St. John Neumann defeated Canterbury 4-2 in the Class 1A-Region 3 final, with OB Osceola pitching 6 1/3 innings and striking out nine. This victory marks Neumann's return to the Final Four since 2023.
Key points
St. John Neumann won 4-2 against Canterbury
OB Osceola pitched 6 1/3 innings
Osceola struck out nine batters
Neumann returns to the Final Four since 2023
Osceola battled through leg cramps
St. John NeumannCanterburyOB OsceolaClass 1A-Region 3
OB Osceola was gassed.
Facing a heat index around 100 degrees on a turf that felt like 120 degrees, Osceola was laboring through a left leg cramp that surfaced in the bottom half of the fifth inning during his warmup.
Despite that, the Florida State signee only had one option: to power through it.
Osceola threw 6 1/3 innings against the Cougars, allowing one earned run with nine strikeouts in a 4-2 win in Game 3 of the Class 1A-Region 3 final, marking Neumann’s first return to the Final Four since 2023.
“It was all heart today,” Osceola said. “From the at-bats, to every pitch, to the fellas staying together after losing a close one (last year), it was all heart at the end of the day. I had some cramps here and there, but I battled. We have the best training staff, the best team to keep me there mentally and come out on top.”
Neumann (20-13) rebounded after getting clobbered in Game 2 earlier in the day, where Ashby Piatt threw five innings of one run ball, striking out 10 to help Canterbury win 13-1 in five innings, after the Cougars (26-5) were blown out the day before in Game 1, 15-3.
Members of the St. John Neumann baseball team react after a Roman Howery home run. The St. John Neumann Celtics baseball team faced Canterbury School to play in the Class 1A-Region 3 final series Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Fort Myers. The teams split Saturday’s doubleheader. But Neumann came away with the overall series victory winning two of the three games.
Members of the St. John Neumann baseball team react after a Roman Howery home run. The St. John Neumann Celtics baseball team faced Canterbury School to play in the Class 1A-Region 3 final series Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Fort Myers. The teams split Saturday’s doubleheader. But Neumann came away with the overall series victory winning two of the three games.
“Two months ago, we were in a bad spot,” St. John Neumann coach Charlie Maurer said. “They crawled out of it, and I’m proud of the guys. They matured. The mental toughness has been the theme. Coming back after getting your teeth kicked in, that first game, that takes something special.
“Kudos to Canterbury, because they beat our butts. After yesterday, most teams would have folded, and they came back and hurt us just as bad. I think both coaches had a feeling Game 3 would settle in a little bit. It’s two good teams going at it. I’m proud of my guys for staying tough and battling adversity. This new playoff format is tough. It’s completely different. It’s been a hot day, but it’s been a good day.”
Q&A
What was the score of the St. John Neumann vs. Canterbury regional final?
St. John Neumann won the regional final against Canterbury with a score of 4-2.
Who was the standout player in the St. John Neumann vs. Canterbury game?
OB Osceola was the standout player, pitching 6 1/3 innings and recording nine strikeouts.
When did St. John Neumann last reach the Final Four before this game?
St. John Neumann last reached the Final Four in 2023 before this victory.
How did OB Osceola perform despite his injury during the game?
Despite experiencing leg cramps, OB Osceola managed to pitch effectively, allowing only one earned run.
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After Canterbury starter Ian Long struck out two in the first, the Cougars threatened early on Osceola. After a Noah Kiefer walk and a Brayden Habuda single, Habuda was thrown out at second on a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double play by Taylor Reidy with Ever Silvente up at the plate. Piatt struck out looking after that, stranding Kiefer at third in the bottom half of the first.
The St. John Neumann Celtics baseball team faced Canterbury School to play in the Class 1A-Region 3 final series Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Fort Myers. The teams split Saturday’s doubleheader. But Neumann came away with the overall series victory winning two of the three games.
The St. John Neumann Celtics baseball team faced Canterbury School to play in the Class 1A-Region 3 final series Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Fort Myers. The teams split Saturday’s doubleheader. But Neumann came away with the overall series victory winning two of the three games.
That would be a microcosm of things to come down the road for the Cougars, which pressured in big spots, but couldn’t get the timely hit. Canterbury was 2 for 9 with RISP in Game 3 after having little problems putting bats on balls in Game 2.
