Walk-off Winners: Jack Steiner's hit sends Dalton to district title game

Columbia has blocked Dalton's road to the district title game for two straight seasons. And for six innings, the Raiders looked like they were going to do it again.

Until Dalton's seniors came through in a big way.

Justin Basinger and Jack Steiner came up with clutch hits to complete Dalton's comeback and beat Columbia 4-3 in the Div. IV Medina District semifinals. Dalton advances to Thursday's district final, where it will face WCAL foe Hillsdale at 5 p.m. for the district championship.

Through four innings, it looked like Columbia was going to end Dalton's season again, just like it did in the 2021 and 2022 district tournaments. The Raiders held a 3-0 lead and starting pitcher Jacob Sanders kept finding ways to stymie Bulldogs hitters.

But Dalton finally broke through in the third, with Brady Hignight driving in Trey Dunn to make it 3-1 and Justin Basinger driving in Hignight on a ground out a batter later to cut Columbia's lead to one.

"We felt like we couldn't catch a break until the fifth inning when we were able to get on the board and get some momentum," Dalton coach Scott Huth said. "We got our confidence going there."

Still, the 'Dawgs entered the final half-inning needing some offense to extend their season. And things fell their way again.

Seth Wyckoff, who pitched the final 1⅔ innings in relief for the Bulldogs, reached via error to start the inning. After a Dunn walk and an out on Hignight's bunt attempt, Basinger and Steiner made sure they had at least one more high school baseball game ahead of them.

Basinger ripped a single into left to tie the game, bringing up Steiner, Dalton's top player all season long. With first base open — Hignight and Basinger advanced to third and second on the throw from the outfield after Basinger's hit — Columbia could have elected to walk Steiner and load the bases.

Instead, they pitched to Steiner, the 2023 WCAL MVP, and Steiner made them pay, delivering the walk-off hit.

Steiner (1-for-4, RBI), Basinger (2-for-4, 2 RBIs) and Bryce Johnson (2-for-3) accounted for five of Dalton's eight hits, bringing the senior leadership that an otherwise young Dalton team needed on the bigger district stage.

"All three of our seniors have been such great leaders," Huth said. "... I'm happy for Jack, proud of Justin and just thrilled that Bryce can keep contributing. I'm really pulling for him, he's a really great kid."

Basinger started on the mound, surrendering five hits and three runs (two earned) in three innings while striking out three. Will Carmichael pitched 2⅓ scoreless frames before Wyckoff took it the rest of the way.

Dalton's win sets up a big-time clash with Hillsdale for the district championship. The 'Dawgs beats the Falcons twice during the regular season.

While most teams start their No. 1 pitchers in the district semifinals, both Dalton and Hillsdale started their No. 2s Tuesday, meaning Thursday's game will feature both aces — Dalton's Wyckoff and Hillsdale's Nick Kandel.

Whatever happened during the regular season won't matter. Much more than bragging rights are on the line Thursday.