Hiland rolls past Waterford 12-0, reaches regional final

Gerut Monigold’s bases-clearing double in the second inning put Hiland in full control, and the Hawks turned the Division VI regional semifinal into a short night with a 12-0, five-inning win over Waterford at Beavers Field in Lancaster.

Andre Yoder earned the win on the mound, and Monigold added a four-hit day at the plate as Hiland matched pitching with timely offense. Once the Hawks broke through in the second, they kept pressure on Waterford and never let the Wildcats settle into the game.

Waterford’s five errors made the climb even steeper. Hiland did not need much help after Monigold’s double to right-center, but the Wildcats’ defensive mistakes kept extending innings and let the Hawks keep piling on runs until the mercy-rule finish ended it early.

The result fit the profile Hiland has built through the postseason. The Hawks had already beaten Fort Frye 11-2, and MaxPreps listed them at 23-4 after the Waterford win with 216 runs scored and only 43 allowed. Those numbers help explain why the Berlin program has looked so difficult to contain once tournament play began.

Hiland was scheduled to face Mechanicsburg in the regional final Thursday at 6 p.m. at Beavers Field. Mechanicsburg reached the matchup after a 6-0 win over Huntington, setting up a final with two teams that arrived in Lancaster carrying strong postseason momentum.

For Holmes County, the run has kept Hiland in the regional spotlight and strengthened a familiar local brand. The Hawks have played like a team with depth, balance and enough offense to end games quickly, and the 12-0 win over Waterford left them one step closer to the state semifinals.