Fitch ready for rugged Federal League season

The Falcons lost to Massillon Jackson in the regional semifinals last year.
By JOHN BASSETTI
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
AUSTINTOWN -- The road to the state Division I tournament from northeast Ohio goes through the Federal League.
Chances are that one of the eight Federal League teams will win the big-school regional in early June.
Last spring, it was Massillon Jackson after a 3-1 win over Austintown Fitch in the regional semifinal.
Including the regional, Fitch lost to Jackson three times last season and split with North Canton Hoover in its abbreviated schedule against Federal teams. Now that the Falcons play a full league schedule for the first time, sixth-year coach Wally Ford will have another round of Federal battles before the postseason.
Jackson is the defending league champion.
"We were pretty young last year," Ford said. "We started playing well at the end of the regular season and at tournament time, we were playing our best ball. It was a pleasant surprise that we went as far as we did."
Key losses were Brian Sterling and T.J. Parker. Sterling was the top pitcher with a 7-2 record, while Parker was the center fielder and leadoff batter who averaged .350.
Eliseo leads returnees
The player who hit .455, however, is Mike Eliseo, now a junior.
The first baseman is one of six starters coming back, along with seniors Jeff Kotel, Bob Melnek and Shane Roche and juniors John Mang and Dom Modarelli.
Senior pitcher Jeremy Hartman also returns. Hartman, Mang and Melnek had at least four starts each last year.
Sterling tossed a two-hitter in the final game against Jackson, which benefited from second-inning errors and a triple.
Tough league competition
"The Federal League competition is the same caliber as the Steel Valley Conference, but we play 14 games, so that's a big difference. Five Federal teams last year all advanced into the district," he said of Fitch, Boardman, Jackson, GlenOak and Hoover.
Fitch eliminated Boardman in the district semifinals.
But Ford believes that his Falcons stack up well against the Federal teams.
Modarelli started at second base and Mang was at third. Roche was the catcher and Kotel played outfield. Melnek will be the shortstop.
Senior infielders John Burnich and Matt Lutz and junior outfielder Mike Brown add depth. When Mang and Melnek pitch, Burnich and Lutz will see more action. Lutz is also another arm on the mound for the Falcons, who finished 17-10 in 2003.
Experience and pitching
"When we've been able to get outside, we've looked decent," Ford said. "We have quite a bit of starting experience and pitching depth. Those are our strengths. Plus, our defense is sound."
Prior to last year, Fitch's last regional appearance was 1994 when the Falcons advanced before losing to Massillon in the semifinals.