Licking County connection boosts Launch Baseball to top in Buckeye Elite
COLUMBUS — The Launch Baseball 2025 Westbrook team had redemption on its mind Sunday.
Getting a rare chance to sleep in their own beds, Launch defended home turf in a sense, beating the Music City Saints 16U 4-2 to win the Buckeye Elite championship at Bill Davis Stadium. Launch took runner-up at 15U in what is annually the most competitive tournament in central Ohio.
“Everyone always grows up an OSU fan. Being able to win one here is very, very special,” said Ezra Kurek, who was one of the top hitters in the Licking County this past season as a sophomore at Granville. “Kudos to the other team. They played a great game. Their pitcher was great.”
Launch also featured three more juniors-to-be from Licking County — Heath’s Connor Corbett, Newark’s Austin Rose and Licking Valley’s Kolton Chaney. Kurek and Rose shared the catching duties as Launch threw four consecutive shutouts at one point during its seven victories in four days.
Jonathan Alder’s Ashton Martin struck out six in six innings with Olentangy Orange's Keegan Knupp following with a hitless seventh in the final. Kurek caught and called pitches while Rose, who was the designed hitter, charted pitches until playing first base in the seventh.
“Our coach trusts us to call our own pitches and learn, and I really love that aspect of it,” Kurek said. “It’s just amazing to have such a good staff. Ashton Martin, who threw today, is an absolute dog. It’s hard not to love this team.”
Rose added, “Me and Ezra, we have a good relationship. We push each other for sure. We compete with each other just to make each other better. We give feedback between innings and have a strong relationship with our pitches and coaches to keep everyone on the same page.”
Rose had a hit and a run scored in the final with River Valley’s Hayden Kanagy hitting an RBI triple and Knupp and Galion’s Max Albert also driving in a run apiece.
Corbett, Martin and Kurek had two RBIs each in an 8-4 victory against Canes Gold 16U earlier Sunday. Launch, which improved to 23-7-1, scored 57 runs during the weekend.
“It’s definitely something special, getting to come to a place like (Ohio State) and win a championship,” Rose said. “We have guys from all over, but we have a strong bond. It’s good we can compete at a high level and represent all of the high schools we play for during the spring.”
The Licking County flavor is strong as Corbett patrols center field and leads off as he did for Heath during its run to the Division III state tournament. Kurek and Rose often hit in the Nos. 3 and 4 spots in the order as they did Sunday.
“I love it. It makes me more focused,” Corbett said. “It helps my teammates when I can add energy at the beginning of the game.”
Chaney appeared in relief earlier in the tournament. Bishop Watterson’s Jake Uhlenhake, the son of legendary Newark Catholic football lineman Jeff Uhlenhake, threw three scoreless innings in one of the earlier shutouts.
Launch is a growing organization, and as its name suggests, wants to send its players on their way to a high-level college program. Launch recently played in Georgia and will finish the summer in Indianapolis later in July.
Rose will return to Georgia at the end of the month to play in the 2023 Prep Baseball Report Future Games for uncommitted prospects in the Class of 2025. Kurek will sub for the Cleveland-based T3 Warhawks, who will be competing in the Mariucci World Series in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Launch finished on top Sunday, but playing a grueling schedule provides a constant reminder.
“Obviously me and my dad (Dean), we put in a lot of work to be one of the better players on the field every time, but you never want to settle,” Corbett said. “These guys push me every day.”
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Licking County connection boosts Launch Baseball in Buckeye Elite
