Steel Valley Storm

STRUTHERS, OH- Newton Falls tore up the field against Liberty on Wednesday, cruising to a 12-1 victory with a show of strength right out of the gate. Owen Gazda kicked things off with a two-run triple in the first inning, setting the tone for a game that would quickly slip away from Liberty. Clayton Bratton and Georgie Phillips added fuel to the fire with hits that brought in more runs, capitalizing on a costly error to stretch the lead further.

Gazda wasn’t done yet, bringing in another run in the second with a sacrifice fly, and Leland Vargo kept the hits coming in the third, driving in yet another run. On the mound, Trevor Ruscoe kept Liberty’s batters at bay, allowing just one run over five solid innings.

The Newton Falls lineup was on point, collecting nine hits. Gazda was particularly lethal, knocking in four runs and showing off on the bases along with teammates Ethan Powell and Cameron Huff, who both snagged a couple of steals themselves. The team’s discipline at the plate was evident, earning them nine walks and helping to maintain pressure throughout the game.

Not to be outdone by their own earlier performance, Newton Falls kept the momentum rolling into a second game against Campbell, delivering a decisive 10-0 shutout. This time it was Huff who sparked the offense with an RBI single in the first, followed by a series of hits from Gazda, Ruscoe, Rapczak, and Kendall in the third that blew the game wide open.

Ruscoe mirrored his earlier pitching prowess, tossing another five innings of shutout ball, striking out nine. The team’s defense held tight, flawless in the field across both games.

Sway Rodriguez had 2 of the three hits in the game for the Red Devils.

Newton Falls is shaping up to be a serious contender as the postseason approaches, sitting pretty with a 14-7-1 record. They’re not just winning; they’re dominating, and with this kind of momentum, they’re a team to watch closely.