Monday, June 24, 2002
Leaders Youngstown Propane and Line Drive Academy will meet again Wednesday at Cene Park.
By PAUL TRGOVAC
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Just one week remains in the Class B League regular season.
Youngstown Propane and Line Drive Academy are the two top teams so far this season. They are tied at 18-3, and have split their two meetings. They will meet again Wednesday at 8 p.m. on Cene Park's main field.
Line Drive was 2-2 at one point early in the year, and has won 16 of its last 17 games, while Propane came out the gate winning its first nine times.
Astro Falcons, in third place, started the season at 0-3, but won 13 of 16 before a recent two-game losing streak put them at 13-8.
Fourth place, and the final playoff spot, looks to be a battle between Youngstown Express (12-9) and Riordan's (11-10). They will play on the final night of the regular season, July 1.
There is still a chance for Becdir (9-12) to move into at least fifth place, which would put it in the Connie Mack tournament.
Youngstown Express 5, Becdir 0: Jason Stephens tossed a no-hitter as Express (12-9) moved into fourth place. Stephens struck out 14 and did not walk a batter.
Only three Becdir runners reached base, one of them on a wild pitch on a strikeout, and two on errors. Bob Kaaikaula had two hits for the Express, while Chuckie Horner doubled and Jim Huck drove in two runs. Jared Caldwell took the loss for Becdir, allowing three runs in four innings, striking out six.
Livi Steel 7, Roth Brothers 2: Livi Steel (8-13) used a 14-hit attack. Six players had two hits each -- Phil Butch, Hogie Walley, Sean Lucas, Shawn Petrarca, Steve Procner and Ryan Monti. Petrarca had three RBIs and a triple. Lucas, Fred Battisti and Butch all doubled.
Kevin Prus (2-4) went the first five plus innings for the win. Lucas got out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth and got the save. Joe McCrackin had two hits, one a double, for Roth (5-16).
Rondinelli 13, Lazart 1: Dean Palombaro had three hits, including a triple, while Greg Rohan, Josh Conkey and Mike Weigand had two hits apiece for Rondinelli (7-14). Brian Chrobak had a two-run homer, while Rich McNeil (2-2) went five innings, striking out seven.
Robert Stull had two hits for Lazart (4-17), and struck out nine in six innings.
Line Drive 9, Astros 8: Line Drive trailed 8-0 in the fifth inning before rallying. Mike Hanck hit a two-run homer in the seventh, and after Justin Byler doubled, Damitius Makridis singled to tie the game. Giancarlo Silvestri drove home the winning run with a single.
Kevin Libeg (5-0) was the winner in relief. Sylvestri, Byler, and Dan Ford had two hits each for Line Drive. Ryan Vaughn and Vasili Pahoulis hit doubles. Brent Parks had three hits, including a double, while Sean Clayton singled twice and tripled. Adam Coco had two hits and two RBIs and Bob Benson had a double and two RBIs. Frank Turocy also tripled.
Youngstown Propane 9, Riordan's 7: Dan Cashon had three hits with two RBIs and Tom Zetts doubled with two RBIs for Propane. Jared Bogan also had two RBIs. Ed Bartolec won his sixth straight decision and Michael Krieger pitched two innings of relief for his first save.
Josh Pratt had two hits, including a triple, for Riordan's, while Pat Oman also had two hits, and Brandon Shaver a triple and a double. James Lade drove in two runs with a triple.