by Parma Heights, OH- As their team name suggests, Normandy invaded Kurtz Park and left with an 8-0 win behind stellar pitching from Peyton Vacca.
Dom Marchetta was on the mound for the Green Wave as he looked to set the offense up for success. After walking Nick Hinkle, he fought back and struck out Peyton Wolf for the first out of the inning. Logan Sabon followed this up with a base hit. With two runners on, Marchetta forced Andrew Sikon to groundout and got Gabe Montgomery to strike out swinging to dispel the danger. Vacca began his day on the mound in style as he retired the Namers in order.
The floodgates opened for the Invaders in the second inning as they plated four runs. Braydon Gray and Clint Root reached after being hit by a pitch and walking respectively. Then, Cullin Rooney made his grand return to the lineup with an RBI single. Fast-forward a few at-bats, Wolf hit a 2-RBI double. Finally, Saban hit a sacrifice fly to score one final run in the second inning. As for Holy Name, Joey Ragone hit a leadoff single, but that was all for the offense in the frame as Vacca retired the next three batters.
The offense slowed down in the third for Normandy. Root recorded the only hit of the inning with two outs which was followed by Rooney being hit by a pitch. Messina grounded out to Brendon Preisel at third base to end the top of the frame. In the home half of the inning, Mikey Tworzydlo reached on an error, but that would be the only damage done by the Green and White.
Marchetta threw his best inning in the fourth as he retired the top of the Invaders’ lineup in order. With two outs in the home half of the inning, Danny Stibley recorded an infield single. He would get into scoring position after stealing second. The ball went into the outfield, so he took off for third. However, Normandy’s relay throw was in time to retire Stibley.
The Invaders offense returned to their second inning form in the fifth as two more runs would score. Messina hit an RBI single with the bases loaded which was followed up by Marchetta walking a run home. Holy Name’s offense started to get an answer together in the bottom of the fifth. Preisel reached on a skied single that Rooney couldn’t bring down and Garrett Niemiec reached on an error. Then, Tworzydlo flew out. The Invaders got out of the inning as they turned two to retire the side.
Frankie Germano came into the ballgame to relieve Marchetta after five innings of work. After striking out Sabon, Sikon hit a one-out single. Montgomery walked on the following at-bat to put two on with one out. Then, Adam Humenik, Tworzydlo, and Niemiec recorded a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. The only hit recorded in the home half of the inning came from Humenik as he doubled to left field.
Normandy added two final runs in the seventh courtesy of a 2-RBI single from Wolf. Vacca completed his impressive outing by retiring the Namers in order one final time to seal the 8-0 win.
While the game didn’t go the way Holy Name hoped, it was still a good night for them. Prior to the contest, they held their senior night ceremony. Joey Ragone, Adam Humenik, Josh Kell, and Cameron Ragazzo were all recognized before the game along with managers Ryan Breudigam, Leila Orellana, and Rafaela Rof. Thank you seniors for your dedication to Holy Name these past few years on and off the field.
Assuming the weather holds up (which is never a given in Ohio), HN and Normandy will do battle one final time this season at Normandy High School tomorrow evening.
Holy Name Key Players
#11 Adam Humenik: 1-3, Double
#13 Joey Ragone: 1-3
#24 Danny Stibley: 1-3, SB
Normandy Key Players
#4 Cullin Rooney: 1-2, 1 RBI, 2 HBP
#15 Peyton Vacca: 7 IP, 4 Hits, 0 Runs, 5 K
#28 Peyton Wolf: 2-5, Double, 4 RBI
Player of the Game: Peyton Vacca
