High school baseball: Nomadic Daniel Hall has served as Wadsworth leader

Daniel Hall is unafraid of change, mostly because he didn't have a choice due his father's job with the department store chain T.J. Maxx. Born in Parkersburg, W.Va., Hall was raised in Las Vegas, moved into the Chippewa Local School District in fourth grade and open enrolled at Wadsworth as a freshman, experiencing positives with each move. He has zero regrets about changing schools on his own accord, because he was intrigued by the Grizzlies' winning tradition under coach Greg Pickard. Hall also is pumped to get a shot at parochial superpower Walsh Jesuit (24-3) this afternoon in a Division I, Region 1 semifinal at Oberlin College, but he really hopes to play three additional games and win a state title before heading to D-II Davenport (Mich.) to embark on his college career. "I've moved all over, but I definitely love this part of the country," said Hall, who added he still has relatives in Marietta. "We looked at the baseball part and we saw how successful Wadsworth was and how Pickard and (pitching coach Jeff) Shenker have created a great program. We're playing bigger schools with a lot more competition and higher-level baseball, so we felt this was the better opportunity for me to get (college) looks outside of my travel team (T3 Warhawks). "It started with them welcoming me with open arms. I came to our youth camp so I could familiarize myself with the team, and it was great to gather myself around the team. Meeting Coach Pick and Coach Shenk, they welcomed me with open arms, too." The two-time All-Suburban League National Conference selection has been a key player for the Grizzlies (21-5), who haven't had a long history of transfers. Pickard estimates Wadsworth has had less than a handful since he took over in 2012 — Black River, Buckeye and Cloverleaf also have open enrollment among Medina County schools — and the Grizzlies have actually lost more players to parochial schools. Regardless, Hall fit in almost instantly with a gregarious, confident personality and didn't complain when he was stuck behind Conner Stewart, who's now committed to play for D-I Cal State Northridge after spending two years at JUCO San Diego City College. Hall took over behind the plate as a junior, has caught a whopping 325 2/3 of a possible 342 innings (.952) since and even played a bit of outfield when All-Gazette center fielder Aaron Keating was nursing a hamstring injury. "The tradition of winning, there's not a game we go into expecting to lose," Hall said. "You're going to go in, give it everything and you're going to come out victorious. "(The season) has been great. Gathering myself around these guys, it's just been great. These guys have all become one, and this is the most connected team I've had in all four years that I've been here." The switch-hitting Hall has been a mainstay atop the lineup — batting anywhere from first to fifth — and heavily impacted a 6-0 win over Strongsville in the Northeast 5 District championship game with a pair of bunts out of the No. 3 hole. The first was a single that eventually led to a run and 3-0 lead, while the second was an impromptu opportunity in which Keating baited a throw, got back safely and loaded the bases, leading to a Ben Leopold RBI single. Interestingly, Hall's overall numbers of a .296 batting average, 17 RBIs, 19 runs and a team-leading 21 walks are misleading in a good way, because Hall batted an impressive .419 with 12 RBIs, 10 runs and 14 walks as the Grizzlies went 12-0 in SL National Conference play. The 6-foot, 160-pounder's defense has by and large been exemplary as well with only one error in 161 chances, along with throwing out 12 would-be base stealers. The pitching staff led by Finn Schmitt (8-0, 1.69 ERA), Jon Byers (5-3, 2.10) and Kyle Figuray (4-0, 1.29) has a collective 2.06 ERA with Hall catching all but 14 1/3 innings. "I don't want to say he overstepped his bounds, but he stepped right in and become one of the guys really quickly," Pickard said of Hall. "I don't think everybody could do that. Other people might be more timid, sit back on the outside and wait to see what their role is, but he jumped right in and really fulfilled the role we needed perfectly. "Just his work ethic, he's a switch-hitting catcher. Those are two things that take a lot of work to be able to do. He works very hard to be a switch-hitter, he's a really good bunter and his knowledge of the game is outstanding." While Keating, Figuray, Schmitt and Byers have gotten most of the headlines, Hall has gladly done the dirty work. He wouldn't have it any other way. "I've basically been catching all my life," he said. "I started when I was in T-ball and worked my way up every since. "I love it. I just love having the opportunity be in every play and affect the game greatly." Contact Albert Grindle at (330) 721-4043 or agrindle@medina-gazette.com.