Harding has blast in blowout victory

Mike Barone and Tristan Suchora scored runs for Struthers.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
STRUTHERS -- Minutes after an 11-2 win over Struthers on Thursday, Warren Harding baseball coach Ed Shaker and designated hitter Andy Dobson were asked why they struggled so much in their first meeting with the Wildcats this year, which the Raiders won 2-1.
"You go ahead," Dobson said, looking at Shaker.
"No you go," Shaker said, smiling. "I want to hear your answer."
"We just couldn't hit the ball," Dobson said.
And, Shaker said, that's been the problem all spring.
"Our defense is fine, our pitching has been consistent," Shaker said. "We just haven't hit the ball too well.
"But the bats are starting to come around, I think."
Considering Harding's hot start, that's scary.
The Raiders (12-3) had 11 hits on Thursday, but they got a little help from the Struthers defense. The Wildcats committed nine errors, hit three batters, balked a runner and threw four wild pitches.
Add in six stolen bases by the Raiders and it's not hard to figure out where the 11 runs came from.
Strong hitting
Of course, Harding did some damage at the plate, too. Dobson went 4-for-4 and Tom Popadak hit his first homer of the season, a 350-foot shot to left center in the fourth.
Afterward, leadoff hitter Ryan Romack teased Dobson, who got two of his hits by perfectly placing the ball in the infield.
"I went 1-for-4 with four bullets, he went 4-for-4 with two bleeders," Romack said.
When asked about it, Dobson shrugged.
"It's better to be lucky than good," he said. "Sometimes the ball bounces your way."
Romack, a shortstop, also stole two bases, drove in a run, scored a run and committed the first error of his varsity career. Caullen Owens added two hits, two stolen bases and scored twice and also struck out the side in a scoreless inning of relief for the Raiders.
Strong pitching
Starter Tom Elder, who started the season as the fifth- or sixth-best pitcher on the team, improved to a team-best 4-0. Elder gave up two runs in five innings, striking out six and walking two.
"He's been solid all year," Shaker said of Elder. "Popadak is the guy who pitches our big games, but Tommy's become our No. 2 guy."
Shaker is in his second stint with the Raiders. He coached the team from 1994 to 2000 and came back this season.
He thinks Harding has a good chance of making a run in the tournament, but he knows it won't be easy.
"Fitch and Boardman always put a good team on the table," he said. "And Howland's having a good year and Lakeside is pretty good.
"There's a good mix of Division I teams in our bracket."
Mike Barone and Tristan Suchora scored runs for Struthers (4-10), while Steve Streb had an RBI single and Chris Kadvan added a double.
scalzo@vindy.com