Highland senior center fielder Ben Klafczynski was named to the 2007 Louisville Slugger All-American team.

Klafczynski, a Kent State recruit, hit .613 with 12 home runs and 51 RBI to lead the Hornets (23-9, 11-3 in the Suburban League) to their first appearance in a regional championship game. He also recorded 18 steals in 19 attempts and scored 43 runs. As a pitcher, Klafczynski went 3-2 with a 1.97 ERA and three saves. He also struck out 23 batters in 22 innings of work.

Klafczynski holds school records for career home runs (30) and career RBI (125).

Here is a cool link from MLB.com that you can use to take a look at all the Ohio prospects who entered this year’s draft.

The site has information about Highland senior center fielder Ben Klafczynski and Canton South senior center fielder Devon Torrence. There is also a video of Klafczynski taking batting practice.

The MLB Draft starts at 2 p.m. Thursday and will be televised for the first time (ESPN 2).

No baseball teams from the Beacon Journal’s five-county coverage area advanced to the state tournament.

Highland (Division II) and Canton Central Catholic (Division III) made it the farthest but both lost in regional finals.

BASEBALL

Galion Division II Regional

Highland 11, Defiance 10

Varsity Letters Player of the Game: Highland senior outfielder/pitcher Ben Klafczynski

Klafczynski relieved starter Cory Johnston in the top of the fifth inning. Klafczynski was able to stop the bleeding after Defiance scored nine of its 10 runs in the first three innings.

Klafczynski allowed no earned runs, two hits, one walk and struck out three in 2 2/3 innings of work. He earned the win to improve his record to 3-1.

I tried to “get ahead with my fastball and just try to spot my curveball, mix it in there to keep them off balance,” Klafczynski said. “We’re in tight situations when they get guys on. I tried to get ahead (in the count), and that’s what I focused on.”

Klafczynksi also reached base all five times he came to the plate. He reached on a fielder’s choice and was intentionally walked four times. He scored twice to help Highland (23-8) advance to a regional final against Sandusky Perkins (23-5) at 2 p.m. today at Heise Park in Galion.

Posted by Beacon Journal sportswriter Nate Ulrich 

Division II

Where: Hudson High School.

Schedule: Canfield (25-4) vs. Canton South (21-7), 2 p.m. Thursday; Parma Heights Holy Name (19-4) vs. Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin (18-9), 5 p.m. Thursday.Outlook: Seniors Nate Clark, Justin Gill and Devon Torrence each had three hits to lead Canton South to its third district title in six years with a 7-2 win over Minerva. Sophomore pitcher Matt Wilson, a left-hander, earned the win for the Wildcats in their district final. Canfield won its second consecutive district title by defeating Poland Seminary 5-0.

Where: Heise Park in Galion.

Schedule: Sandusky Perkins (22-5) vs. Walsh Jesuit (23-4), 2 p.m. Thursday; Highland (22-5) vs. Defiance (27-3), 5 p.m. Thursday.

Outlook: Junior David Starn pitched a complete game to lead Walsh Jesuit to its eighth district title in 11 seasons with an 8-2 win over Tallmadge. Senior Dan Sherwood had two RBI for the defending state champion Warriors in their district final. Sherwood, a University of Toledo recruit, is hitting .425 with 36 RBI and eight home runs this season. Sandusky Perkins defeated Fostoria to win its second district championship in a row. Senior Ben Klafczynski, a Kent State recruit, went 3-for-3 and pitched a one-hit shutout as Highland defeated Brookside 10-0 to win its first district title. Defiance beat Elida 10-3 to win its third consecutive district title.Note: Regional finals are at 2 p.m. Friday.

Posted by Beacon Journal sportswriter Nate Ulrich

The Highland baseball team defeated Brookside 10-0 last Friday to claim its first district title in school history.

The Hornets (22-5) advance to play Defiance (27-3) in a Division II regional semifinal at 5 p.m. Thursday at Heise Park in Galion.

Posted by Beacon Journal sportswriter Nate Ulrich 

Junior Cory Johnston continued to prove that he’s one of the area’s elite aces.

