HOBAN STRUGGLES TO HOLD UP

By Alek Koberna

Two of the biggest names in the Akron baseball scene met this past Thursday at the brand new H.O.C. Family Field as the No. 10 Archbishop Hoban Knights played host to the No. 15 Walsh Jesuit Warriors.

The Warriors were the first to the plate and they got the night off to a hot start as their leadoff man got on base and set the table for a strong start. However, the next two went down on outs and the leadoff double from Alejandro Covas looked like it might be left on the table. But then a line drive to left would score Covas from second just as Justin Bremner stepped up to the plate. This at bat would prove to be the biggest one of the day as he sent a baseball over the centerfield fence to bring around three runs in the first inning. Bremner would later come in to score as well giving the Warriors a four run lead to start the game.

With the game looking bleak early on the Knights stepped up to the plate searching for anything that could get them right back in the game. But the lights quickly turned on for the Hoban offense as an error would allow their leadoff batter to reach first base quickly. A walk and two strikeouts late from Ryan Piech, the Walsh Jesuit pitcher, the Knights were in danger of stranding their two early baserunners.

The ensuing two-out rally from Hoban would feature four straight RBI hits with the biggest one coming from Michael Ciavolella who knocked a ball all the way to the wall allowing two runs to score and leaving enough time to make it all the way around to third before having to stop. After one the two Coaches Poll Top-15 teams were in a tight battle with Hoban leading their rival 5-4.

Following the electrifying start to the game Walsh Jesuit wasn’t done hunting at the plate as they continued to pour on the baserunners as every one of the first four batters reached base safely and they found themselves in a tied ball game, with no outs, and the bases loaded. Two sacrifice flies later the Warriors had reclaimed their lead in the second inning. Hoban had no answer as their bats were shut down in order leaving Walsh Jesuit in the lead 7-5.

From that point on the Warriors continued to add on as they collected six more hits in the final three innings of the game and put together eight runs between the third and fourth innings to give themselves a 10 run lead going into the fifth.

Jack Stephens took over on the mound in the fifth inning for Hoban and held the Warriors lineup in check for the entire inning as they weren’t able to score and had only one hit. Hoban entered the bottom of the filth down by just ten thanks to their relief pitcher putting an end to the offensive onslaught they had been up against all night.

However, this strong outing would not translate to the offensive side of the ball for the Knights as Walsh Jesuit brought in Freshman Shawn Sullivan to shut the game down in the fifth. Sullivan looked like an ace out there as he sent down the Knights in order and punctuating the finale with a strikeout to secure the victory.

Player of the game went to Justin Bremner as he finished 2-3, with 4 RBI’s. Archbishop Hoban falls to (9-4) and they will look to bounce back at Kent State University Friday night as they take on Tallmadge.

For the Walsh Jesuit Warriors they improved their record to (8-2) and find themselves getting closer to a top seed in the postseason in a few weeks. They will continue their road trip in Uniontown as they take on Lake.