Tag Archive for: Rockets

ROCKETS RUN OUT OF FUEL IN DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP

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BEREA OH- Maplewood’s Cinderella ride came to a halt Friday as the Rockets fell 5-2 to Cuyahoga Heights in the district title game.

It was a tight one early, with both teams trading zeros until the Redwolves scratched one across in the fourth on a groundout. The real damage came in the seventh, when Aly Williams launched a two-run shot to left that gave Cuyahoga Heights some breathing room.

Addison Marker battled for the Rockets in the circle, going the distance and racking up 13 punchouts. But despite her gritty effort, Maplewood couldn’t string together enough offense to climb out of the hole.

Claire Urchek set the tone from the top of the order, going 2-for-3. Marker and Aleesia Woomer each drove in a run, but the lineup couldn’t break through against Skylar Sane, who scattered six hits and kept Maplewood at bay for seven innings.

Defensively, the Rockets were clean—no errors and solid glove work all around, with Raegan Krieg leading the charge with 13 chances.

Williams was the spark plug for Cuyahoga Heights, going 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs and a homer. She also wreaked havoc on the basepaths with Sophia Meklemburg, as the Redwolves swiped four bags on the day.

Tough ending for Maplewood, but no one can overlook the growth. Ten more wins than last season and a trip to the district final? That’s a leap. The Rockets may be done this year, but they’ve got fuel for the future.

ROCKETS ROAR TO THE NEXT ROUND

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CORTLAND OH-  Addison Marker came up big—on both sides of the ball. The Maplewood ace shoved for seven shutout innings and knocked in all four runs as the Rockets blanked Rittman 4-0 in Monday’s district semifinal. With the win, Maplewood punches its ticket to the district championship game.

Marker wasted no time getting Maplewood on the board. She roped a triple in the first to drive in the game’s opening run, then delivered the knockout blow in the fifth—launching a three-run bomb to left that broke the game open.

That was all she needed. Marker was in full control in the circle, racking up 13 punchouts while scattering four hits and walking just two. Rittman couldn’t string anything together against her.

Lauran Krieg chipped in two hits for Maplewood, and Marker matched her to lead the offense. On the other side, Cailin Tyree went 2-for-3 for Rittman, but the rest of the lineup couldn’t get much going.

Lillie Halliwell battled through six innings for Rittman, fanning eight and giving up just six hits and four runs (three earned), but Marker stole the show.

Maplewood now gears up for a showdown with Cuyahoga Heights in the district title game Wednesday at Norwayne.

MAPLEWOOD RUNS THE SHOW AT NAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

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ORWELL OH-  Maplewood’s girls track squad left no doubt who runs the NAC this year, storming to the team title with 147 points and flexing across just about every event.

The Rockets were loaded with individual firepower and backed it up with some gutsy relay work. Morgan Himes brought the heat in the hurdles, sweeping the 200 and 300. Torri Shipman blazed the 400, Reagan Mahan locked down the 800, and Mackenzie Edgar pulled off a distance double in the 1600 and 3200. Harley Agardi kept the momentum rolling in the 100 hurdles.

And when it came to the relays, Maplewood made it look easy. The 4×400 squad of Mahan, Shipman, Edgar, and Himes ran it clean to the title. The 4×800 crew—Edgar, Ava Liptak, Anna Cook, and Mahan—handled business to grab more big points.

Maplewood wasn’t just a one-trick pony either. The sprints and field events chipped in, with Olivia Morris, Anna Cook, Elyse Pinkerton, and Emily McDowell holding it down in the 4×100, while Morris, Cook, Ava Calvert, and Molly Blose kept the 4×200 rolling. In the ring, Wriley Boyd and Joanne Postlethwaite brought the power in shot and disc to stack even more points.

Grand Valley (100), Badger (88), Lordstown (79), and PV (67) rounded out the top five, but this one belonged to Maplewood from the jump. They showed up deep, fast, and ready to run through the NAC.

THAT’S CHECKMATE

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CORTLAMD OH- Maplewood High School’s Claire Urchek keeps piling up the accolades. After being named YSN’s Basketball Freshman of the Year, Urchek has seamlessly brought her competitive edge to varsity softball, where she’s quickly become a pivotal player—while maintaining straight A’s in the classroom.

In a recent interview with Anthony Hartwig on YSN, Urchek detailed her journey from basketball to softball, crediting her multi-sport experience and off-season hitting lessons for a quick adjustment. “Basketball was a lot, but I got through it pretty well,” she explained. “During basketball season, I was taking hitting lessons, so that helped with softball too.” Juggling academics with a packed athletic schedule is no easy feat, but Urchek takes it in stride. “Balancing schoolwork with everything else [has been the hardest part],” she admitted. “Softball games are long and take up the whole night.” Even so, she reports all A’s and is focused on finishing the school year strong despite a wave of essays and her first finals.

