Flyers’ depth led by Delventhal, Hoffman

Like Pee Wee Haas’s Stony Ridge baseball team decades ago that gave its name to Pee Wee’s Dari Snak, it only takes nine players to field a lineup.

Nine Lake baseball standouts earned All-Northern Buckeye Conference honors this year — enough to fill more than a quality lineup on any given day.

That depth led the Flyers to a 23-6 record and 13-1 mark in the Northern Buckeye Conference, two games better than Eastwood (11-3) as the Flyers defended its 2019 league title.

“It was a total team effort all year. I had three (All-NBC) first teamers, three second teamers and three kids get honorable mention,” said Lake coach Greg Wilker.

For this year’s Alan Miller Jewelers All-Press team, 10 area coaches and local media voted four Flyers, junior third baseman Conner Moore, senior shortstop Tyler Saffran, junior outfielder Cam Hoffman and senior pitcher Jaxon Delventhal first team.

Hoffman and Delventhal went a step further — getting voted the same honors they got in the NBC voting. Hoffman is All-Press Offensive Player of the Year and Delventhal is Pitcher of the Year.  

Wilker, who completed his 36th season, also got votes for Coach of the Year. His teams have won 11 league titles, including five of the last nine years, and are an accumulated 644-351. Six of his teams have reached the regional tournament and one went to the state final four.

Hoffman batted .410 (34 for 83) with seven doubles, two triples, six home runs, 41 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. He is ecstatic about the POY awards.

“It is awesome, a dream come true. That was a big goal of mine at the beginning of the season and I’m ecstatic that I won that,” Hoffman said. “I want to thank my teammates and my coaches for everything they have done for me, winning that Player of the Year, first team all-league and all of that stuff, because without them I could not have done any of that.”

Delventhal was 7-1 with 76 strikeouts compared to just nine walks in 52.1 innings. He allowed just 31 hits, but even more incredulous was giving up just five runs, and only four were earned for an 0.535 ERA. 

Delventhal feels right at home on the mound.

“The games are in my hands, and I have full control of it. I like that pressure,” Delventhal said. “I just try to pound the outside zone and switch up my timing. I think that is a big part of pitching.”

Delventhal also gives a credit to his defense but is willing to take the blame for his nine walks, despite an over eight to one strikeout to walks ratio.

“Our defense played really well this year. A lot of games there were tough situations we were put into with me walking people and our defense making plays. It paid off,” Delventhal said.

Delventhal was part of a pitching staff that struck out 234 and walked 70.

“The big thing is we threw the ball really well,” Wilker said.  “It is over a three to one ratio, and you get that in high school, that is pretty good.”

Saffran batted .370 (20 for 67) with 11 doubles, two triples, two homers, 32 runs, 18 RBIs and 18 stolen bases. 

Moore, a second team All-NBC selection, hit .361 (30 for 93) with eight doubles, one triple, four home runs, 38 RBIs, 29 runs and 10 SB.

Lake’s season came to an end when Archbold pitcher D.J. Newman shutout the Flyers, 2-0, in a Division III sectional final at Lake, which was the higher seed. Archbold (23-12) went on to reach the state championship game, losing to Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (23-8), 4-1, with Newman on the mound.

Delventhal did not want to see his baseball days at Lake coming to an end, and credits his senior classmates for a great journey.

“They love the game of baseball. We just love the competitive nature, competing and playing the game of baseball,” Delventhal said.

(Photos of Lake baseball players by LIfeTouch courtesy Lake Schools)