Tag Archive for: western reserve

LOWELLVILLE LETS LOOSE ON THE BLUE DEVILS

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BERLIN CENTER OH-  Lowellville got it done on Wednesday, outlasting Western Reserve 10-6 in a back-and-forth battle that saw momentum swing like a pendulum.

Kaden Primous was locked in at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three singles and a ton of pressure on the bases. He also came in on the bump and shut the door with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief.

The Rockets broke through in the third with three runs thanks to a walk, a fielder’s choice, and a clutch single from Tyler Tuscano. Western Reserve answered right back, knotting things up at 3-3 behind a hit and a bases-loaded walk.

Lowellville went back on top in the fifth with RBI singles from Cody Nolfi and Kasen Smith, but the Blue Devils came right back in their half with three runs to take a 6-5 lead.

The sixth inning was the turning point. Lowellville exploded for five runs on just two hits, the big blow coming from Liam Bartlett, who ripped a 2-run double on a full count to flip the script and put the Rockets back on top for good.

Tuscano started the game for Lowellville, going 4.1 innings and giving up six runs. Primous took over from there and slammed the door, scattering two hits and striking out two.

Bartlett and Nolfi each drove in three, while Tuscano and Geno Perry added multiple hits. The Rockets drew seven walks and ran wild on the bases, swiping seven bags—three from Primous alone. Clean defense too, with no errors and a double play to keep things tight.

Western Reserve saw solid days from several bats—three players with two hits each and eight total stolen bases—but couldn’t slow Lowellville’s late charge. Hunter Stacy led with two RBIs, and Taylor showed patience at the plate with four walks. Next up, the Rockets head into Thursday’s matchup with Brookfield riding the momentum.

 

RIDGE RAMBLES PAST THE BLUE DEVILS

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MINERAL RIDGE OH-  Gavin Harding stayed hot at the plate Friday, picking up three hits to help Mineral Ridge knock off Western Reserve 14-7.

Western Reserve struck first with an RBI single in the top of the first, but the Rams answered right back in the bottom half. Harding dropped a single to tie it, Nick Anderson and Ethan Vestorsky each worked bases-loaded walks, and just like that, Ridge was up 4-1.

The Rams kept rolling in the third, pushing three more runs across thanks to RBI singles from Andrew Gillie and Justin Dailey to stretch the lead.

Anderson grabbed the win on the mound, tossing four and two-thirds innings. He gave up seven hits and four runs while striking out six. Marek Stevens took the loss for Western Reserve after getting roughed up early, giving up four runs on three hits in just a third of an inning. Harding and Jack Gillie helped close it out in relief.

Mineral Ridge racked up 12 hits on the night. AJ Sandy, hitting out of the nine-hole, came up clutch, driving in four runs and going 2-for-4. Jackson Geddes chipped in two hits in three trips. The Rams also ran wild on the bases, swiping eight bags to keep the pressure on.

For Western Reserve, Evan Slaven led the charge, going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. The Blue Devils showed patience too, drawing nine walks, with a few guys working two free passes each. Mineral Ridge hits the road Monday for a matchup against Springfield.

RAMS WIN ON A SPECIAL NIGHT

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MINERAL RIDGE OH- Mineral Ridge put on a show Friday night, rolling past Western Reserve 20-2. But the final score wasn’t the main headline — both teams came together for Strikeout Cancer Night, playing for a cause bigger than the scoreboard.

The Rams jumped all over it early, putting up three runs in the first. Kelcee Dye worked a bases-loaded walk to start the scoring, and Lily Merolillo ripped a two-run single to open it up.

The second inning got even louder. Mineral Ridge pushed across eight runs on just two hits. Sullivan Sandy doubled in a pair, then patience took over — Dye, Savannah Turek, Merolillo, Maggie Collins, and Sydney Wyllie all drew walks to keep the line moving and tack on runs.

The Rams kept swinging in the third, hanging six more on four hits. A Western Reserve error plated two, Maddie Gerberry singled in a run, and Dye crushed a two-run shot to center. Collins added another RBI single before the dust settled.

Merolillo owned the circle, tossing three no-hit innings, striking out six and walking just one to snag the win. Maddie Kelley took the loss for Western Reserve, working two innings before Turek came in to finish it off for Mineral Ridge.

Dye did damage in the middle of the order, driving in three and going 1-for-1. Gerberry and Merolillo each picked up two hits, and the Rams showed serious patience at the dish, racking up 14 walks. Dye, Turek, and Wyllie each drew two free passes, while the Rams also swiped six bags to stay aggressive.

