Fitch-Boardman district finale suspended in 6th

The Spartans and Falcons will try to finish the game today at 1:30 p.m.
By BILL SULLIVAN
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
STRUTHERS -- Nothing's been decided yet.
After tying with Cardinal Mooney for first place in the Steel Valley Conference baseball race (all 5-3) and splitting a pair of regular-season games, Boardman and Austintown Fitch entered the Division I tournament dreaming of a third meeting.
When the Spartans and the Falcons each won a district semifinal game Thursday, the two schools earned a rematch, this one for the district crown and a trip to the Canton regional.
With Fitch leading 6-5 Friday at Cene Park and Boardman batting in the top of the sixth inning, lightning and rain came and suspended the contest until 1:30 p.m. today.
Neither starting pitcher is expected to answer the call, although each showed signs of dominance Friday.
Boardman senior Andy Good (2-2) allowed just solo singles in four of his five innings of work, but a disastrous fourth inning has him in peril.
Sophomore John Mang (3-2) of Fitch gave up a single in the first and fourth innings, nothing in the third and has the first two men of the sixth out.
Spartans' offense
The Spartans scored twice in the second inning and three more times in the fifth.
"We got a couple of options we can go to," said Fitch coach Wally Ford about today's pitcher. "This gives [Brian] Sterling a little bit of rest. Hopefully he might be available."
Sterling (6-2) threw the first seven innings Thursday when Fitch beat Garfield Heights 4-3 in eight innings.
"Johnny [Mang] is pretty much done," Ford said. "I probably wouldn't have used him if we had gone back out."
Good threw more than 90 pitches and Boardman coach Scott Knox admitted he will not be used.
Spartan senior Tom Zetts, a Youngstown State football and baseball recruit, pitched for Boardman in Thursday's 9-4 win over Mayfield.
Friday, Zetts went to Annapolis, Md., to see his older brother, Andy, graduate from the Naval Academy but could pitch today.
"There's a good chance that could happen," Knox said of Zetts playing today. "On the mound and swinging the bat."
Thus far, five Spartans have a hit apiece and five have scored.
For Fitch, Mike Elisio and Elliot Endsley each have two singles.
sullivan@vindy.com