Melling pitches Astro to 4-3 edge over Niners

Tom Popadak got the save and Kyle Smith powered the offensive attack.
AMELIA -- Tyler Melling worked six innings scattered five hits with eight strikeouts in leading Astro Falcons to a 4-3 victory over Andy's Niners in the Connie Mack East Regional baseball tournament.
Tom Popadak pitched a perfect seventh inning to pick up the save.
Kyle Smith hit a home run and a pair of singles to spark the Falcons. Kolten Hoffman hit a double and single, while Jared Bartholomew added a triple.
In another game, the Astros upended Ohio Thunder 14-2 in five innings.
The Astros pounded out 14 hits, which included a pair of triples by Bartholomew. Hoffman hit a double and two singles and drove in four runs. Evan Proach added a pair of singles.
The Astros play Midland Redskins today at 11 a.m. in a winner's bracket game.
Class AA
YOUNGSTOWN -- Bud's/DiCioccio topped O'Donald's/Tri County 4-3 in the eighth inning of the first game of the best-of-5 series for the Youngstown Class AA League championship Thursday at Pemberton-Donnell Park. No other details were available.
NABF regional
YOUNGSTOWN -- Columbus Big Kats scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning as it posted a 4-3 victory over the Youngstown Metros, in the NABF College Division 22-and-under regional baseball tournament Thursday at Pemberton-Donnell Park.
The Metros had taken a 3-1 lead in the top of the seventh, but the Big Kats rallied in the bottom half of the inning to tie it at 3 all.
In the eighth, John Hedland of Columbus reached base on an error, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single by Ben Way.
Grant Sevek and Brett Pitzulo had two hits apiece for the Metros.
Pat Smith of the Metros worked 71/3 innings, allowed only four hits and both runs to take the loss.
TC Merchants fall, 2-1
The Pittsburgh Pandas broke up a pitchers duel when Billy Herman singled home Drew Aniceti, who had walked, with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat Youngstown TC Merchants, 2-1, in another tournament game.
Jim Hyland allowed only one hit with 13 strikeouts to pick up the win for the Pandas.
The Merchants' Gabe McKee singled with one out in the sixth inning to spoil Hyland's no-hit bid.
Dave Cline hit a pair of singles to pace the Pandas.
The round robin tournament continues today as the Big Kats take on the Merchants at 1 p.m. and the Metros go against the Pandas at 3:30 p.m. at Pemberton-Donnell Park.
Modic pitches win
LIBERTY -- Jenna Modic of Poland pitched a one-hitter with 15 strikeouts as the North Canton Little Slammers posted a 2-0 victory over Hudson Valley Hurricanes of New York, in the 12-and-under division of the PONY Fastpitch Softball National Championships at Liberty Community Park.
Modic also hit a single and double.
The Slammers advanced to the elite eight and will meet Long Island Chargers today at 8 a.m. at Perkins Park.
Babe Ruth 16s
STRUTHERS -- New Albany (Ind.) defeated Wisconsin, 13-0, in the opening game of the Babe Ruth 16-and-under Ohio Valley Regional at Cene Park.
Chad Martin went 4-for-4 and scored four runs to lead Indiana, and Daniel Kappeg went 3-for-3, with two doubles, and six RBIs.
Indiana scored 10 runs in the fourth inning to break the game open.
Rondinelli's 11, Southeast Suburban 3
Rondinelli's Tuxedo jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the first inning, then cruised the victory in another first-round game at Cene Park.
Phil Double hit a double and single, while Ross Revella and Mark Lapikas each had two hits for Rondinelli's, Jim Clement led Southeast with a pair of hits.
Dave Wright scattered three hits with six strikeouts over four innings to pick up the win.