CLIPPERS WIN INSTANT CLASSIC IN POTTERVILLE
EAST LIVERPOOL, OH- Columbiana (10-4) and East Liverpool (7-9) battled for 10 innings on Friday night with the Clippers coming out on top 2-1. With the score tied at 1 in the top of the 10th, Seth Spooner stepped to the plate with one thing in mind, hit the ball hard somewhere. Hit the ball hard he did, as he took an inside pitch and parked it over the left-field wall, up the hill, and into the pavilion giving the Clippers the one-run advantage. Spooner would close out the game himself as he pitched the final three innings of the game to earn the win.
East Liverpool took a 1 run lead in the fourth inning. The lead looked like it was going to hold up as the Clippers were unable to scrape a run across heading into the seventh inning. The seventh started out well for Columbiana as Bayden Pipoly would beat out an infield single to get things going. Joe Wilczak followed with a single to put runners on first and second with no one out. After a strikeout and a ground ball fielders choice the Clippers were down to their final out with runners on the corners. Tyler Andersen followed with a hard ground ball to third that the Potters third baseman was unable to handle leading to the tying run for Columbiana.
At the plate, the Clippers managed 10 hits on the day but Potter pitcher Jake Smith did a great job scattering hits and getting big outs when he needed them. Pipoly led the Clippers with 3 hits. Spooner added a double to his home run and Tyler Andersen also doubled.
On the mound, three pitchers held the Potters to just one run, but wildness was the name of the day as the Clippers would walk 13 batters on the afternoon. Alex Eusebio got the start and finished 4 innings allowing 1 run on 1 hit and striking out 1. Zachary Pleska would pitch the 5th, 6th and 7th innings not giving up a hit while striking out 6. Spooner finished the final three hitless innings striking out 4.
Columbiana will have a quick turnaround as they head to Girard Saturday morning to take on the Indians. First pitch is scheduled for 11 AM.
*Contributed by Ryan Wolf
