AKRON, Ohio — The Long Blue Line will return from Akron as a baseball state champion this weekend.
St. Xavier defeated Moeller 4-2 in a heavily anticipated Division I state final Friday night at 7 17 Credit Union Park in Akron.
"You have this dream with the kids and they start to believe in it," St. X coach Don DiGiacomo said. "You play a few games and you win a little bit. Struggle through some things a couple years ago and all of a sudden here you are in the state finals and just hoping that you play well and show them what you got. It's just undescribable. I knew we had a chance; I didn't know we could do it."
WATCH: St. Xavier coach Don DiGiacomo speaks after the Bombers' win over Moeller
This is the Bombers' (27-5) second baseball state title and first state championship since defeating Milford in the 2003 state final. St. X was also a 1994 Division I state semifinalist.
Friday was a game clearly in the spotlight for the Greater Catholic League South division rivals. St. X got out to an early lead, with Jackson Sherrard hitting a two-out double down the left field line to go up 1-0.
Top 1: St. X is on the board.
— Caleb Noe (@CalebNoeTV) June 12, 2026
Jack x2.
Jackson Sherrard gets one to drop.
Jack Ryan scores from 2nd.
St. X leads 1-0.
Moeller coming up to bat for the first time. pic.twitter.com/rqGyGF3Zpy
The Bombers added to their lead in the fourth, with Thomas George scoring from second on a Cullen O'Brien single. Sam Sprengard's sacrifice fly also brought in Cameron Schaefer to make things 3-0.
Moeller fought back, with a Conner Cuozzo RBI and Matt Ponatoski sac fly making things 3-2 heading into the seventh.
In the top of the seventh, Braden Bricking's sac fly gave St. X some extra cushion with a 4-2 lead. That was the final score as Moeller failed to get any additional runs on the board in their final at-bats.
St. X junior Liam McGeady allowed just one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five batters. McGeady earned the win. Sophomore Sam Vovak earned the save.
This was the fourth meeting between the storied high school programs this season. Moeller defeated St. X 12-2 on April 15 while St. X won 7-4 on May 3 and 10-0 on May 6.
Although it’s a rare matchup, a Moeller versus St. Xavier state final has happened before. The 2019 boys volleyball state final was the most recent meeting. The two schools played in the volleyball state final in 2006, 2005, 2003 and 1997.
It’s also happened in basketball during the 2007 Division I state final.
Current players and coaches kept their focus Thursday night after the state semifinals knowing what kind of attention the game would receive Friday from the media, family, friends and baseball community.
St. X had a special journey all season. The Bombers, winners of eight consecutive games, defeated Lewis Center Olentangy Orange 5-0 in a state semifinal Thursday night in Akron.
WATCH: St. Xavier senior Dillon Brus reflects on the championship win
Moeller (25-7) completes its season as a Division I state runner-up – its first state final appearance since winning the state championship in 2023.
Greater Cincinnati also nabbed another state championship Friday night.
Badin defeated Columbus Bishop Watterson in the Division III state championship Friday. The Rams defeated Parma Padua Franciscan 5-2 in the state semifinal Thursday in Canton. Badin closed out the season winning 25 consecutive games. The victory was also the Rams' first state title since 1996 and their third overall.
Badin has earned three consecutive trips to the state Final Four and 17 state tournament appearances overall.