Urchek also spoke about the close-knit bond of the Maplewood softball team, where many players have years of experience together. “It’s pretty cool, actually, to be a part of and we’ve been playing for a long time, a lot of us have,” she said, emphasizing how this chemistry fuels the team’s recent success. Being coached by her mother has proven to be both familiar and motivating for Urchek, who says, “She knows her stuff, so I get to talk to her about a lot of things… Sometimes we have disagreements, but I think that’s good, to learn from each other.” Sports are truly a family affair in the Urchek household—her father coaches her brother’s baseball team, and sibling rivalry keeps things competitive at home.

With three more years of high school ahead, Urchek’s goals are as ambitious as her work ethic. “I want to go far, bring my team far. I want to go to state. That’s probably my end goal for any sport,” she declared. Claire Urchek’s determination and composure, whether balancing the demands of two varsity sports or navigating a challenging academic schedule, make her a name Maplewood fans will be cheering for well into the future.

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LAKEVIEW DOUBLES UP CROSS TOWN RIVALS

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CORTLAND OH-  Lakeview came out swinging Friday and never let up, cruising past Maplewood 14-7 in a game that saw the Bulldogs stack runs early and hold off a late Rockets push.

The Bulldogs wasted no time jumping ahead, dropping five on Maplewood in the first. Carter Doran ripped a two-run single, Jacob Shaker lifted a sac fly, and a defensive miscue brought home two more.

Lakeview kept their foot on the gas in the second, hanging a six-spot thanks to RBI knocks from Shaker, Jackson Stuart, and Isaiah Lantz, plus a couple of bases-loaded freebies. By the end of two, it was already 11-0.

Maplewood made some noise in the fifth, scoring six runs with just one hit—taking advantage of walks, hit-by-pitches, and a little chaos. But the Bulldogs stayed in control, tacking on a few more and letting their early explosion carry them the rest of the way.

Jozef Kuchcinski got the win on the bump for Lakeview, tossing four scoreless innings while giving up just three hits. He didn’t rack up strikeouts but kept the Rockets off balance all night. Kenyan Clover took the loss for Maplewood after getting tagged for 11 runs—only five earned—over two innings of work.

Offensively, Lakeview racked up 13 hits. Lantz and Stuart each picked up three knocks, while Shaker and Doran drove in three runs apiece. The Bulldogs stayed clean in the field, turning a double play and committing zero errors.

For Maplewood, Ryan Sexton led the charge with a 2-for-2 day at the plate. Six different players knocked in a run during their fifth-inning surge, and the Rockets showed patience with nine total walks, two each from Sexton and Luke Shipman. Lakeview is back at it Saturday with a matchup against Boardman.

ROCKETS NEED EVERY RUN THEY GOT

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STRUTHERS OH-  Lowellville walked it off in wild fashion Friday night, edging out Garfield 13-12 in a back-and-forth slugfest that ended with a bang off the bat of Geno Perry.

With the game knotted at 12 in the bottom of the seventh, Perry stepped in and roped a double to bring home the winning run and cap off a game loaded with fireworks. The Rockets racked up 13 hits and drew 10 walks, while Garfield piled up 15 hits of their own in a game where no lead was safe.

Garfield came out swinging, scoring four runs in the first two innings behind RBI knocks from Jack Neikirk, Carson Norton, and Brandyn Bogucki. But Lowellville quickly countered, tying things up in the second thanks to Perry’s double and a clutch single from Zak Sargent.

The Quakers kept pushing, with Tyler Lutz doubling home a run in the third to make it 6-4, but the Rockets answered big in the fourth. Liam Bartlett doubled in two, Nick Likens and Braylon Bolger each worked bases-loaded walks, and just like that, Lowellville jumped ahead 8-7.

That lead didn’t last long either. Garfield put up three more in the fifth with a flurry of singles from Nate Bacskowski, Aidan Hill, and Garet Warnick. But again, Lowellville had an answer. Bartlett came through again with an RBI double, and Anthony Kacir delivered a two-run single to put the Rockets back on top 11-10.

Garfield forced extras with a late surge in the seventh—Bacskowski doubled and Warnick drove him in—but it only delayed the inevitable.

Sargent closed things out strong on the hill with a shutout inning before Perry delivered the knockout punch in the home half.

Bartlett, Perry, and Sargent all had three-hit nights for the Rockets. Bartlett and Perry also led the way with three RBIs each. Likens swiped three bags as part of a nine-steal day for Lowellville, who also turned a double play on defense.

For Garfield, Hill led the charge with a 3-for-4 line and three RBIs. Bogucki, Bacskowski, and Hill each had three hits, and the team walked seven times and stole seven bags. Despite the loss, they were sharp in the field with no errors and a double play turned. The Rockets will try to ride the momentum into Monday when they host McDonald.

MARKER SILENCES MIGHTY CLIPPER BATS

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CORTLAND OH-  In a game that served as a big test on both ends before tournaments, Maplewood have themselves a boost of confidence by beating Columbiana 5-0 on Friday.  Columbiana is the 5 seed in division 5 while Maplewood is the 2 seed in division 7.  Both teams have district semifinals to look forward to on Monday.

The story of this night though was the Rockets freshman pitcher Addison Marker.  The Rockets Ace kept a Columbiana lineup that averages 11.5 runs per game scoreless all night.  Marker scattered 8 hits, but walked no one on her way to the win. She also sat down 10 hitters via the strikeout.  She gave Columbiana their first shutout loss of the season.

