West Branch’s Anthony Perry scores the winning run in the seventh inning off a Jaxon Robb’s walk-off single against Kenston on Friday in a Div. II regional contest at Thurman Munson Stadium in Canton. (Photo by Matt Morrison)

CANTON– Jaxon Robb was the surprising hero for West Branch as he lined a single to left field that allowed Anthony Perry to score from second to walk-off the reigning state champion Kenston 2-1 on Friday at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium to advance to the Div. II state championship.

“It was just so much excitement,” Robb said. “I rounded first and looked into the dugout and Perry score. I saw (my teammates) all running towards me and it was awesome.”

“I was on second and Jaxon hit that bomb and I wanted to make sure that I wouldn’t get doubled up first,” Perry said. “As soon as I saw his back turned I knew I wasn’t going to get thrown out. Rounding third seeing the fans go crazy it was awesome.”

Kenston intentionally walked Charlie Biskup that brought Robb to the plate.

“I want to say that I feel disrespected, but I hadn’t done anything in this game,” Robb said. “I would do the same if it was against me, but it put some pressure on me and I think I liked it.”

“He (Robb) played for us from the time he was 8 up until his freshmen year,” West Branch coach Rick Mulinix said. “I walked up to him after they walked him and I said ‘Hey this is why you decided to come back out this year, now get a good pitch and put a swing on it.'”

With the win, West Branch (26-6) will be making its first state appearance since 1973. Kenston ends the season 15-16.

“It feels amazing,” Robb said. “We talked about it in the preseason that this was our team and we had a feeling that we could go far. I don’t know if anyone of us expected this far, but we worked hard for this, we deserve this and we deserve to get even more.”

“So much is going on right now,” Mulinix said. “I think on maybe on the van ride back it might start to settle in. I’m just super excited the kids and I’m so happy for them. This is something that we don’t say publicly, but this is what we wanted to do this year and it is not easy.”

West Branch briefly saw itself on the other side of a perfect game until Aaron Tucker lined a double to right field in the fourth inning. Anthony Perry later hit a sacrifice ground ball to first base that allowed to Tucker to score and tie the game at 1-1.

“We were in the spot last week with Geneva down 1-0 in the first,” Perry said. “We are a good offensive team and we know that. We just had to adjust to the pitcher who was a great pitcher and we adjusted well.”

Perry earned the win for the Warriors allowing one earned run on six hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

Perry had a shaky start, but settled in quick to hold the defending champs to just one run.

“Just staying composed,” Perry said. “Coach Mulinix, coach (Shawn) Alazaus kept me composed and Hunter Shields a great catcher kept me composed and I settled in.”

Kenston had some opportunities to expand the lead, but the strong Warriors defense prevented that.

“It was a tough one to lose,” Kenston coach Joe Hritz said. “It was a pitchers duel going back and forth. We had some opportunities I think you look at it from the stand point of that we were hitting the ball hard and right at people and that is baseball. This program has come a long way and these kids are probably walking out of here as the most decorated class in Kenston history.”

Bridger Bischof was the losing pitcher allowing two earned runs on five hits with one walk and five strikeouts.

Bischof had two hits while Wes Toth had one hit and one RBI.

Having coached Kenston to a state championship in Div. II last season and a Div. I state semifinal in 2022, Hritz gave encouraging words to West Branch on making state.

“It is a cool experience for those kids,” Hritz said. “I hope they soak in every moment of it. (West Branch) is a great baseball team. They stuck to it and played a clean game and they will continue it all the way through. I wish them nothing but the best and I told their coaches as we went through (to shake hands) to go get the whole thing at this point.”

There is now just four teams left in Div. II as West Branch will face Indian Creek in the state semifinal, while Hamilton Badin will face Parma Padua Franciscan.

Indian Creek edged Waverly 7-0 on Thursday to advance, while Hamilton Badin edged the No. 1 ranked team in Div. II Jonathan Alder 2-0 on Thursday to reach state.

West Branch is ranked 12th in the Div. II state poll, while Hamilton Badin is ranked sixth.

“We know nothing,” Mulinix said. “I am assuming all four are pretty good teams. Beau (Alazaus) will be on the mound, so we will see what get out of him again.”

West Branch and Indian Creek are scheduled for 1 p.m. on Friday at Canal Park.

KE: 1-0-0-0-0-0-0–1-6-1

WB: 0-0-0-1-0-0-1–2-5-0