BEREA, Ohio – "Never blink, you might miss something cool."

That quote is what John Carroll head baseball coach Bobby Bell has been using to motivate his team during the homestretch of the 2023 season.

And his squad did not blink in the Ohio Athletic Conference Championship Series.

Despite losing Game One of the Series to the #2 seed Marietta, 6-3, the #4 seed Blue Streaks did not flinch and clawed their way to an 8-4 victory in Game Two to clinch just their second OAC Championship in program history and first since 2014.

They also became only the third #4 seed to win the OAC Tournament since the conference adopted a four-team postseason format in 1985.

"I wanted something to get the guys motivated and fire up during the late season push, to make sure they knew I believed," Bell said about the quote.

"I flat out told the guys after we lost the first game, 'we came into the tournament knowing it was going to be a David and Goliath for us.' We were the four seed, and with the reputations of the teams in front of us like the 'Etta Express and BW, we knew there was a Goliath in front of us. Sometimes, God puts a Goliath in front of you to get the David out, and that's what we did today."

Logan LaMere, Justin Hanley, Joe Olsavsky, and pitchers Matthew Aukerman and Henry Darrow were each named to the OAC's All-Tournament team, while Olsavsky received Tournament MVP honors.

Game One

Marietta, who had not lost a game in an OAC Championship series since 2010, got on the board in the first on a Ty Davis RBI single to take a 1-0 lead.

JCU responded in the second on consecutive RBI singles from Michael Persichetti and Olsavsky to regain the advantage, 2-1.

However, the lead was short-lived as the Pioneers' Cole Rieman scored on a groundout and Nick Bonnizzio capitalized in the next at bat with an RBI single to make it 3-2.

Erik Daugenti tied the game up in the fourth on a sacrifice fly that scored Logan LaMere, but Ty Davis hit a massive three-RBI double in the bottom frame for the game's final runs.

JCU pitching settled in after the inning and allowed only five baserunners the rest of the game, but it proved to be too little as the Blue Streaks only put more than one runner on once in the remaining frames.

Olsavsky, Persichetti, and Sean Connolly each recorded two hits for JCU while Sylvan Wiley and Samuel Basso both pitched in relief of starter Jon Ambro. Wiley and Basso combined to pitch in 4.1 innings, and surrendered only three hits, three walks, and no runs.

Game Two

The Blue Streaks took full control of the second game with a six run second inning to get on the board.

Daugenti would reach on an error to score Jack Harmon and give JCU a 1-0 advantage.

Then, Persichetti and Olsavsky each hit RBI singles in consecutive at bats to make it 3-0. After a Connolly walk with two outs and the bases loaded, Justin Hanley ripped a three-RBI double to center to tack on three more runs.

Hanley became John Carroll's all-time leader in career RBIs on the hit, breaking a tie he had going into the game with former teammate Dom Mittiga and Jim Wideikis.

Blue Streak starter Maxwell Schumaker pitched brilliantly, as he pitched 4.2 innings while allowing only three hits and no runs to Pioneer hitters. Darrow, who had pitched in Thursday's game against Baldwin Wallace and Friday's vs. Marietta, came into relieve Schumaker in the fifth.

JCU tacked on another run in the seventh, when LaMere was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded which scored Hanley.

The Pioneers would not plate their first runs until the bottom frame in the seventh with two outs, when Davis hit an RBI single and Alex Richter scored on a fielder's choice to make it 7-2.

However, Olsavsky provided a much-needed insurance run in the eighth when he scored on a wild pitch after he stole third just a few pitches before.

Marietta made it interesting in the ninth when Richter hit a leadoff homer and pinch hitter Matthew Green hit an RBI single with two outs, but Olsavsky came out onto the hill to pitch to Austin Amburgey, who the Tournament MVP struck out to clinch the OAC Championship for the Blue Streaks.

JCU's 12 hits as a team were led by Hanley, who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, all of which came on his record-breaking at bat in the second.

Graduate student Garrett Siegel pitched 2.1 innings before Olsavsky was called upon, and gave up three hits and two walks with a strikeout.

"I love that kid," Bell said of Siegel. "He puts so much time and effort in on and off the field and being a leader on the team. I was hoping that he could put it away, but at the end of the day the job has to get done, and at that point with the game on the line, who better to give the ball to than Joe (Olsavsky)."

Reflecting on his team's resilience and determination, Bell acknowledged a shift in culture that has led to so much success this season.

"We've developed a different type of culture," Bell explained. "What's different about this team is just that drive to get over that hump. We've been so close the last couple years, but we took it out on our own to make sure we got the job done. The guys are really pushing each other all the time, and they just really wanted it this year."

John Carroll will learn its opponent in the NCAA Tournament during the NCAA's Selection Show that airs on Monday, May 15 at noon on ncaa.com.