C1D2BB: Experience, pitching lifts Oran past upstart Bell City for another title

The degree of growth for the Bell City High School baseball program over the past three seasons has been impressive.

The Cubs improved from three wins in 2022 to eight a year ago, and this spring they won 13 games, which was the most by the program since the three-year state championship run ended in 2017.

Bell City demonstrated that progression on Wednesday, as it threatened five-time defending champion Oran in the MSHSAA Class 1 District 2 title game at Cape Central High School.

However, in the end, the Eagles were still the Eagles, and they came away with a 2-0 victory to earn their sixth consecutive District title and seventh straight win against the Cubs.

“It’s hard to win when you don’t score runs,” veteran Bell City coach Justin Simpher said following the game.

Oran senior pitcher Gabe Dirnberger had A LOT to do with that lack of production by the Cubs (13-8).

“Gabe has been doing this all year,” veteran Oran coach Joe Bickings said. “He’s throwing all three pitches for strikes, competing in the zone, battling, and letting his defense work.”

Dirnberger threw six innings before having to be taken out after throwing 102 pitches. He only allowed Bell City to garner five hits while walking one and striking out nine.

“He was really hitting his spots,” Simpher said of the Oran pitcher. “He located his fastball in, and then he would locate it out. He had his curveball where he could work it out and away.

“When you can spot things up, in, and out, and do that, it is tough.”

Bell City only got five hitters in an inning one time, as Dirnberger kept the hitters in check.

The Eagles (16-5) got on the board in the second inning as juniors Carson Kern and Parker Bryant each drew walks off of Bell City sophomore pitcher Kale Richardson.

Kern moved up a bag on a wild pitch before scoring on an RBI single from senior Nolan Loper, which ultimately proved to be the winning run.

In the next inning, Oran senior Brenden Campbell hit a lead-off single, which was followed by Dirnberger drawing a walk.

Kern moved the runners up with a sacrifice and then Bryant brought Campbell home for the final margin with a double.

“I think having experience does help,” Bickings said of his veteran roster.

The Eagles have seven seniors, who have been a part of a program that has won 77 games over the past four seasons, four District titles, a state runner-up finish (2022), and a state championship (2021).

“I also have to give credit to the schedule that we play,” Bickings continued. “We play some very tough competition, so it puts us in those pressure situations.”

Bell City sophomore Jacob Asher drew a lead-off walk in the Cubs’ final at-bat, which brought the tying run to the plate. However, with Kern throwing in relief of Dirnberger, he got a pair of strikeouts and a ground out to end the threat.

Campbell paced the Eagles with two hits and a run scored while junior Kole Burger (one hit), Dirnberger (one walk), Kern (one run, one walk, one stolen base), Bryant (one double, one RBI, one walk), Loper (one hit, one RBI), and senior Cooper Senciboy (one walk) also contributed to the win.

Asher had a hit and a walk in the loss while junior Baylor Eftink (one hit), junior Dawson Loomes (one hit), sophomore Blaine Scheible (one hit), and sophomore Linc Scherer were also productive.

Richardson threw 5 2/3 innings and gave up five hits, two earned runs, walked four, and struck out two.

Eftink closed the game for the Cubs.

“I think both our pitchers threw well enough to win the game,” Simpher said. “It just wasn’t in our favor.”

Oran will face Gideon (4-12) on Monday in the MSHSAA Class 1 Sectional 1 (time and location TBA).