Title Town: Archbishop Hoban adds another baseball district crown with 6-1 win over Massillon

CANTON, Ohio – There is just something about the postseason that brings out the best in Archbishop Hoban baseball.

That was on display again Thursday at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium as the Knights defeated Massillon 6-1 to win a district title for the third straight season and punch their ticket to next week's regional semifinals.

Hoban got off to a quick start just like they had in the district semifinals, when junior outfielder Parker Falkenstein led off the bottom of the first inning with a double and then scored on a single by sophomore Andrew Karhoff.

.@andrewkarhoff42 with an RBI single to score @PFalkenstein22 who had doubled. @HobanBaseball leads 1-0 B2. pic.twitter.com/sPJ51aA70x
— Ryan (@Isley23) May 25, 2023

It was the fourth straight game Falkenstein had led off with a hit for the Knights, including all three postseason games so far.

This is @PFalkenstein22's leadoff double for @HobanBaseball pic.twitter.com/3HJLgdeQtW
— Ryan (@Isley23) May 25, 2023

“You start the game off with a hit and it kind of breaks the ice for everybody,” Hoban head coach Derek Carmichael said. “He's done that in four straight games. I think we've played our best baseball, five out of the last six games and he's been on fire. It goes hand in hand.”

With two outs in the first, Nate Shimmel drove in Karhoff with an RBI single to give Hoban a 2-0 lead after one inning.

Then it was up to pitcher Landan Browning to make it stand. The junior was up to the challenge.

After giving up hits to two of the first four hitters in the first inning, the right-hander settled in and retired 13 in a row and 16 of the next 17 hitters he faced and had allowed just a pair of hits and a pair of walks through six innings.

“When you get in that competitive mindset, you get into that mode,” Browning said. “And you're not missing, you're letting them hit the ball, you’re getting strikeouts and your defense is making some plays for you, it's hard not to win that way.”

Browning had been called upon to pitch against good teams all year in preparation for this moment.

“I'm so proud of that kid,” Carmichael said. “We knew this game was a potential he would have to be the guy to step up, so you got to battle test him and he's pitched great all year.”

Carmichael had contemplated taking Browning out after six innings, but that wasn’t an option in his pitcher’s mind.

“I think the true testament to him is he comes off in the sixth and he was at 81 pitches,” Carmichael said. “He goes ‘I’m finishing.’ And when a kid says that to you, man, like I'm not taking the ball out your hand.”

Browning gave up a hit to start the seventh and then an error put two runners on and ended Browning’s night. He finished with 6+ innings pitched and allowed one run on three hits and two walks and struck out five.

In stepped Jordan Kievman, who pitched four dominant innings in the district semifinals for the Knights. The sophomore was up to the task once again, striking out all three batters he faced to end the game. The only flaw was a wild pitch that allowed Massillon to get its sole run.

“I’m feeling good right now,” Kievman said. “I came in throwing strikes and just doing my job trying to close out every game I can get and just help out my team that way.”

While the pitchers were keeping Massillon off the scoreboard, the Hoban offense added some insurance in the fifth inning.

Browning and Masud Jennings set the table with singles to start the inning and then Falkenstein laid down a perfect bunt down the third base line that went for a hit before a bad throw to first for a Massillon error. Jack Stephens, running for Browning, scored easily, and Jennings was hot on his heels as he flew around the bases and scored.

.@PFalkenstein22 with a bunt single. Two runs score on a Massillon error, including @MasudJennings11 who came flying around from 1st. @HobanBaseball leads 4-0 B5 pic.twitter.com/As1Mv9ozti
— Ryan (@Isley23) May 25, 2023

Karhoff then singled up the middle to score Falkenstein and after a Keivman walk, Andrew Ciavolella singled to drive home Karhoff, making it 6-0.

For a Hoban team that has struggled at times offensively this season, the turnaround at the plate has come from the hard work they are putting in on a daily basis.

“I think as a team, we've all been all in the cages after practice and turn up the machine and get on top of the fastball, and our bats have been coming along,” Falkenstein said.

It also has something to do with what time of year it is, where a loss would mean the end of the season.

“I think that when it comes to playoffs, we always heat up because of the energy,” Kievman said. “I think when it's regular season, sometimes we can tend to get down really fast. But when it comes to playoffs, we're just always up and we just always pick each other up. One guy gets out the next one hits him in.”

For the Knights, who won the Division II state championship in 2021 and made the state championship game in Division II last season before moving up to Division I this season, a district title is nice.

But they have their eyes set on something bigger.

“It feels pretty good, but our goal is state championship at the end of the day,” Falkenstein said.