A DRAGON’S TALE- MARCO DEFALCO

The list of accolades continued at Cene Park Tuesday night for recent Niles McKinley baseball standout, Marco DeFalco.  DeFalco collected the Baird Brothers Player of the Game with a 3-4 outing at the plate that included 3 runs scored, and a stolen base.  Not to mention his 11 K’s on the bump which led the Astro Falcons to the Bob Cene Memorial Tournament Championship.

While DeFalco is headed down the road to Youngstown State in a couple months, he’s enjoying his time this summer and hoping to lead the Astros to another championship before the boys of fall takeover the spotlight.

Our Nate Keiper had a chance to talk to yesterday’s MVP for this week’s Baird Brothers Player Profile-Marco DeFalco.

KNIGHTLINE STAYS HOT, GROUNDS ASTROS

STRUTHERS, OH-  With a name like “Gunnar” you’d expect an athlete for a rocket for an arm, and ice in his veins.  Expectations confirmed.  Coach Tommy “Juice” Otto sent Gunnar Boehm to the bump on Wednesday to take on the Cene Division’s top team, the Astro Falcons and found victory 5-1 at the end of the night.

Boehm did not disappoint.  He scattered 5 hits giving up only one run (3rd inning) while walking four ‘Stros and striking out 11.  Impressive to say the least, especially when the mean batting average on the other side was well over .300, with an on-base percentage even higher than that.

As for Knightline’s sticks?  They matched the color of their uniforms as they stayed red-hot.  Anthony Yasulka led the way with a double and contributing the RBI were Kole Klasic with 2, Anthony Cinicola, Colton Stoneman, and Ben Rivera with one apiece.

For the Astro Falcons, Frank Craska got the start on the hill and scrambled 4 runs from 10 hits while walking just one, and sitting down four Knightline hitters.  Evan Jarvis saw relief duties and gave up one run on two hits.

Only five hits for the Astro’s on Wednesday, as Marco DeFalco led the way with a double, and RBI.  Mark Trotta also contributed a double for the home team.

Both teams will now prepare for the Bob Cene Memorial Tournament that begins Thursday at 3:30.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: GUNNAR BOEHM (KNIGHTLINE)

BAIRD BROTHERS FLEXES AGAINST CREEKSIDE

STRUTHERS, OH-  In a battle of McGraw’s on the hill, it was Baird Brother’s prospect, Marshall McGraw that stood tall at the end of the evening with an 11-1 win in 5 innings over Creekside.  McGraw would go five very strong innings for the complete game only having to hurl the pearl 38 times (34 strikes.)  He would also give up one run on two hits, walking one and striking out nine Creekside hitters.

Offensively for Baird Brothers, Catcher Tyler Smith came through with 2 hits in three at-bats that resulted in 4 RBI.  His defining moment during the game was a three-run, base-clearing triple in the second inning that gave Baird the lead for good.  Also contributing with RBI’s: Jake Keene with 2, Zach Mancz, Joey Craska, and Coleman Stauffer with one each.

For Creekside, Ian McGraw went 4.2 innings giving up 6 hits, and 11 runs (8 earned) while walking four, and fanning two.

Both teams will now prepare for the Bob Cene Memorial Tournament that begins at 3:30 Thursday.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Tyler Smith (Baird Brothers)

DURA EDGE PUSHES PAST MACRI’S

STRUTHERS, OH-  On a night where hits were at a premium, Terry Dobson’s Dura Edge squad did the most with what they had.  Dura Edge would scatter just three hits to score 5 runs in a 5-1 victory on Tuesday night over Macri’s Sports.

Western Reserve product Dom Velasquez would be held without a hit but produce 2 RBI to lead the way for the black and gold.  For his efforts, he was also named the Baird Brothers Player of the Game.  Adam Walker would also make several impressive plays defensively but showed up most on the scoresheet accounting for 2 runs.

On the bump, Jake Bowen got the job done in style with 5 hits given up and not allowing a single run to score.  He would also walk one and fan two hitters.  Will Shaffer would come in relief allowing one run on three hits and also sitting down two Macri’s hitters via the strikeout.

