Hiland’s Gerut Monigold (3) steals second base as Waterford’s Avery Pottmeyer fields the throw during Wednesday’s regional semifinal game at Beavers Field. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

LANCASTER, Ohio — A team like Hiland is hard enough to beat when you’re at the top of your game.

In Wednesday’s regional semifinal game against Hawks, Waterford committed five errors to put itself in an early hole. Behind the right arm of Andre Yoder and a four-hit day from Gerut Monigold, Hiland cruised from there to claim a 12-0, five-inning victory. The Hawks will play Mechanicsburg at 6 p.m. Thursday with a spot in the Final Four on the line.

The Wildcats had been sharp in the field through three district tournament wins against Ripley, Peebles and Eastern. With two on and two away in the second inning Wednesday, Isaiah Wagler’s flyball to center field was dropped, allowing two runs to score for HHS. Later in the inning, Monigold’s two-run triple made it 4-0. Next batter Grady Monigold hit a popup to third that was misplayed, allowing a fifth run to cross.

“We would’ve been out of there with no runs, and they ended up getting four or five,” said Waterford head coach Chris Schmitt. I think that inning really put it on us after that. We had too many errors. We’re a better defensive team than we were tonight.”

Corbin Stark pitched 4 â…” innings for the Wildcats. He walked four batters but pitched much better than his final statline indicated.

Waterford’s Corbin Stark delivers a pitch against Hiland during Wednesday’s regional semifinal game at Beavers Field. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

“He did his job,” Schmitt said. “We’ve got to be behind him. He stuck to our gameplan and pitched well — we just can’t make five errors behind him and expect to win against Hiland.”

After Stark pitched a scoreless first inning, Hayden Jones led off the bottom of the first with a single to right field, advancing to second on an error by the right field. Jones went to third on Avery Pottmeyer’s groundout to second, but a bouncer back to the mound and a routine flyout got Yoder out of the jam.

“He pitched a great game,” Schmitt said of the opposing hurler. “He threw a lot of strikes and their defense was flawless behind him.”

Hiland added a sixth run in the fourth on Gerut Monigold’s RBI double. The Hawks blew it open with a six-spot in the fifth. Gerut Monigold produced another two-run double in the inning, while Griffin Monigold drove in two more with a two-bagger of his own and even came all the way around to score on a throwing error.

Gerut Monigold finished 4 for 4 with a triple, two doubles and five runs-batted-in.

Hiland’s Andre Yoder (22) looks to the plate as Waterford’s Hayden Jones leads off third base during Wednesday’s regional semifinal game at Beavers Field. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

Weston Hennes led off the bottom of the fifth with a single, Waterford’s second hit of the day, but Yoder got out of it unscathed. He walked two and struck out two to earn the win.

The loss puts an end to stellar careers for Waterford’s four-man senior class — Stark, Hennes, Braun Doak and Kaleb Wright.

“Those four seniors have been working their tails off,” Schmitt said. “This is my first group to go all the way through, and for four years they were sectional champ, sectional champ, district runner-up, and they got a district title. If you look at the sea of green up there, that’s because of them. Those guys have put in a lot of effort, a lot of time, and I’m proud of them.”

At Beavers Field

Division VI, Regional Semifinal

Hiland’s Gerut Monigold (3) steals second base as Waterford’s Avery Pottmeyer fields the throw during Wednesday’s regional semifinal game at Beavers Field. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

Hiland 12, Waterford 0 (5 inn.)

H 050 16 — 12 11 1

W 000 00 — 0 2 5

WP: Andre Yoder 5 IP, 2 BB, 2 SO

LP: Corbin Stark 4.2 IP, 4 BB, 0 SO

Braun Doak .1 IP, 1 BB, 1 SO

Hiland (23-4) hitting: Gerut Monigold 4-4, 3B, 2 2Bs, 5 RBIs, 2 Rs; Christian Mullet 2-4, 2 Rs; Jonah Yoder 2-4; Griffin Monigold 1-4, 2B, RBI; Logan Yoder 1-3, R; Isaiah Wagler 1-3, R

Waterford (20-10) hitting: Hayden Jones 1-2; Weston Hennes 1-2

Next game: Hiland vs. Mechanicsburg, 6 p.m. today at Beavers Field (Regional Final)