HEARTBREAKER FOR CLIPPERS ENDS CINDERELLA SEASON

STRUTHERS, OH- In a tight baseball game that never saw one team lead by more than 1 run the Columbiana Clippers fell in the District Semi-Finals to Mogadore by a 3-2 score in 9 innings.  The Clippers finish the season with a 13-15 record while Mogadore (9-7) moves on the face South Range in the District Title game on Thursday.

Mogadore struck first in the bottom of the first with a 2-out infield single to take an early 1-0 lead.  Columbiana took the lead in the top of the third with two runs.  Michael Ginocchi led the inning off with a single.  Zach Fahs hit into a fielders choice and moved to third on a Chase Franken single.  Two pitches later, Fahs would score on a wild pitch and Franken would move to third.  Franken would score on another wild pitch giving the Clippers a 2-1 lead.

Mogadore would tie the game up at 2 in the bottom of the fifth.  With two outs and a runner on second the Wildcats would single to center scoring the runner and knotting the game up.

The score would stay the same until the 9th.  A Mogadore walk, bunt single and intentional walk would load the bases with 1 out.  The next hitter would ground to third and Clipper 3rd baseman Ryan Fahs threw out the runner at home.  The next pitch, however, went to the backstop and Mogadore was able to scamper home with the winning run.

Overall, it was a great effort by the Clippers and a great baseball game.  Fahs pitched an excellent game going the distance scattering 7 hits, striking out 4 and allowing only 2 walks on 104 pitches.  Offensively, Fahs lead the game off with a double while Franken, Ginnochi and Erik Hopfenziz each singled

The Clipper season has come to an end with seniors AJ Perkins, Zach Fahs, Dejon Hudson and Aaron Thistlewaite playing their last games.  Perkins and Fahs leave the Clipper program as 3-year letter winners and key contributors to the Clipper baseball.  Their leadership and effort will be missed and were great examples to the younger Clippers what it takes to be successful in this game.

 

**Reported by Ryan Wolf