by Brecksville, OH- Brecksville-Broadview Heights avenged their 2023 loss to Holy Name by defeating them 9-5 behind a dominate first two innings on offense.
The Green Wave started the game strong. Joe Svetz reached first on a walk following a drawn out at-bat. Danny Stibley would follow suit. Dom Marchetta would load the bases with a single. Nick Nemeth followed this up with a sacrifice fly that scored Svetz. After Joey Ragone popped out, Brecksville pitcher Aiden Sinkko had Anthony Messina down 0-2 in the count. However, a wild pitch would result in Stibley trotting home to extend the Namer lead.
In the home half of the inning, the Bees’ reply was instant. Leadoff hitter David Zambounis hit a single to kick things off. Jack Nauer would follow suit as Zambounis would score from second. Enzo DiCocco continued the trend and hit a single of his own. Nauer would steal home after a passed ball to tie the game but would exit due to an injury. After another passed ball, the Bees would take a 3-2 lead. Nate Giaimo would add the fourth run of the inning on a sacrifice fly. Heading into the second Brecksville led 4-2. Overall, the first inning took 41 minutes and 30 seconds.
Sinkko brushed off the first inning with ease in the second as he got the Namers to go in order, striking out two of them. The Bees would once again plate four in the home half of the second. The first run would come on a passed ball as Peter Chermonte read the down angle and took advantage. After some smart base running, Zambounis would score after Garrett Niemiec balked. The last two runs of the frame came off of a two-RBI single from Purdue commit Luke Reasor. This was Reasor’s first hit of the season and it gave his Bees an 8-2 lead to take into the third.
Both Holy Name and Brecksville-Broadview Heights’ defenses came alive in the third inning. Stibley’s leadoff single was the only hit of the frame. Marchetta, Nemeth, and Ragone all flew out after with all three of the Bees’ outfielders recording an out apiece. In the home half of the inning, Mikey Tworzydlo settled into the game after replacing Niemiec to close out the second. He retired Brecksville in order with two strikeouts.
In the fourth inning, HN went in order as Sinkko struck out two batters. Brecksville would plate another run in the home half of the inning as Reasor beat out the throw to first, scoring DiCocco from third. Going back a few at bats, DiCocco smoked the ball deep to right field to record a one-out triple. Heading into the fifth, the Bees were in complete control up 9-2.
Holy Name would earn back two runs in the top of the fifth. Cameron Ragazzo got things going on offense as he roped a double down the left field line. With two outs, Marchetta stood in no man’s land between first and second. This gave Ragazzo enough time to steal home as Marchetta took second. Nemeth would follow this up with an RBI single up the gut. In the home half of the fifth, Tworzydlo retired the bottom of Brecksville’s lineup in order.
Nolan Kelley came on to pitch for Brecksville-Broadview Heights in the sixth inning and dominated. He retired the Green Wave in order as he struck out Frankie Germano and Messina. The Bees threatened in the bottom of the inning, but Tworzydlo made sure the Namers only trailed by five heading into their final cuts.
Svetz would record his first career varsity hit to begin the top of the seventh. Stibley would reach at the expense of Svetz as Brecksville opted to get the lead runner at second. After some good base running from Stibley, Marchetta hit an RBI single to cut the Bees’ lead to four. Nemeth would strike out on the following at-bat. Ragone would then ground out to Kelley, sealing the 9-5 Brecksville-Broadview Heights victory.
The Bees controlled this game from start to finish. While HN got the first runs and started to battle towards the end, there was never any doubt in the Brecksville camp that they would win. Now, they turn their attention to a two-game series against North Royalton on Tuesday and Thursday. The Green Wave are now 1-10 on the year as they will begin a two-game series Monday against Valley Forge.
Holy Name Key Players
#4 Cameron Ragazzo: 2-3, Double
#5 Mikey Tworzydlo: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 K
#24 Danny Stibley: 2-3, 1 SB, Walk
Brecksville Key Players
#7 Leo Carey: 1-2, 2 Walks, 1 SB
#11 Enzo DiCocco: 2-2, Triple, 2 Walks, 3 SB
#22 David Zambounis: 1-3, 2 SB, Walk
Player of the Game: Enzo DiCocco
