NO DRAMA THIS TIME FOR COLUMBIANA

COLUMBIANA OH- Just two days after Devin Daugherty hit and pitched the Columbiana Clippers to a victory over East Palestine, his teammate and friend Alex Eusebio did the same on Wednesday at Firestone Park.  The EOAC Champion Clippers beat the Bulldogs 11-1 in five innings as Eusebio (6-1) pitched a two hitter, striking out 10 while giving up one unearned run and walking none. Eusebio also helped his own cause at the plate, ripping two doubles and knocking in three runs.

Columbiana got on the board in the bottom of the first when Ian Less and Colin Keleman drew walks, advanced on Daugherty’s ground out before Eusebio doubled, scoring Less and Keleman.  Hunter Davanzo then hit a sacrifice fly and Eusebio scored to make it 3-0 after one inning.  The Clippers made it 5-0 in the second when Less got hit by a pitch, Keleman walked and after a double steal, Daugherty hit a sacrifice fly to score Less then Eusebio doubled for the second time, bringing in Keleman.

Columbiana added five runs in the third inning on three walks, two hit batsmen and hits from Keleman and Daugherty. The Bulldogs got on the board in the fourth when Cale Moraski singled and went to second on an error.  Tommy Beatty then singled on a soft liner to left and brought in Moraski.

The game ended due to the Mercy Rule when Eusebio walked in the fifth, stole second and came home on Anthony Hall’s double to center.  In addition to Eusebio’s two doubles and three RBI and Hall’s two hits and one RBI, the Clippers also received a hit and two RBIs from Daugherty, a hit and an RBI from Keleman and a hit from Reese Roush.

The win gives the Clippers (16-10, 12-0 EOAC) their second straight undefeated season in the EOAC and their third conference championship in four years.  They will open tournament play next Wednesday at home against the winner of Monday’s Sectional Semi-Final between Waterloo and Crestview.   East Palestine (5-9, 5-4 EOAC) has two games against Lisbon to finish off the regular season before opening Sectional play on Monday at Lakeview.