High-scoring inning launches Fitch to win

The Falcons overcame an 8-0 deficit and went on to a 19-8 victory.
By PAUL TRGOVAC
VINDICATOR CORESPONDENT
AUSTINTOWN -- After the Campbell Memorial baseball team scored four runs in both the top of the first and second innings for an 8-0 lead, Austintown Fitch scored a school-record 15 runs in the bottom of the second inning and went on to a 19-8 victory over the Red Devils Wednesday.
The Falcons sent 20 batters to the plate in the second inning. Fitch (13-4) had nine hits, five walks, and a hit batter while there were three Campbell (11-8) errors in the inning.
Jeff Kotel started the record-setting inning with a double and added a two-run double to cap the 15-run explosion. John Burnich and Dom Modarelli had two hits each in the frame.
Fitch scored a single run in the fourth as Mike Elisio led off the inning with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of pinch hitter Mike Yacovone.
The Falcons ended the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. A one-out single by Nick Inchak was followed by the third hit of the game by Modarelli.
Melnek connects
Bob Melnek then hit a three-run home run over the left field fence to end the game on the 10-run rule.
"We hung in there," said Fitch coach Wally Ford. "We have been doing that. We have a team that believes that it can come back."
Sophomore Dave Diyorio (2-0) got the win. He survived the first two innings, allowing just two hits over the final three innings. The right-hander had three strikeouts and walked five.
Stan Gozur (3-2) took the loss.
Only four of the 11 runs he allowed were earned in his 11/3 innings of work.
Good start
Campbell started quickly with back-to-back singles by Matt Stankich and Chris Melnik, followed by a three-run blast off the bat of senior Anthony Zembillas. The Red Devils scored a fourth run in the inning on a fielder's choice.
In the Campbell second, singles by Ricky Quinn and Stankich and a walk to Melnek loaded the bases with no outs. Diyorio struck out Zembillas, but Mark Such hit a grand slam over the right field fence to give Campbell the 8-0 advantage.
Diyorio walked the bases loaded with two outs in the fourth frame but managed to escape without any damage.
"You have to know that Campbell is going to hit the ball," said Ford. "We have had a few games like this with them over the years. You just have to outscore them."
Lonnie McQueen had two doubles for Campbell while Kotel also had three RBIs for Fitch.