MAC BASEBALL Poland captures league crown

The Bulldogs won the title with a 9-2 victory against Salem.
By PAUL TRGOVAC
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
SALEM -- Poland High won the Metro Athletic Conference baseball championship Wednesday, defeating Salem 9-2.
The Bulldogs (20-3, 9-1 MAC) used a 14-hit attack and the strong pitching of junior David Yost.
"That is one of our goals, to win the MAC," Poland coach Steve Rohan said. "When you play in a conference with teams like Canfield, Niles, Howland, Salem and Struthers, it is always a great to win it. We can enjoy it tonight but have to forget about it tomorrow."
The Bulldogs, the top seed in the Division II tournament, were to play Alliance today in a sectional final. Also, Salem (11-14, 2-8) travels to Lakeview.
Three-run first inning
Poland led 3-0 in the first inning when Jon Habuda hit the first of his two doubles with two outs and later scored on a single by Sean Clayton. Adam Wigley then hit a home run to left.
"Clayton had a huge at-bat," said Rohan. "He fouled off a couple of pitches then kept the inning alive with the single."
The Bulldogs added a run in the third when Habuda doubled home Dan Bertolini.
Poland scored three times in the fourth inning. Bill Christian led off with a home run, Bertolini drove a run home with a sacrifice fly and Brandon Hardin's single made it 7-0.
Salem scored twice in the bottom of the fourth on Andy Miller's bases-loaded double. But, a relay from David Koval to Habuda to Christian at the plate nailed Landon Heath, and Yost got out of the inning without any further damage.
Solid pitching
Yost (5-1) went five innings and Cole Budinsky pitched the last two, retiring all six men he faced. Yost had five strikeouts and Budinsky two.
"He [Yost] is a good pitcher. He has pitched in some big games," Rohan said. "I wanted him to start today, and bring Cole in second, because he is my second guy [today] behind John Hay. I have a little more confidence to bring Cole into a game in relief."
Fuller's sacrifice fly in the sixth scored Clayton and Mike White hit a RBI single in the seventh.
Hardin, Habuda and Clayton had two hits for Poland, while Matt Stetts and Heath had two hits each for Salem. Grant Sevek (3-3) started and took the loss.