Russia wins first state baseball title since 1971

Russia’s championship comes five years after it lost 2-1 to Minster in the championship game at Huntington Park in Columbus. This is the first state title for eighth-year Russia coach Kevin Phlipot.

Braylon Cordonnier, Hayden Quinter and Aiden Shappie led the Russia offense with three hits each. They also each drove in two runs.

Xavier Phlipot pitched a complete game, allowing three earned runs on eight hits while striking out five.

Russia took a 2-1 lead on RBI singles by Zane Shappie and Jude Counts in the second inning. After Lincolnview tied the game at 2-2 in the third, Aiden’s RBI single in the bottom of the inning put Russia back on top.

In the sixth, Aiden started the inning with a single. After back-to-back strikeouts, Counts and Brayden Monnin were hit by pitches, loading the bases. Then Philpot walked, forcing in a run.

Quinter followed with a two-run single. Then Grant Saunders singled, and pinch runner Felix Francis scored on a throwing error by the shortstop. Cordonnier followed with a two-run triple. The seventh and final run of the inning scored on Aiden’s second single of the inning.

Russia rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat Newark Catholic 4-3 in the semifinals Thursday. No. 3 Van Wert Lincolnview beat Tiffin Calvert 8-1 on Thursday.