Minford senior Rhyan Queen (3)

Courtesy of Patrick Phillips of Glory Days Photography

COLUMBUS — Rhyan Queen.

That’s the name Minford fans will remember for years to come — after his massive performance in the regional semifinals on Thursday.

The senior third baseman racked up a perfect 4-4 day, getting intentionally walked as well.

Queen was king for the day on Thursday, as the Falcons rallied past the Barnesville Shamrocks in a Division III Region 11 baseball semifinal —held at Ohio Dominican University.

His bases-clearing triple in a massive sixth inning was the difference in the game, putting the Falcons up 7-4 over Barnesville.

In fact, the Shamrocks scored all four of their runs in the second inning —before the Falcons finally soared and scored the final 11 runs.

Minford raised its record to 22-6, and after winning its fifth Division III district championship in six years, was back in the regional final for the fourth time in six.

“He was huge, not only did he come up big for us at the plate, but he was also solid for us in the field at third,” Minford second-year head coach Eli Daniels said, raving about Queen’s day after the game.

Barnesville took an early 4-0 lead, scoring all their runs in the second inning.

Three straight singles loaded the bases with one out against Minford senior starter Cam Thacker.

A groundout scored one, and then two more singles scored three more runs to make it 4-0 Shamrocks.

Minford was unable to answer for a few more innings, getting runners on — but stranding them on the basepaths.

Going into the top of the fifth inning, things were looking dire for the Falcons.

But after one out, Max Lauder drew a four-pitch walk — and advanced to third on a single from Carson Cronin.

“The boys came into the dugout fired up, got a great group of senior leaders that locked the rest of them in for the game,” said Daniels.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Queen hit his second basehit of the day and drove in two runs.

The Falcons had life and it was 4-2.

With no baserunners in the fifth for Barnesville, all the momentum was on the side of the Falcons.

That momentum resulted in the sixth inning — that saved the Falcons’ season.

Ty Borland was hit with a pitch, Carter Frazie walked, and Lauder dropped a perfect bunt to load the bases.

Even bringing in Marshall Meade in relief wouldn’t help Barnesville.

Meade balked home a run to make it 4-3, and walked Cronin and Grant Wheeler to tie the game.

Bringing in the left-handed reliever Dylan Blon also couldn’t stop the bleeding — in fact it just opened the wound even more.

Queen hit his game-changing triple to take the lead, and a wild pitch brought him home for the sixth run — and it was 8-4.

Playing add-on in the seventh inning, Wheeler singled to make it 9-4, and Thacker helped his own cause with a single for the 10th and 11th runs.

He came back out in the seventh, and shut down the Shamrocks for the 11-4 win.

That’s correct, as Thacker shut out the Shamrocks for six innings.

Minford senior pitcher Cam Thacker (33)

Courtesy of Patrick Phillips of Glory Days Photography

Minford played Portsmouth (25-6) on Friday for the Region 11 championship —held at Beavers Field in Lancaster.

The Trojans triumphed 6-0 over Fairland for the other Region 11 semifinal on Thursday —in a contest taking place at Ohio University’s Bob Wren Stadium.

The winner advanced to next weekend’s Division III state semifinal at Akron’s Canal Park —assuring Scioto County of a regional baseball champion.

Minford is no stranger to the Division III state tournament —having won the Region 11 championship in 2018.

The Minford Falcons celebrate their 11-4 victory over Barnesville on Thursday in the Division III Region 11 baseball semifinals at Ohio Dominican University.

Courtesy of Patrick Phillips of Glory Days Photography

The Falcons were also the regional runner-up in 2019 and 2021, and were district champions two years ago —before finishing as district runner-up last season.

Of course, there was no season in 2020 —canceled because of the coronavirus threat.

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Sports Editor Paul Boggs contributed to this report