THE BLUE DEVILS TAKE COMMAND WITH A SEVEN-RUN SECOND INNING EN ROUTE TO SNAPPING THE WILDCATS' SIX-GAME WINNING STREAK.
SAINT IGNATIUS WILL LOOK TO REBOUND AND START A NEW STREAK WHEN IT TRAVELS TO BRUNSWICK ON FRIDAY FOR A MATCHUP WITH ANOTHER TALENTED GROUP OF BLUE DEVILS. JUNIOR RIGHT-HANDER KYLE PLUTA IS EXPECTED TO GET THE STARTING ASSIGNMENT FOR THE 4:30 FIRST PITCH.
BY EDDIE DWYER, COPYRIGHT MAY 2012
Tallmadge, Ohio - Saint Ignatius’ veteran pitching coach T.J. Donovan ’94 said it was a “perfect storm” that knocked the Wildcats off course on a warm and ideal-for-baseball Thursday evening, as coach Kenny Linn’s Tallmadge Blue Devils docked the Wildcats for the second consecutive season.
“We were not able to get ahead of hitters, we didn’t locate very well overall as a staff and a lot of their hits found holes,” Coach Donovan said, after Tallmadge defeated Saint Ignatius, 16-2, in a game that was called after 4 ½ innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.
“When we don’t play well defensively, we need to be better offensively,” Coach Donovan continued. “And when we don’t hit the ball, we need to get better pitching. Unfortunately, it was a perfect storm of three different areas. We struggled all around.”
The Wildcats (14-6), who were also defeated by Tallmadge, 16-6, last year in what was the second game of a doubleheader at Archbishop Hoban High School, were able to turn base hits by junior Tyler Finkler and senior Scott Chase into a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. It was, however, rough sailing from that point on.
Playing with poise and confidence on their atmosphere-rich home field, the Blue Devils wasted little time in erasing Saint Ignatius’ early lead.
Taking advantage of a walk, a passed ball, a single by junior center fielder Cordt Skraba, a missed cutoff, another walk, a fielder’s choice and an RBI infield hit by senior catcher Matt Boyer, Tallmadge scored four times in the bottom of the first.
After junior right-hander Nick Robinson set the ‘Cats down in order in the top of the second, the Blue Devils stormed their way to a telling seven-run bottom of the second.
In sending 12 batters to the plate, Tallmadge took advantage of everything Saint Ignatius gave it and did plenty of damage on its own en route to building an 11-1 lead after two innings.
The table was set in the bottom of the second with two consecutive hit batsmen and an error. Those miscues were followed by a bases-loaded walk, a sacrifice fly by senior first baseman Tucker Linder, another hit batsman, a two-run single by junior second baseman Kody Edwards, an RBI single by Boyer, a sacrifice fly by Robinson, a wild pitch and a run-scoring single through the right side by junior right fielder Zach Cleary.
With Robinson (4-0 and ERA below 0.66) getting into a groove, the Blue Devils tacked on two more runs in the third and closed their scoring with a three-run fourth. The big blows in the third were a double by Linder, who is a Kent State recruit, and an RBI single by sophomore left fielder Chris Gray. A two-run triple by Skraba highlighted the final wave in the fourth.
While there is no question that Tallmadge (14-7) was the superior team on Thursday evening, Saint Ignatius did give starters Dan Rowbottom (second base), Mike Ruffing (shortstop) and Stephen Alexander (designated hitter/first base) the day off. Finkler, who has been having an exceptional season at third base, played shortstop on Thursday and starting senior right fielder Dan Oaklief missed the game because of illness.
Alexander and Rowbottom did pinch hit in the top of the fifth, with Alexander delivering a sharp single to right and Rowbottom bringing home the ‘Cats’ second run on a sacrifice fly.
Lord be willing, we’ll see you at Brunswick on Friday and at the Ohio Jesuit Cup (see preview below) on Saturday and Sunday at All Pro Freight Stadium in Avon.
Rounding the corner and heading home.