Canfield outslugs Howland

By RYAN JONES
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
CANFIELD -- An offensive barrage punctuated by Frank Turocy's two home runs led the Canfield High baseball team to Wednesday's 10-5 victory over Howland.
The Cardinals rallied from a 4-0 deficit to score 10 of the game's final 11 runs.
"We are a totally different team now than we were at the beginning of the year," Canfield coach Tony Ross said. "We started off a little slow, but our kids are really starting to feel comfortable at the plate now and it shows."
Fast start
Howland jumped ahead by scoring four runs in the first inning.
Sam Mann hit a two-run double that scored Vasili Pahoulis and Justin Byler.
Nick Pompeo followed with an RBI double to center, driving in Mann. Pompeo scored from second on a throwing error.
Canfield responded immediately. Leadoff batter Brent Parks reached on a throwing error. Turocy proceeded to smash a two-run homer to left-center field, cutting the lead in half.
"I have been seeing the ball better lately," said Turocy, who went 4-for-4 with four runs scored and three RBIs. "I really was just trying to put it play and it went out."
Howland tacked on another run with one swing of the bat as Byler launched a solo shot to left.
The Cardinals answered again in the bottom of the third frame. Parks doubled to left and scored when Turocy singled through the left side. Dan Leonard's single advanced Turocy to third base, where he scored on a sacrifice by Chad Baker.
"The ball is really beginning to jump off our bats of late," Ross said. "We are being really aggressive."
In the fifth inning, Parks and Turocy singled and Parks scored on Leonard's sacrifice fly to tie the game at 5-5.
Baker singled home Turocy and scored when Mike Turjanica doubled.
Mike Pulakos singled, followed by Josh Geric's RBI single that pushed Turjanica home. Pulakos later scored on an infield hit by Rick Banna.
Second home run
Turocy capped the scoring with his second homer, a towering solo shot to left.
"We took a nice trip to Myrtle Beach over spring break, became closer as a team, came back and started to play well," Turocy said.
It wasn't all offense for Canfield. Banna, who relieved Baker to start the fourth, did not allow a hit in four innings of work while striking out five.
"He is one of those kids who can throw every day," Ross said. "We tend to throw the pitch count out the window with him. He came in and did a wonderful job in relief tonight. He is a strong competitor."