Johnston allowed no earned runs and five hits as Highland defeated Vermilion 5-2 in a Lorain Division II district semifinal game on Thursday at Campana Park. The Hornets advance to play the winner of Norton and Brookside in a district final at 4:30 p.m. today at Southview High School.

Johnston, a left-hander, struck out eight in seven innings of work and improved his record to 8-1 to help Highland exact revenge on Vermilion, which defeated the Hornets in a district semifinal last season. 

Johnston has 65 strikeouts and only 20 walks in 58 innings this season. His ERA is an impressive 1.57.

Led by Johnston’s pitching and senior center fielder Ben Klafczynski’s offense, the Hornets have earned a 21-5 record this season to become just the second team in school history to win 20 games, Highland coach Jeff Rollyson said.  The Hornets compiled a record of 24-4 in 1976. 

Posted by Michael Beaven for the Beacon Journal 

The Wadsworth boys and girls track and field teams won the Suburban League meet Saturday at Green. Each squad scored 163 points to win.

Copley, Green and Highland rounded out the top four on the boys side. Green, Cloverleaf and Tallmadge rounded out the top four on the girls side.  

The Wadsworth girls team won in dominating fashion, winning 11 of the 17 events contested. Sophomore sprinter Jessica Grant won the 100 meters in 12.13 seconds and the 200 in 25.01. Grant was also on two relays which placed first, the 400 relay and 800 relay.

The Grizzlies won all four relays; the 400 (Grant, Amanda Pallija, Jaimie Grindle, Annie Grindle), the 800 (Grant, Brittani Peltz, J. Grindle, A. Grindle), the 1,600 (Jenny Harsh, Elana Cole, J. Grindle, Peltz) and the 3,200 (Harsh, Nicole Cargill, Cole, Kristen Havens).

Other Wadsworth girls first places came in the: 400 (Peltz), 800 (Harsh), high jump (J. Grindle), shot put (Holly Gospodinsky) and long jump (Jennifer Thomas).

Green was second behind first place finishes from Carolyn Payne (1,600 and 3,200) and Kelsie Ahbe (pole vault). Cloverleaf’s Cassy Maxwell won the discus and Highland’s Brooke Hutchings won the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles.

The Wadsworth boys team won eight events, with junior Sean Kemmerer winning the 110 hurdles and the high jump. Other individual Grizzlies champions were: Aarick Jones (100), Anthony Schrock (300 hurdles), Austin Healey (shot put), Darnell Davis (long jump) and Kenny Owens (pole vault).

The Grizzlies 3,200 relay (Jon Tomko, Nick Burton, Dan Houston and Chris Glockner) also won.

Copley was second behind individual first place finishes from Jeff Brauning (200), Kerrington Smith (400), Chris Fallon (800 and 1,600). The 400 relay team (Terry Foster, Darius Evans, Brauning, Johnnie Legrair) and the 800 relay unit (Evans, Brauning, A.C. Samson-Akpan, Legrair) also won. 

Green’s Brian Dudek won the 3,200.  

Posted by Beacon Journal sportswriter Nate Ulrich 

There was a lot of hype surrounding Highland senior center fielder Ben Klafczynski before the 2007 high school baseball season began.

Klafczynski, a Kent State recruit, was a Louisville Slugger Preseason All-American for the past two years. Major League Baseball scouts have also told Klafczynski that he might be drafted this June.

So how has Klafczynski responded to the high expectations? He has exceeded them beyond belief.

Klafczynski is hitting .661 with 40 RBI and 11 home runs. He also has nine doubles and five triples.

“He’s certainly had the season he’s capable of due to his dedication and his work ethic toward the game,” Highland coach Jeff Rollyson said of Klafczynski. “The (pro) scouts that I’ve talked to have certainly expressed interest in him and he’s on their radar. His numbers certainly can’t hurt.”

The Hornets are hot, too. They’re 19-4, 10-2 in the Suburban League.

Klafczynski hit a walk-off grand slam as the Hornets defeated Revere 5-2 in a Rittman Division II sectional championship. Highland advances to play Vermillion in a district semifinal at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Southview High School.

If Klafczynski can continue to produce ridiculous stats, the Hornets might be able to make some more noise in the postseason.