DUBLIN — Jake Mahon said he found out he was going to be the starting pitcher 15 minutes before Thursday night’s Division II Central District title baseball game started.

Mahon stepped in for an injured Zach Maynard, who tweaked his oblique muscle beforehand.

All Mahon did was throw a complete-game two-hitter as the Pioneers won the district title game, 7-1, and remained undefeated on the season.

“You look up the word ‘competitor’ in the dictionary and there’s Jake’s picture right by it,” Alder coach Craig Kyle said. “He’s been the leader of this team all year long. He’s like having another assistant coach on the field.

“I looked at him before the game and he told me, ‘I want the ball.’”

The game was 3-1 Alder heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. Tyler Miller led off with a single and Graham Johnston and Nate Squires walked behind him.

Nick Squires then stroked a two-run single to right field.

Nate Squires scored and then Nick Squires came home when Maynard reached on an error.

“I really am speechless,” Kyle said immediately afterward. “We started off the season with the hope of winning district. No one on this team has won it.

“I told them at the beginning of the season that if we can win the Division II Central District, then we have a good chance to win state. There’s no better baseball in the state than in this district.”

Alder finished the game with seven hits. Vince Graber drove in two and Mahon one.

The Pioneers, who are ranked second in the state among Division II teams, went up 3-1 in the fourth inning when Nate Squires singled and eventually came around to score on a Vince Graber sacrifice fly.

“We knew it was going to be a dog fight against Bishop Hartley (17-21),” Kyle said. “They play in the (Central Catholic League) and you always have to show up to play in that league.”

The Pioneers will play against Bellbrook at 5 p.m. Thursday at the University of Dayton. Cincinnati McNicholas will play Franklin in the other regional semifinal.

The semifinal winners will come back Friday at UD for the championship game at 5 p.m.