Bellefontaine’s summer came to an end Saturday with a 10-4 loss to defending ACME State Champion St. Henry, but the final score doesn’t tell the full story.
For five innings, the Chieftains held one of Ohio’s premier summer baseball programs scoreless and carried a 3-0 lead before St. Henry rallied late to advance. While the comeback ended Bellefontaine’s tournament run, it also highlighted something much bigger than a single game — the return of Bellefontaine baseball to the ACME State Tournament for the first time since 2019.
For longtime fans, simply seeing the Chiefs back on the state stage brought back memories of one of the most successful eras in community baseball.
Founded in 1960, the ACME Baseball Congress has given high school players the opportunity to represent their hometowns throughout the summer while competing at one of Ohio’s highest levels of amateur baseball. For generations, ACME has helped communities rally around their local teams while developing players who have gone on to college and professional baseball.
Few communities embraced that tradition more than Bellefontaine.
In the early 2000’s the Chieftains established themselves as one of the state’s premier ACME programs, winning three state championships in four seasons in 2003, 2005, and 2006. Those championship runs made summer baseball a community tradition, with Blue Jacket Park becoming a gathering place where families, former players, and fans packed the stands to support the Chiefs.
Nearly two decades later, Bellefontaine’s return to the ACME State Tournament has many believing that tradition is beginning to reemerge.
Now, another Brunswick is reflecting on what it takes to build a program that can sustain that kind of success.
Former Bellefontaine head coach and 2026 Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee Mark Brunswick sat down for an exclusive interview to discuss the renewed excitement surrounding Bellefontaine baseball, why ACME remains an important part of player development, and how investing in youth baseball, community support, and strong fundamentals creates the foundation for championship-caliber programs.
He also shares his perspective on why ACME baseball still matters today and what this year’s Chieftains accomplished for the future of the program.
Bellefontaine’s return to the ACME State tournament served as a reminder that the tradition is alive—and that the next generation of Chiefs is giving the community plenty to be excited about.
The full interview is available to watch for free on PeakofOhioTV.com HERE and on Roku.