For Macri’s, Sam Wells came out on fire and impressed all in attendance before allowing 5 runs on 2 hits, only 2 of those being earned.  Wells also contributed offensively with a double and an RBI late in the game.  Catcher Jared Bajerski would get on and steal a base before leaving the game with an injury.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Dom Velasquez (DURA EDGE)

PHOTO CREDIT: STUDIO 47 PHOTOGRAPHY

KNIGHTLINE SURVIVE AVALANCHE

STRUTHERS, OH- When Adam Jannette toed the rubber last night for Knightline, he did so with poise and on a mission.  His mission was to take advantage of the aggressiveness of the Avalanche hitters and chase pitches out of the zone.

Mission Accomplished.

Jannette wound up scattering 4 hits and giving up only 2 runs in his start.  All the while keeping Avalanche hitters guessing through seven strikeouts, and no walks.  Efficiency was key for Jannette who didn’t allow a single walk in the game.

Leading the way offensively for Tom Otto’s Squad was his backstop, Tim Herberger.  Herberger went 2-4 with 2 RBI to earn himself the Baird Brothers Player of the Game honors.  Also contributing some ribs on the grill were Colton Stoneman, Gunnar Boehm, and Zach Yasulka with one apiece.  Herberger and his teammates continue to stay hot offensively as they collected 10 hits as a team following Sunday’s USSSA State Championship.

A tough night on the bump for Avalanche starter Garrett Brewer (1-1) who gave up 7 hits, 6 runs, 7 walks, and fanned 6 Knightline hitters.  His ERA took a toll and was pushed to a season-high-5.44.  In relief was Joel Kreuzwieser who plugged the leak giving up only one run on three hits.

Contributing with the sticks, and on the basepaths for the Avalanche: Hayden Gallagher with an RBI, and Koby Winslow had a stolen base.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Tim Herberger (Knightline)

PHOTO CREDIT: STUDIO47 PHOTOGRAPHY

BAIRD’S YOUNG GUNS SHINE IN SOGGY SHOWDOWN

STRUTHERS, OH-  To say that Jake Gehring has had an eventful baseball season would be an understatement, to say the least.  A few weeks removed from his gem in the OHSAA State Semi’s in Columbus, Gehring as well as his close friends Brandon Mikos (Cardinal Mooney) and Trey Pancake (Beaver Local) got the call to play against Roth Brothers in Youngstown Big B action.  The stars of tomorrow shined in their debut.  In fact, not even the rain could stop Baird, as the teams and fans endured a 45-minute rain delay before play was completed and Baird Brothers took the 11-0 victory over Roth Brothers.

On the bump, Gehring would give up no runs on three hits, and three walks.  He would send nine Roth batters back to the dugout via the strikeout.  Offensively, though, Gehring was equally as impressive when he doubled with two outs in the bottom of the first that resulted in two RBI and made the score 3-0.  Two batters later, it was Mikos who cleared the bases with a 3-run double that put Baird up 6 runs.  They weren’t done yet.  Dayln Brickner would hit a single that moved the runners up one base, an error would score Mikos (7-0) and then it would be Connor Rakow’s 2-out single that would score Luke Stauffer and Brickner to close out the frame at 9-0.

Pitching standout Cole Constance would garner the loss for Roth Brothers, but battled through 4 innings, a rain delay and much adversity for his team.  This was not representative of what Constance had shown so far this season, as he had a 2-0 record coming in while giving up 5 walks, and striking out 18 with a minuscule ERA at 1.33.

With the victory, Baird Brothers remain at the top of the Goldstone Division with a record of 7-1.  While with the loss, Roth Brothers (6-3) falls behind Creekside into third place, and 2 games behind the Astro Falcons atop the Cene Division.

 

THE BAIRD BROTHERS PLAYER OF THE GAME:  JAKE GEHRING

PHOTO CREDIT: STUDIO47 PHOTOGRAPHY (JOSH WORKMAN)

CREEKSIDE FITNESS COMES THROUGH AT CRUNCH TIME

STRUTHERS, OH-  It took nearly 6 frames for the Creekside offense to get to Eagle Wear starting pitcher, Vinny Pecchia (Cardinal Mooney), but when they did, they made it count.  Scoring 2 runs, topping Eagle Wear by a final score of 2-1 last night at Bob Cene Park.

