CLASS B LEAGUE Express is No. 1 as playoffs start

The Youngstown Express won a tie-breaker over Astro Falcons.
STRUTHERS -- Youngstown Express scored multiple runs in four innings of the five played as it defeated Rondinelli Tuxedo, 10-2, to finish the regular-season with a 20-7 record in the Class B League.
Express and Astro Falcons both finished with the same won-loss record, but Express won the tie-breaker based on its 2-1 record against Astros during the regular season to emerge as the top team entering the championship playoffs.
To begin the playoffs today at Cene Park, Astro Falcons was to meet Roth Brothers at 6 on Cene Field No. 1, followed by Express and Fabulous Goldsteins at 8.
Playoff: Livi Steel and W.W. Heating will have a one-game playoff to determine the fifth-place team and a berth in the Connie Mack state tournament. Livi and Heating both finished 16-11. Their game is at 8 p.m. on Cene 2.
On Wednesday, Express got 16 hits as Ryan Vaughn and Steve Burnich both went 3-for-3 while Nick Guerrieri and Giancarlo Silvestri added two hits apiece. Sean Curry had a two-run double in a three-run first inning. Left-handed Kevin Prus (4-1) had fanned five and picked three runners off of first base.
For Rondinelli, Dean Palombaro and Mike Deniro both hit 2-for-2.
Roth Bros. 11, Astros 3: J.D. Patton's two-inning relief appearance starting in the third inning earned him his second win of the season as Roth kept Astros from finishing with the league's best record.
Steve Mientkiewicz went 3-for-3 for Roth while teammate Kyle Barker went 2-for-4 and scored three runs. Shane Davis, Justin Crum and Jordan Rogers also had two hits for the winners. Crum tripled and finished with three RBIs.
Scott Wadman hit 2-for-3 for Astros.
At 19-8, Roth finished with the third-best record.
Sluggers 6, Goldsteins 0: R.J. Hooper knocked in three runs with two hits including a double while Keith Jackson and Justin Kurilchich also had two hits apiece.
Kris King hit 3-for-3 for Goldsteins which finished with the league's fourth-best record of 17-10. One of King's hits was a double.
W.W. Heating 7, Becdir 4: Drew Apthorpe (4-1) survived a four-run inning before Tom Zetts pitched the final three frames for his third save.
Paul Suhar had his fourth homer of the season and a double while Jared Bogan also doubled. Chris Russo also tripled for Heating.
Juan Serrone and D.J. Gross had two hits apiece for Becdir.
Livi 7, Alltel 4: Kris Brown had a two-run homer and tripled for four RBIs for Livi. Ken Strader pitched six innings to finish 5-0 while Mike Enyeart got the save.
For Alltel, Gary Hinkson and Dustin Antus both tripled while Brad Johnson, Elliot Steverson and Elliott Musick had doubles.
Tuesday's games
Astros 3, W.W. Heating 0: Justin Herstich pitched a seven-inning three-hitter with five strikeouts while Scott Wadman went 2-for-3.
Express 11, Livi 2: Ryan Carr (5-1) whiffed nine, walked one and allowed only three hits and one earned run over six innings.
Nick Guerrieri went 3-for-4 with two RBIs while Erin Satterlee also had three hits.
Giancarlo Silvestri had a two-run triple in the four-run fifth for Express which also got doubles from Satterlee, Dave Miller and Ryan Vaughn. Silvestri finished with three RBIs. Livi's Dante Delisio also doubled.
Roth 21, Alltel 4: John Bisker pitched a six-hitter over the distance to climb to a 4-0 record, as Roth sprayed 24 hits.
Chris Boyes slugged his third homer of the year and had four RBIs in all to also lead Roth, while Shane Davis added four singles.
For Alltel (5-21), Ryan Stredney rapped his second homer of the year and also had a single and two RBIs totally.
Sluggers 11, Rondinelli 3: Justin Kurilchick socked a two-run double and a triple, while Jim Hicks and Stephen Franklin combined to pitch an eight-hitter, to lead Sluggers.
Tom Banna had three singles, Marty Kanetsky a double and single and Mike Babyak two singles to also pace Sluggers. Franklin got the mound win in relief with a three-hitter, four strikeouts, no runs and one walk. He improved to 3-1.
Billy Corbett had two singles with one RBI for Rondinelli, while Vince MacLarren added two doubles and Jeff Melnick a run-scoring double.
Goldsteins 11, Becdir 7: John Prejsnar rapped a triple, double and single while Rob Kay had a double and two singles to lead Goldsteins, which rallied from a 7-6 deficit with six runs in the last three innings.
Nick Tucci gained the mound win in relief to improve to 3-0 for Goldsteins.
D.J. Gross had a triple and two singles for Becdir, while Matt Medvec added a double and single.