Friday, May 25, 2001
Hitting lifts Mariemont
By Dave Schutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Senior catcher David Winters sounded a warning. “When our bats are going, we're virtually unbeatable,” Mariemont's senior catcher said.
Mariemont plays Versailles at 5 p.m. today in the Division III regional semifinals at Dick Shaffer Park in Hillsboro. Middletown Fenwick meets Marion Pleasant at 2 p.m. in the opening game. The winners meet at 1 p.m., Saturday in the championship.
Mariemont (17-4) is hitting over .300 as a team.
“Going into the season, I thought we could be competitive,” coach Jerry Summerville said. “We had a lot of players back but felt there were some kids who could get better. I knew the hitting would be good.”
It was the pitching staff that concerned Summerville, especially Adam Wilson who had a mediocre junior season.
“Adam is the kind of kid who throws hard and has a good breaking ball,” Summerville said. “He's now 6-2 and came through with a good year.”
Senior Reid Clasen (5-1) and junior Nick Laumann (3-0) also have been surprises for a Warriors pitching staff that has been strong throughout the season.
“Reid is a good football and basketball player and wasn't sure he wanted to play this season,” Summerville said. “He decided at the last minute and had been good pitching and in the outfield.”
Kyle DeDemar, last year's starting second baseman who underwent reconstructive knee surgery last year, also has played a significant role.
“I wasn't counting on Kyle playing,” Summerville said. “But he didn't want to sit out. He wears a heavy brace and is one of our leading hitters with a .400 batting average.”
A bold move by Summerville in the District championship against Dayton Oakwood paid off.
“I brought Brad Clasen up from the JV team and put him at shortstop,” Summerville said. “It was his first varsity start and he got it done.”
Winters said senior leadership was crucial to the Warriors' success.
“We have seven seniors who have been together three years,” Winters said. “Our first goal was to win the CHL, but we finished second. We realized this was our last chance and we've come together.”
The seniors are DeDemar, Matt Weissman, Brandon Fisher, Clasen, Walt Bosse and Joe Singler.
“Basically we're playing the season for Coach Summerville and we'd like to win it for him,” Winters said.
“It's getting down to the end for Coach Summerville and he's been an inspiration to all of us. I had some personal problems and he was like a second father to me. There isn't a student who doesn't love him.”
Mariemont's most recent appearance in the regional semifinals was in 1996 when the Warriors lost to Versailles.
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Hitting lifts Mariemont
