Division V Regional Semifinal Preview: Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs set to face Valley Indians
The Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs have a pregame huddle before their district final game this past week. (HCP Photo/Stephen Forsha)
TALE OF THE TAPE
School: Lynchburg-Clay
Location: Lynchburg, OH
Head Coach: James Flowers (2nd season)
Mascot: Mustangs
Overall Record: 21-3
Conference: Southern Hills Athletic Conference (13-0)
Region: 19
Runs Scored: 262
Runs Allowed: 39
District Championship: Southeast District 2
Current Win Streak: 4
School: Valley
Location: Lucasville, OH
Mascot: Indians
Head Coach: Nolan Crabtree
Overall Record: 18-6
Conference: Southern Ohio Conference III
Region: 19
Runs Scored: 149
Runs Allowed: 72
District Championship: Southeast District 1
Current Win Streak: 3
The Division V Regional Semifinals are set to take place on Wednesday, June 4 at Marietta College, where the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs will face the Valley Indians in a battle of two Southeast District champions with a spot in the “Elite Eight” on the line.
Lynchburg-Clay returns to regional semifinals for the first time in 28 years as champions of the Southeast District 2, while Valley is in the regional round after winning the Southeast District 1 championship.
The Mustangs this postseason won in the district semifinals against Piketon by a 6-0 score, then followed that with the district final win against Portsmouth by a 3-2 score. Valley this postseason won against Proctorville Fairland by a 9-4 score in the district semifinals, followed by a district final win over Wheelersburg at 3-1.
LCHS has 16 shutouts this season, as they were undefeated Southern Hills Athletic Conference champions with a 13-0 mark in conference play.
Valley has on their roster Jaekyn Ridout, a SOC III co-Player of the Year, and Carson Powell, a SOC III co-Pitcher of the Year. Also on the All-SOC list for Valley as second-team players this season were Tate Queen and Gabe McNeil.
In the SHAC this season, Lynchburg-Clay’s Cole Wells was the Athlete of the Year in baseball, and the Coach of the Year was James Flowers. Other All-SHAC selections for the Mustangs were Cody Bell, Josiah Burns, Christian Flowers, Cole Wells, Quin Wells and Braedon West.
Looking at some stats of the Mustangs, some batting average leaders (20 or more games) are: Cole Wells (.578), Quin Wells (.422), Josiah Burns (.418), Cody Bell (.407), Tanner Roberts (.396), Braedon West (.381), Christian Flowers (.339) and Trevor Niehaus (.304)
The hits leaders for the Mustangs (20-plus hits) are: Cole Wells (37), Josiah Burns (28), Quin Wells (27), Cody Bell (24), Christian Flowers (21) and Tanner Roberts (21).
LC’s runs leaders are: Josiah Burns (30), Trevor Niehaus (27), Cody Bell (26), Cole Wells (24), Quin Wells (24), Christian Flowers (23), Elam Faust (21) and Braedon West (20).
The RBI leader for Lynchburg-Clay is Quin Wells with 40, followed by Cole Wells with 35. Others with 20 or more RBI are Cody Bell (21), Christian Flowers (23) and Tanner Roberts (24).
Team totals this season for LCHS include: 262 runs, 223 hits (44 doubles, 8 triples, 9 home runs), 230 RBI, 121 steals (Josiah Burns leads with 19), a .532 team on-base percentage and a team batting average of .381.
The 2025 Division V Regional Semifinal game will be played Wednesday, June 4 at Marietta College at 5 p.m. at Don and Sue Schaly Field, 304 Pike Street, Marietta, 45750.