CONNIE MACK TOURNAMENT Falcons work fast, furious

The Astro Falcons remained unbeaten behind Frank Turocy's pitching.
By MATT BIXENSTINE
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
STRUTHERS -- Frank Turocy made sure the fireworks came early Friday night at Bob Cene Park.
The Astro Falcons' starter pitched a complete game four-hit shutout as his team cruised to an 8-0 win against Livi Steel in the fourth round of the 41st annual Ohio State Connie Mack Baseball Tournament.
The game had been scheduled to last seven innings, but Turocy and the Falcons instigated the eight-run mercy rule in their half of the sixth, allowing the tournament's annual fireworks performance in honor of the late Bob Cene to commence ahead of schedule.
"For some reason, we always seem to play long games," Astro Falcons manager Bob Boughner said. "But we really moved it along tonight."
Moving on
The Falcons (4-0) will play again at 3 p.m. in today's winner's bracket as one of only two remaining undefeated teams. Line Drive Academy will also play at 3 against an undetermined opponent. Livi Steel dropped to 3-1 in the tournament that started with 38 teams and has now been reduced to 12.
Turocy, 17, who will be a senior at Canfield High, needed just 75 pitches to finish off Livi Steel. At one point he retired 13 of 15 batters, while walking only two for the game.
"My slider was working really well and we were getting a lot of ground-ball outs," Turocy said.
Turocy, who also plays right field, made the most of his first pitching appearance of the tournament. He had only three or four starts on the mound during the regular season because the Falcons have four 18-year-olds who only pitch.
"In tournament play, pitching is key," Boughner said. "When a pitcher can go all the way and save arms, that's big."
The right-hander, a .349 hitter during the regular season who has 10 hits thus far in the tournament, also provided all the run support he would need with his RBI triple in the first inning that plated the Falcons' Brent Parks for the game's first run.
The Falcons clung to a two-run lead until they broke the game open with a five-run fifth inning.
Offensive support
For the game, second baseman Dan Leonard and shortstop Steve Ripple led the way offensively with three hits apiece. The duo combined to end the game early when Ripple's two-out single scored Leonard to boost the lead to eight runs.
"During the regular season the mercy rule is 10 runs," Turocy said. "I didn't even realize we could end the game [by mounting an eight-run lead] until someone told me in the bottom of the fifth inning."
Right-fielder Sean Lucas led Livi Steel with a pair of singles in the losing effort.
Turocy's only real trouble came in the sixth inning when Livi Steel loaded the bases with one out. But Turocy struck out the next batter, and Livi Steel's Steve Orlosky grounded out to end the threat.