For Western Reserve, Kylee Ramsey led the way at the plate, going 1-for-3 and driving in a run. Chloeigh Endsley, Ramsey, and Isabelle Moran each notched a hit in the effort. Mineral Ridge gets right back after it Saturday when they host Pymatuning Valley.

 

RAMS STILL LOOKING STRONG IN THE MVAC

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BERLIN CENTER OH-  Mineral Ridge hammered Western Reserve 17-2 on Thursday, fueled by a monster day from Kelcee Dye. Dye drove in four runs on the night, doubling home a run in the first, drawing a bases-loaded walk in the second, and then blasting a three-run bomb to left in the third to break it wide open.

The Rams got rolling early. Laney Rigley singled to center and Dye followed with a double down the line to jump out to a quick 2-0 lead. Western Reserve answered in the bottom half with a two-run double from Averie Hendon, but that’s all they would get.

Mineral Ridge flipped the game on its head in the second, putting up a seven-spot on just three hits. Megan Haynie delivered the biggest blow with a two-run single to put the Rams in control.

They didn’t let up in the third either, hanging seven more runs. Rigley drew a walk to force in a run, Dye smashed a three-run shot, an error plated another, and Randi Blackann worked a bases-loaded walk to cap off the inning.

Savannah Turek came in and shut the door, tossing three scoreless innings, striking out five without a walk. Lily Merolillo got the start, giving up two runs in two innings of work. Hendon started for Western Reserve and battled, but the Rams’ bats were too much. Rigley swiped two bags, and the Rams stayed patient at the dish all night, piling up 12 walks.

For Western Reserve, Hendon drove in both of their runs, while Sophia Reigle and Mikayla Salovich each picked up a couple of hits. The two teams are right back at it Friday as Ridge hosts Western Reserve for the rematch.

 

NIGHT OF THE HUNTER

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Berlin Center, OH – Western Reserve junior Hunter Stacy continues to make headlines as one of the top baseball talents in the area, earning repeated YSN All-Star honors and catching the attention of teams and fans alike. In a recent profile on the YSN podcast, Stacy opened up about his mindset, work ethic, and what fuels his standout performances on the field.

With an unwavering commitment to improvement, Stacy explained that he’s driven not just by natural talent but by constant dedication. “I don’t want to just even out—I want to keep getting better exponentially,” Stacy shared, noting that even during basketball season he puts in extra work, whether it’s extra batting practice or weight training. Baseball’s mental demands are famous, and Stacy credits his ambition to play at the college level for keeping him resilient after bad games. “If I give up on myself, then the idea of going to the next level is further away,” he said. Each day, he mentally resets, approaching the game with fresh determination.

On the mound, Stacy embraces competition and welcomes the challenges that come with being a marked opponent. “I like going best on best, and I feel like it makes everyone else around you better,” he said, seeing every big matchup as a learning opportunity. Aside from his athletic prowess, Stacy is a self-described math enthusiast and enjoys hands-on learning through his building trades class—which he pairs with the support of his family, especially his parents and grandparents, who have supported his passion from the start.

Asked about his baseball idols and jersey number, Stacy credits Major League first basemen Anthony Rizzo and Paul Goldschmidt as inspirations for wearing number 44. He takes special pride in his left-handed swing, a feature that’s earned praise from rival coaches. Whether it’s hundreds of swings in a single practice or competing for Western Reserve in front of a supportive community, Stacy was quick to credit the Blue Devils’ team chemistry and local backing. “Just to go out there and show up for your community…they’re always there to support,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to go out there and show them what we’re made of.” With his work ethic and love of the sport, Hunter Stacy is poised for an exciting future—one that Western Reserve baseball fans will be eagerly following.

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RESERVE BATS HIT HARDER

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NORTH JACKSON OH-  It was a wild one between Western Reserve and Jackson-Milton on Monday, with both lineups trading punches all night—but in the end, it was Reserve who held on for a 13-11 win.

The Blue Devils jumped ahead early after Connor Jones laced a double to plate two in the top of the first, but Jackson-Milton came right back and flipped the script with a six-run bottom half, sparked by a two-run double from James Croyle.

Western Reserve answered in the second with a game-tying rally, highlighted by an RBI double from Evan Slaven and a knock from Cole Dotson to even things up at 6-6. Jackson-Milton grabbed the lead again in the bottom half on a sac fly by Croyle, but it didn’t last long.

The third inning was the turning point. Reserve poured on seven runs—only two hits needed—thanks to a patient approach at the plate and a big two-run double from Hunter Taylor. That made it 12-7, and they never trailed again.

