'Finding out how to win games, that was the biggest thing'

FINDLAY – The Findlay High marching band wasn't there to break into the school fight song following Tuesday's 6-5 baseball win over Toledo Whitmer.Had it been, though, it might have been poetic justice."I remember that first day when this field was stone and we were practicing over on the JV outfield next to the (marching) band," Nell said."Just thinking about how far we've come from that moment, it's unbelievable."Where Findlay has come in Nell's three short years as head coach is to the brink of a Northern Lakes League championship. Tuesday's win over Whitmer upped the Trojans' record to 16-7 overall and 10-3 against NLL teams. Perrysburg and Anthony Wayne also have three NLL losses, and if Findlay beats Sylvania Southview on Friday and Perrysburg and Anthony Wayne win the rest of their league games, the three schools will share the NLL's 2026 Buckeye Division title.Under the NLL format for baseball standings, teams play 14 league games: eight home-and-home matchups against the schools in your division, and six cross-over games against the schools in the other division.Oregon Clay, 12-1 against all NLL teams, already has the Cardinal Division championship in hand.Findlay won back-to-back Greater Buckeye Conference baseball titles in 2007 and 2008. The Trojans had 20-win seasons in 2021 and 2013, but placed third in the Three Rivers Athletic Conference standings in 2021, while their league placing in 2013 is uncertain.Findlay trailed Whitmer 2-0 on Tuesday, but RBI singles by the top three batters in the lineup – Jackson Flechtner, Luke Crates and Blade Wendt – fueled a four-run fourth-inning rally.Whitmer regained the lead with three runs in the fifth, but Flechtner and Crates added RBI singles in the bottom of the inning to push the Trojans back in front, 6-5.Findlay threatened again in the sixth after Jacob Gebhardt walked and stole second. Designated hitter Ryan Maas laced his third hit of the game, a liner down the line, but Whitmer left fielder Rudy Handy got to the ball quickly and made a perfect one-hop throw to the plate to nail Gebhardt and keep it a one-run game.Hunter Sertel made sure that one run was enough.Sertel relieved starter Cole Hull in the seventh. He walked the first batter he faced, but then picked him off first. After a ground out to third, Domo Arent singled to center. Sertel reared back and struck out the final batter, though, to get the save."Finding out how to win games, that was the biggest thing," Nell said."We didn't play our best baseball today, but they fought through it to win that game today. That's what we've been emphasizing."You have to coach them hard, but coach them the right way. You have to constantly be as positive as you can, give them confidence. Treat them like people and they will run through a wall for you."Our kids believe in themselves, and that comes down to confidence, reassurance and consistency."