SANDLOTS Strong pitching lifts Stone Bulls past Penn Ohio

Astro Falcons and Rondinelli Tuxedo stayed alive in the Connie Mack tournament.
WARREN -- Matt Kaltenbach scattered four hits over nine innings with 19 strikeouts as Cleveland Nature Stone Bulls posted a 1-0 victory over Warren Penn Ohio in round one of the AABC Stan Musial state (22 and under) tournament at Packard Park.
In other contests, Akron Ellet Shocker handed Champion Molded Plastics a 5-3 setback and Sharon Center Box Painting upended Youngstown Penn Ohio 11-1.
Jeremy Krol of Warren Penn Ohio, in a losing effort, allowed only five hits, but gave up the only run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Brett Higgins paced Nature Stone Bulls with two hits. Sean Lucas hit a double and single for Penn Ohio.
Akron 5, Champion 3
Akron Ellet Shocker snapped a 3-3 tie as it scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning.
Kyle Carpenter, Tony Pierce and Andy Bruno, who drove in two runs, each hit a double for Ellet Shockers. Tim Schneider, Brandon Buck and Brian Howe added two singles apiece.
Sharon 11,Youngstown Penn Ohio 1
Ron Spears hit a double and single and drove in four runs for the winners.
Three games were being played today at 10 a.m. as Nature Stone Bulls faced Youngstown Penn Ohio at Perkins Park, Champion Molded Plastics took on Warren Penn Ohio at Champion and Ellet Shockers battled Sharon Center Box Painting at Packard MacGregor.
Connie Mack Regional
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. -- Astro Falcons and Rondinelli Tuxedo stayed alive with victories Friday in the AABC Connie Mack Regional Tournament.
Astros built a 4-0 lead and held off a late rally to defeat the Battle Creek Baseball Club 4-2, while Rondinelli came back from a 6-1 deficit to win 7-6 over Illinois Top Tier.
In the Astros game, Jared Bartholomew drove home two runs with a triple in the second inning, and a two-run home run by Joe Irwin in the fourth increased the advantage to 4-0.
Tad Gaspar went the first five innings allowing just one run with seven strikeouts to pick up the win.
Josh McKenney took over in the sixth and allowed one run in 12/3 innings. Alex Oles came on to pitch with men on first and second base in the seventh and struck out the only man he faced to end the game and pick up the save.
John Mang added a single and a double for the Astros.
Rondinelli 7, Illinois 6
Rondinelli fell behind 6-1 in the fifth inning before scoring three runs to cut the lead to 6-4.
In the sixth, Matt Katich hit a double driving home two runs to tie the score and then Frank Rosile doubled home Katich with deciding run.
Dan Babyak tossed 32/3 innings of scoreless relief for the win. Katich had two hits and four runs batted in. Phil Williamson, Tom Clayton, and Hayden Johnston each had a pair of hits for Rondinelli.
Youngstown AA
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown Metros built a 11-3 lead by the end of the fifth inning as it topped Tri County 11-5 in the Youngstown Class AA League best-of-5 championship series at Pemberton-Donnell Park.
Josh Conkey hit a double, a triple and drove in two runs for the winners. Dan Bertolini, Brett Pitzulo and Matt Guerrieri added two singles apiece.
Dan Cashbaugh hit a double and single and Ray Jaminet two singles for Tri County.
Babe Ruth Regional
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Cory Hill pitched a complete game shutout with 11 strikeouts leading the Youngstown Babe Ruth 14-year-old All Stars to a 7-0 victory over West Virginia Thursday in the Babe Ruth Regional Tournament.
Drew Fitzpatrick led the winners with three hits. Jamie Shepard and Jason Bagoly added two hits apiece.
Youngstown was to play Wisconsin in a second-round game today.