “He always says, ‘Trust the process.’ And, well, we did that. After the district semifinals, I felt like we had a shot. Everything just started clicking. I was just like, ‘If we keep doing this, we’ll get there.’”
Kevin Klingerman finished the sixth and started the seventh for the Vikings and took the loss.
Steiner went all seven innings, allowing five earned runs on seven hits and four walks to get the win for Waynedale.
“I was expecting a battle – especially because a team on a run can definitely be a dangerous team,” Bears coach Lucas Daugherty said. “I want to give a lot of credit to them. They’re a very good team. I thought their pitchers threw very well, they made some fantastic defensive plays and their whole batting order – they were tough outs. … They definitely gave us a battle.”
Academy’s Hayes Donaldson gets the sign from his third base coach before stepping in against Waynedale Friday in Akron. Photo: Kevin Rouch