DIV. III BASEBALL Campbell falls, 5-4, in 11 innings

The Red Devils lost to Elyria Catholic in a game that started Friday.
By BILL SULLIVAN
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
MASSILLON -- Campbell Memorial High baseball coach Wayne Zetts hugged Jason Metzka and Mark Such after the emotional loss, consoling the pair and assuring them the setback was not their fault.
But there was emotion after the Red Devils lost a Division III regional semifinal game to Elyria Catholic 5-4 in 11 innings Sunday at Ducky Schroeder Field.
In a game suspended by darkness Friday, the score tied at 2 after eight innings and not attempted Saturday after more rain, it seemed the Red Devils had won the battle in dramatic fashion in the top of the 11th.
The first two Campbell hitters were retired on ground balls before Anthony S. Zembillas singled.
With a 1-1 count, Elyria Catholic's pitcher, senior Joe Bott, left a fastball up to Such, Campbell's cleanup hitter. Such homered to left field, drilling the pitch 335 feet and well over the 12-foot fence for a 4-2 lead.
"Into the stiff breeze, boy, that was a clout," Zetts said of the homer. "That was a major-league home run."
It was his third homer of the season.
"We let it get away," said Zetts. "We got the big home run in the top of the inning and then we just collapsed."
Had to leave after 10
Metzka, who threw 141 pitches over eight innings Friday, returned for two more innings of work Sunday. In compliance with state rules, he was replaced after he reached his 10-inning threshold.
After 45 hours between pitches, each team had a chance to regain its momentum. Baseball, which at times seems to run at a marathon pace, became a full-fledged sprint when action resumed.
The Panthers (21-4), who advanced to the regional for the fourth straight season and who lost the state title game last year, faced Campbell pitcher Rick Quinn (3-3) in the 11th.
Joe Bailosky singled, giving the Panthers three straight innings with the lead-off hitter on base. Jerry Trasker walked and both moved up on a groundout.
Quinn got Marty Koch to bounce back to the pitcher, but on his throw to first for the second out, Trasker broke for third.
Despite having two Elyria Catholic runners on third base, Campbell failed to get a man out in the run down and allowed Bailosky to score the third run.
"I have no clue what happened," Zetts said of the failed rundown play. "We didn't execute the run-down well enough."
He thought a Panther ran outside the baseline to avoid being tagged for the final out.
Bott then hit a fly ball to center field that should have been caught.
Costly mistake
Instead, Lonnie McQueen, who came on as a late-inning defensive replacement, ran in on the play then saw the ball fly over his head for a game-tying double.
"We misjudged another fly ball today for the loss," Zetts said.
Zetts noted McQueen had been the center-fielder for 75 percent of the season.
"There's no excuses," he said. "He flat-out misplayed the ball."
Rejuvenated by the miscues, the Panthers got another walk. Then Jeff Hladium, who was 0-for-4, singled to left to score Bott with the game-winner.
"We had the lead and they were able to put a little pressure on us," Zetts said. "We had it. The game was dictated. It was ours and we gave it away."
Metzka (7-2) will attend Kent State in the fall. The other two seniors on the Campbell (14-8-1) team are Anthony Rossodivita, who went 0-for-4, and A.J. Dirienzo.
When the Panthers threatened with two men on base in the ninth, Dirienzo turned in a brilliant play on a tough grounder to stop the inning.
The Panthers left the bases loaded in the 10th and stranded 20 players over 11 innings. Still, they will return to play Ursuline today at 5 p.m. for the regional crown.
"You have to get all the outs," Elyria Catholic coach Todd Brubaker said. "Our kids believe that.
"Our kids didn't quit," he added. "At this level you have to be good and lucky. Today we were lucky."