Creekside (7-2) started the game just a game and a half back behind the Astro Falcons in the Cene Division of 18U while Eagle Wear is still looking for their first win of the season.  It was Eagle Wear that would strike first when Kyle Wills (1 for 4) would get a base knock in the first that would score Jeremiah Papa.  That run would hold up until the sixth inning when Creekside’s Alex Hernandez would start the party with a one-out double, then steal third on the next pitch.  Gerald Taylor would draw a walk in the following at-bat to give Creekside runners on the corners.  That brought up Ian McGraw (Canfield) who would make a productive out with a sacrifice fly to centerfield that would score Hernandez, and tie the game at one.

Pecchia would run into a few control issues as he would walk the next two Creekside hitters in Brennan Olesh, and Jad Jadallah before hitting Cameron Kern with the bases loaded on a 1-1 count that would break the tie, and eventually become the game winner for Creekside.

The tough luck loss would go to Pecchia, but he pitched an absolute gem outside the win-loss column.  Pecchia only gave up 2 runs on 3 scattered hits, walking five, and striking out one.  On the other side, Brennan Olesh started the game for Creekside Fitness.  He gave up one run on five hits while walking 2, and fanning five.  Cameron Kern would make a statement in relief, closing the door on Eagle Wear by giving up no hits, and only 3 walks while sitting down four batters via the strikeout.

THE BAIRD BROTHERS PLAYER OF THE GAME:  CAMERON KERN

Photo Credit: Studio 47 Photography (Josh Workman)

 

HAVE MERCY- MACRI’S LATE PUSH CLOSES DOOR ON EAGLE WEAR

STRUTHERS, OH-  In search of their first win, Eagle Wear nailed down three runs in the top of the second inning to make a statement.  Unfortunately for the red and black attack, Macri’s Sports was looking to make their own legislation on Friday night, and they used the Game of the Week as the stage to lay down the law.

Macri’s answered the 3-run inning from Eagle Wear with a touchdown of their own.  Pushing 7 runs across the plate in the bottom of the second inning to capture the lead, and never look back.

For Eagle Wear: Micah Zarlingo, Christian Myers, and Kevin Caldwell each tallied RBI’s in the victory.  Jeremiah Papa would lead the way with two.  Caldwell would also add a stolen base to his stat sheet on the night.

Macri’s would counter with Doubles from Sean Davis, and Caleb Benton, a pair of triples from Dakota Bingham, and RBI’s from Nick Wiesen, Davis (2), Bingham (2), Mark Torsello, Benny Dottle, Zach Walker (2), and Benton (2).

Getting the win for Macri’s was Sam Wells who allowed 3 earned runs over 4.1 innings, walking 6 and sitting down 3.  Quintan Perry served as the reliever and struck out 4 over an inning and a third.  On the other side was Robbie Seitz who fought through adversity all night, and battled with his command on the hill.  Seitz gave up ten runs on nine hits while walking 2 and fanning one.

Macri’s is now even at 2 wins and 2 losses and stand in a tie for second place alongside Knightline in the Goldstone Division.  Eagle Wear continues to search for their first victory of 2018.

DURA*EDGE OUTLASTS PROSPECTS IN PITCHING DUEL, WIN 1-0

STRUTHERS, OH-  Matt Senchak would drive in Dylan Hetrick in the top of the first inning after Hetrick would steal second and third base.  That’s all the difference in the ballgame.

For Dura*Edge Pitcher, JT Ogden, that’s all he’d need.  Ogden would go 6.1 innings and scatter 5 hits and 5 strikeouts throughout while not allowing a single run to cross the plate.

For the Prospects, Dylan Keller would go the distance of 7 innings allowing one run on one hit, while walking two, and fanning 11.

Dura*Edge moves into second place in the Cene Division behind the Astro Falcons at 3-1, while The Prospects fall to 1-5 and are fighting their way out of the basement of the Goldstone Division.