After Canterbury appeared to have thrown out Anthony Rosato at third base, which would’ve been the third out, the inning continued following a safe call. That set the stage for Aiden Miranti to plate a pair off Cougars starter Ian Long, making it 2-0 in the top of the second inning.
Canterbury responded in the bottom half of the second with two-out hitting of their own, sparking a rally after Adams Mejia Reyes doubled down the left field line, moving Michael Magas to third. A passed ball plated Magas, before Maddux Wolff popped out in foul territory to strand another Cougar baserunner in scoring position to make it 2-1.
The St. John Neumann Celtics baseball team faced Canterbury School to play in the Class 1A-Region 3 final series Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Fort Myers. The teams split Saturday’s doubleheader. But Neumann came away with the overall series victory winning two of the three games.
The St. John Neumann Celtics baseball team faced Canterbury School to play in the Class 1A-Region 3 final series Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Fort Myers. The teams split Saturday’s doubleheader. But Neumann came away with the overall series victory winning two of the three games.
Long and Osceola both worked 1-2-3 innings in the third, before the Celtics got two more in the fourth. With Luke Parrish and Darien Kester reaching via a walk and a single, Reidy grounded into a double play, before Roman Howery uncorked on the first pitch he saw, homering to center field to make it 4-1.
“The game plan has been, throw it over the white thing and hit it over the black thing,” Maurer said. “The third game, it’s hot out. Bat speed’s down, hand speed’s down, running speed’s down. The game changes a little bit. Coaching summer ball, you get used to that. You’re not going to have the boogie whip you have.
“The mindset today was no free passes, to make them earn everything and then make each at bat the toughest at-bat they’ve ever had. I think that’s why with two outs, we had so much success.”
Osceola would make quick work of Canterbury in the fourth and fifth, retiring nine straight before Kiefer singled in the bottom half of the sixth. After a pair of singles from Silvente and Piatt to put Canterbury in prime position, that evaporated relatively quickly after Anthony Meady popped out on the first pitch he saw, and Tenuto grounding out to Osceola, who flipped it to first base, visibly animated heading into the dugout.
“Our training staff is unbelievable,” Maurer said. “Tyler (Boardway) does a really good job, and I have the best pitching coach in the country in Greg Dombrowski. It was not inning by inning. It was pitch by pitch of how we could get him back out there and see if we could get one, two, or three more outs. We just kept plugging and plugging and plugging. That’s a testament to everybody.”
Relieving Long midway through the sixth inning, Tenuto worked a quick 1-2-3 inning to send the Cougars into the dugout against Osceola, who was rapidly approaching 105 pitches. A Magas single, a Wolff walk, and another Kiefer single sent Habuda up to the plate, which ultimately ended Osceola’s day at 104 pitches.
The St. John Neumann Celtics baseball team faced Canterbury School to play in the Class 1A-Region 3 final series Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Fort Myers. The teams split Saturday’s doubleheader. But Neumann came away with the overall series victory winning two of the three games.
The St. John Neumann Celtics baseball team faced Canterbury School to play in the Class 1A-Region 3 final series Saturday, May 9, 2026 in Fort Myers. The teams split Saturday’s doubleheader. But Neumann came away with the overall series victory winning two of the three games.
With Cole Hylemon facing Habuda in the biggest spot of his career, the South Alabama commit delivered, singling up the middle to plate one. After that, Silvente chased what would’ve been ball three, a slider down and away in the dirt to put the Celtics one out away.
It was up to Piatt to try and deliver more magic for the Cougars, but there was none left. Hylemon got Piatt to fly out to left field, where Anthony Kanellos settled under it. Shortly thereafter, the celebration was on just behind the pitcher’s mound, and Neumann was back in the Final Four.
Neumann will take on Orangewood Christian in the state semifinals next week, scheduled for 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 14. The winner will face St. Johns Country Day or Schoolhouse Prep in the title game on Saturday at 11 a.m.
“For the first time in my career, I know nothing,” Maurer said when asked about Orangewood Christian. “I haven’t looked forward. I fell into that trap too many times. We’ve been there too many times as a staff. It’s time to try and figure out how to win it. We’ll figure out what we can tomorrow or Monday, and then give them everything we’ve got.”
