Winners of the 2015 Wendy’s Spring Classic (4/18)

Winners of the 2015 Wendy’s Spring Classic (4/18)

Apr 18, 2015 by Brentt Eads
Winners of the 2015 Wendy’s Spring Classic (4/18)

One of the top high school tournaments in the nation, the Wendy’s Spring Classic, took place this weekend and several elite Ohio teams plus a standout squad from the East Coast came away as champions.

2015 Wendys Spring ClassicThe 22nd edition of the Wendy’s Classic, which takes place in Ashland, Ohio, is considered the top event of its kind in the Midwest, just as the Kissimmee Klassic is to Florida and the Michelle Carew Classic is to California.

This year’s event was headlined by the top teams in the Buckeye State: Lebanon, which was ranked No. 18 in the most recent FAB 50 High School Ratings and is led by USA Today Preseason All-American Tara Trainer (Univ. of Indiana); No. 19 Hoover of North Canton, which has won the last four Div. I state titles, and unranked, but always dangerous, Bloom Carroll from Carroll because of USA Today Pre-Season All-American Taran Alvelo (Washington signee).

But the stars of the tournament had to be a team that traveled the furthest to be there…

Red Pool

Mt. St. Dominic NJ wins Black Pool at 2015 Wendy's Spring Classic.
Mt. St. Dominic NJ wins Black Pool at 2015 Wendy’s Spring Classic.

The most impressive team of the Wendy’s Spring Classic was likely Mount St. Dominic from Caldwell, N.J., which stormed through the Red Pool and defeated Perry High in the championship on Saturday 8-0 in a five inning game.

Pitcher Kelsey Oh, a 2017 hurler committed to Boston College and a definite 2015 All-American candidate, continues to have one of the most impressive seasons of any pitcher in the country.

She pitched 17 innings in the tournament and allowed only two hits while striking out 28 in three wins, beating Lexington on Friday and Westfall and Perry on Saturday.

MSD heads back to New Jersey with a 13-1 record and certainly with momentum—and one of the top pitchers in the nation—to carry it into the playoffs.

Walsh Jesuit takes the Black Pool at the 2015 Wendy's Classic.
Walsh Jesuit takes the Black Pool at the 2015 Wendy’s Classic.

Black Pool

Two of the most heralded teams in the tournament—if not the country—were upset in the first round.

Friday night, four-time Ohio Div. I champ Hoover was knocked off by Leo while Bloom Carroll was stopped by Walsh Jesuit who would go on to play in the Pool Championship and blank Elyria 3-0.

Walsh Jesuit scored the first run of the title game in the bottom of the 4th inning and before padding its lead with two runs in the bottom of the 6th inning.

Yellow Pool

Lebanon wins the Yellow Pool and becomes the first three-time champion at the event.
Lebanon wins the Yellow Pool and becomes the first three-time champion at the event.

The last championship of the 2015 Classic saw the highest ranked team entering the event, Lebanon, defeat Bath 3-0 as the Warriors never trailed, jumping out to a 2-0 lead after two innings and the final score by the end of three innings.

Tara Trainer pitched the title game against Bath, the 2014 Div. II State Champions, after Kim Frank (signed to play at the Univ. Toledo) knocked off Strasburg-Franklin earlier in the day.

Lebanon becomes the first-ever three-time Wendy’s Spring Classic champs and become the favorite this year to take the Ohio Div. I playoffs behind the outstanding play of pitchers Trainer and Franks who had a combined 7-0 record and 0.86 ERA heading into the tournament and are now 12-0.  Along with sophomore pitcher Alexis Strother, who is 1-0, the team record is 13-0 with a staff ERA of 0.82.

Add outfielder Hannah Huffman, a Kentucky signee, and the Warriors will be the favorite in Ohio Div. I this year after losing to eventual champs Hoover last year in the semi’s.


To see the complete bracket results, click HERE