by Struthers, Ohio – Thanks to a pair of four run innings in the second and fourth, respectively, the Lakeview Bulldogs defeated Garrettsville Garfield, 11-3, in the Division III Struthers District championship at Bob Cene Park.
Both starting pitchers Andrew Brown (Lakeview) and Vinnie Grandizio (Garr. Garfield) traded zeroes in the first inning.
Garfield jumped ahead in the top of the second inning. Vinnie Grandizio led off with a single to left field. Aidan Hall followed with a double to put runners at second and third. Leo Grandizio followed with a single to left field to put the G-Men ahead, 1-0.
Aidan Hall scored on a wild pitch to increase the lead to 2-0.
Lakeview responded in a big way in their half of the second. Alex Stowe led off with a walk. Jake Nicholas reached base on a fielder’s choice for the first out. Carter Doran followed with a flyball single to right field, as did Nathan Paolucci, to load the bases. After a popout for the second out, Andrew Brown delivered a two-run single to right field to tie the score. Tyler Capan followed up by beating out a grounder to short. Nathan Paolucci raced home from second to give Lakeview the lead, 3-2.
The Bulldogs then got a huge double-steal, as Capan stole second, and Brown stole home on the throw to second base, increasing the lead to 4-2.
After a scoreless third inning by both teams, Garfield got a runner on in the top of the fourth. Lakeview catcher Alex Stowe would pick a runner off first base to quash the G-Men threat.
In the bottom of the fourth, Nathan Paolucci reached on an error at first base. Brandon Toot followed with an infield single to put runners on at first and second. Paolucci scored on a wild pitch, increasing the lead to 5-2. Tyler Capan followed an Andrew Brown single with an RBI single, scoring Toot and Brown, and increasing the lead to 7-2. Capan later scored on a wild pitch to make the score 8-2.
Garfield cut their deficit to 8-3 when freshman Brandyn Bogucki drew a two-out walk. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when Eric Geddes reached on an error by the first baseman.
The Bulldogs countered in the bottom of the fifth by scoring two more runs. Nathan Paolucci led off with a walk and scored on a two-run double from Tyler Capan that also plated Andrew Brown, who reached due to a fielder’s choice.
They would add one more run, thanks to a sacrifice fly from Carter Doran that scored Andrew McRoberts, who led off the bottom of the sixth with a walk, and advanced to second on a single.
Tyler Capan finished off Monday’s victory over Perry and did the same Wednesday evening. He came on in the fifth inning, in place of starting pitcher Andrew Brown, striking out three batters and allowing just three hits in three innings of work.
He worked out of a jam in the top of the seventh, getting a fielders’ choice to end the game and clinch the Bulldogs’ first district title in school history.
Lakeview moves to 20-4. They will take on South Range, who won 3-2 over United in the Niles District championship. The game will take place on Thursday, June 1st, at Ducky Schroeder Field in Massillon. Tyler Capan went 3-4 with two singles, a double, and five RBI. Andrew Brown threw four innings and helped his own cause at the plate, reaching base three times and scoring three runs.
Garrettsville Garfield finishes their season at 21-7.
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