Slaven got the start for Reserve, going two innings and giving up five earned runs on five hits while fanning three. Landon Workman got the ball first for the Blue Jays and lasted just over an inning, giving up six runs on three hits with six walks.

Offensively, Slaven led the Blue Devils with three RBIs while going 1-for-2. Dotson, Taylor, Slaven, Jones, and Alec Abrams all had a hit apiece, and the team showed great discipline—drawing 12 walks. Ross Watkins drew three of them himself.

For Jackson-Milton, Croyle led the charge, going 1-for-1 with three RBIs. Dom Krol, Jack McDevitt, Jaidyn Henry, and Jaiden Scott also chipped in with a hit each.

MILTON BLANKS THE BLUE DEVILS

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NORTH JACKSON OH- Katie Byers was flat-out dealing on Monday, striking out 10 and tossing a three-hit shutout as Jackson-Milton steamrolled Western Reserve 19-0 in five innings.

Byers was locked in from the first pitch, walking just one and keeping the Reserve bats quiet all game. She also helped her own cause at the plate with three RBIs, including a two-run bomb to straightaway center in the second.

The Blue Jays got the bats going early, putting up a crooked number in the first. Ivy McBeth and Grace Johns both doubled in runs, Byers and Gabby Kerr followed with RBI singles, Tiffany Tingler chipped in one more, and a fielder’s choice brought another across to make it 6-0.

Then came the second, and it was all gas, no brakes. Jackson-Milton exploded for eight more runs on just four hits—highlighted by Byers’ homer, another Kerr double, and a two-run shot off the bat of Brena McBeth. Add in a few walks and a passed ball, and the game was out of reach early. Johns kept the pressure on with another RBI single in the third to tack on one more.

The Blue Jays finished with 13 hits. Johns and Ivy McBeth were a wrecking crew at the top of the lineup, each going 3-for-3. Byers, Johns, and Kerr all drove in three runs apiece. Johns also drew three walks as Jackson-Milton showed serious discipline at the plate, piling up 14 free passes on the day. Defensively, the Blue Jays were sharp—no errors, clean fielding, and Johns led the way with seven chances.

Quincy Miller and Sophia Franks each notched hits for Western Reserve, who turned two double plays and also played clean in the field, but couldn’t keep up with Jackson-Milton’s relentless offense. The two squads are set to square off again Tuesday, this time at Western Reserve.

SLOW START DOOMS THE DEVILS

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MASSILLON OH- Western Reserve ran into a buzzsaw Thursday night in the regional semis, falling to Mogadore 44-27. A brutal first quarter dug the Blue Devils into a hole they couldn’t climb out of, with the Wildcats’ defense swarming and forcing all kinds of problems. By the end of the first, Mogadore was up 18-2.

To their credit, Western Reserve settled in after that, found some rhythm, and started getting clean looks. From the second quarter on, it was basically even—Mogadore edged them just 26-25 the rest of the way—but that first quarter avalanche was too much to overcome.

Izzy Mauro led the Devils with 10 points, while Kylee Ramsey and Quincy Miller each chipped in 6.

Western Reserve wraps up a strong season at 18-7, showing plenty of fight all year long.

BLUE DEVILS BLAZE THE COMEBACK TRAIL

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MINERAL RIDGE OH- Western Reserve wasn’t worried about the seeding—just the scoreboard. The Blue Devils stormed back from a halftime deficit Saturday to take down Cornerstone Christian 48-35 and claim another district championship at Mineral Ridge.

Trailing 27-18 at the break, Western Reserve flipped the script in the second half. Giana Leone buried a buzzer-beater three to knot it up at 32 heading into the fourth, and from there, it was all Blue Devils. They locked in defensively and never looked back.

Kaylee Ramsey led the charge with 18 points, while Quincy Miller added 15 to fuel the comeback.

Next up, Western Reserve heads to Massillon Perry for a regional semifinal battle with Mogadore on Thursday. Tip-off is set for 8:00.

RESERVE SHOOTERS HELP THEM ADVANCE

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BERLIN CENTER OH- Western Reserve lit up the scoreboard Tuesday night, rolling past Chalker 74-44 to punch their ticket to the district championship. The Blue Devils are no strangers to this stage, making their 8th district final in the last 12 seasons.

Quincy Miller was on fire, dropping 23 points to lead the charge. Kylee Ramsey wasn’t far behind with 21, and Izzy Mauro added 17 as Reserve ran away with it.

Next up, the Blue Devils head to Mineral Ridge on Saturday for a showdown with Cornerstone Christian at 7:00 with a district title on the line.