DIVISION IV BASEBALL Windham knocks out Columbiana

Winning pitcher Brent Fincham didn't give up a hit until the sixth inning.
STRUTHERS -- Windham High jumped on Columbiana early, then answered a late Clippers rally with another rally, as the Bombers defeated the Tri-County League champions, 9-2, Monday in a Division IV district semifinal baseball game at Cene Park.
Columbiana was the tournament's top seed but only managed a single hit against Windham's Brent Fincham.
"That kid did a great job," said Clippers coach Shawn Alazaus. "We didn't get a hit until the sixth and that's sometimes the way it goes."
Added losing pitcher Billy Sattler: "I don't know why this happened but no one was hitting. Every time we have a big game we either tense up or something else happens."
Windham will play Mathews today at 6:30 p.m. at Cene Park in the district championship game. Mathews defeated Western Reserve, 2-1, in Monday's other semifinal.
The Bombers broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the third inning, then scored two more in the fifth.
Tries to mount a comeback
Columbiana finally got going in the sixth when David Vitko produced a double with one out. Drew Wagner followed with a walk and both runners advanced on a balk. Sattler then drove in Vitko with a sacrifice fly and Wagner scored a wild pitch to make it 4-2.
But, Windham answered with five runs in the top of the seventh. Josh Sweet's triple was the big blow, scoring two runs. The Bombers scored the five runs on just three hits.
Earlier, Sweet had an RBI double and teammate Mike Korosec reached on two singles, a triple and an intentional walk. Korosec also scored three times.
Fincham (5-1) struck out eight as Windham improved to 11-9. Columbiana is 23-4.
Stress factor
"When you get down 4-0, that puts some stress on you," said Alazaus. "It's really a lot to deal with. We don't play as strong a schedule as maybe we should and we don't see arms like that on a daily basis."
Windham has won its last five games at Cene Park, including games in 2001 and 2002 when the Bombers advanced to the state tournament.
"We play in a tough league," said Windham coach Jerry Kiser, "and I know that helps us. Tonight it was my seniors [who] did the job."
Mathews 2, Western Reserve 1
Mathews' Matt Weymer struck out eight in a complete game victory.
Weymer yielded four hits, including two in the bottom of the seventh as Western Reserve (14-8) made a charge.
Down 2-0, the Blue Devils got a one-out triple from Brock Christie, who then scored on a single by Ryan Lude. Weymer then struck out the last two batters as Mathews (14-8) advanced.