The Maplewood offense made the most of their 6 hits.  Ava Calvert went a perfect 3-3 with 2 RBI to lead the charge. Claire Urchek was only retired once all night as she walked twice, and got a hit and a RBI.  Market managed to help herself out with a RBI on a 1-4 day.

Columbiana’s offense wasn’t without opportunity.  They outhit Maplewood 8-6, but couldn’t get timely base knocks.  Cam Perkins was the only hitter that had multiple hits going 2-3.  Caitlynn Pleska went 1-4 and reached on an error.  Maryn Hepler, Ella Dota, Addison Brode, Alivia Bell, Anna Yonker, and Kayla Hogan all had hits for the Clippers.

Brode didn’t have a bad day in the circle.  The freshman arm threw 6 innings gave up 6 hits and struck out 7.  4 out of the 5 runs were earned for Brode, and she walked 3.

Looking forward, Maplewood will host the district semifinals on Monday where they’ll welcome Rittman.  Columbiana will also host a district semifinal on Monday as they bring in Tuslaw.

MAPLEWOOD MOWS DOWN AQUINAS

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CORTLAND OH- Maplewood came out swinging and never let up, steamrolling St. Thomas Aquinas 19-2 on Wednesday in the sectional final behind a monster day at the plate from Lauran Krieg.

Krieg was locked in from the jump, driving in four runs on three hits—including a pair of RBI singles in the first and another knock in the second. She was the spark in a first-inning explosion that saw the Rockets hang 11 runs on the board before the Knights could even blink.

Maplewood’s lineup was relentless. Addison Marker ripped a triple, Raegan Krieg laced a double, and Emily Perline knocked in two more with a single. Throw in a couple walks, a few more base knocks, and a defensive miscue by Aquinas, and it was all gas, no brakes from the home dugout.

The Rockets tacked on five more in the second, with Claire Urchek cashing in two runs, Krieg adding another RBI, and Paige Clower knocking in one more to make it a full-blown rout.

Marker shut things down in the circle, tossing two no-hit innings with three Ks and zero walks to pick up the win. Perline came in and locked it down the rest of the way.

Maplewood piled up 18 hits in total, with Clower, Katelyn McCartney, Krieg, and Marker all racking up multiple hits. Urchek showed patience with a pair of walks, and the Rockets as a whole worked five free passes.

Aquinas managed just two hits on the day, one each from Powell and Falkner, with Powell picking up the lone RBI. Next up, Maplewood hosts Columbiana on Friday, looking to keep the bats hot and the wins rolling. Their next postseason game will be Monday at home against Rittman.

REBELS FIND A WAY IN A CLOSE ONE

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COLUMBIANA OH-  Crestview leaned on a big-time outing from Luke Julian to edge out Lowellville 2-1 in a tight one Wednesday night.

Julian was dialed in, fanning 10 and giving up just one run over six strong innings. He scattered five hits and walked two, keeping Lowellville off balance all game long.

Both squads got solid work on the mound, but it was Crestview who found just enough offense to come out on top. The Rebels struck first in the third with a couple of base hits, and they pushed across another in the sixth to give Julian some cushion.

Crestview made the most of just three hits, with Eli Cope, Braden Devine, and Isaac Unkefer each picking up one. Devine and Unkefer also drove in a run apiece, while Braidy Willis caused chaos on the base paths with a pair of steals. The Rebels swiped six bags as a team and didn’t commit a single error in the field—clean, aggressive baseball from start to finish.

Lowellville scratched across a run and managed five hits, but couldn’t string enough together. They got a couple stolen bases and put some pressure on, but Crestview’s defense held strong. Next up for the Rebels is a trip to LaBrae on Thursday.

MAPLEWOOD GETS THE BOUNCES

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SOUTHINGTON OH- Runs were tough to come by Monday, but Maplewood did just enough to edge out Chalker 3-2 in a tight one where both pitchers were dealing.

Chalker struck first in the opening frame with a two-run single, but Maplewood didn’t flinch. The Rockets answered in the third, tying it up on an RBI knock and a bases-loaded walk.

The go-ahead punch came in the fourth—a clutch single that pushed Maplewood out front 3-2. That was all they needed.

Addison Marker went the distance in the circle, tossing a complete game with 10 strikeouts, six hits allowed, and just two runs given up. She also helped her own cause with a hit and an RBI.

At the plate, Maplewood scratched out four hits but made the most of their chances. Calvert, Marker, and Krieg each drove in runs, while Claire Urchek stayed patient and drew three walks, swiping two bags along the way. The Rockets also turned a double play to help seal the deal defensively.

Chalker’s ace was solid as well—seven innings, three runs (two earned), and seven punchouts—but got little run support after that first-inning burst. Hudak drove in both runs and went 2-for-3 at the plate, but the Lady Cats couldn’t find another breakthrough.

Maplewood now shifts focus to the postseason, opening tournament play at home Wednesday against St. Thomas Aquinas.