Boardman's mistakes costly in district defeat

The Spartans dropped a 9-4 decision to North Royalton.
By MARK W. MILLER
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
STRUTHERS -- Six walks, an error and a balk stopped the Boardman High School baseball team's tournament dream.
North Royalton, the state's No. 2-ranked Division I squad, took advantage of the above woes to post a 9-4 victory for the district championship Wednesday at Cene Park.
The Spartans (15-13) surprised the Bears as they took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the third inning.
"We had them on their heels up 4-2," Boardman coach Scott Knox said. "They were kind of stunned."
North Royalton (27-1) got a run in the third inning and then took advantage of three walks in the bottom of the fourth inning to score four runs and take a 7-4 lead.
"We gave up those walks and they hit a double and that's the way it goes," Knox said.
Two-run double
The double by Kevin Krysh came with two outs and it drove in two runs to put the Bears ahead to stay.
Junior Scott Hill (6-1) came on in relief for the Bears in the fourth inning, pitched shutout ball the rest of the way to pick up the win.
"The last couple of outings, Hill wasn't focused so I told him this was the time to be a varsity pitcher and he came through for us," North Royalton coach Don Filips said.
Asked if he was worried about being behind 4-2, Filips said, "We just needed to settle down and do what we needed to win.
"We were playing a bunt game and the kids just wanted to hit the ball," Filips said. "So I just stopped coaching and let them swing away."
Best team he's coached
He said that this was the best North Royalton team he's had in his 12 years as coach.
"You don't get much better then 27-1," Filips said.
Joe Bako, Chris Tremblay and Anthony Porter hit successive singles, and an error in the third inning gave Boardman two runs for the 4-2 margin.
"North Royalton is a very good team," Knox said. "They came after us with the big inning and we didn't come after them with a big inning."
North Royalton scored a run in the fifth inning on two walks, a stolen base and a ground out.
An error, fielder's choice, walk and a balk produced the Bears' ninth run.
Krysh, Kevin Duffy and Dan Gliot led the Bears with two hits apiece.
"You think because you lost today, it's the end of the world," Knox said. "But it isn't. What you're feeling now, you can take out on Fitch tomorrow.
"They lead the Federal League and will be thinking that [we'll] be down and won't want to play hard."