Ursuline falls 2-1

By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
COLUMBUS -- The Ursuline High baseball team's offensive juggernaut finally ran into a pitching staff strong enough to tame its sizzling bats.
Marion Pleasant's Brad Martin and Rick Wilkinson limited the Irish to four hits -- none after the second inning -- in posting a 2-1 victory Sunday in the Division III state championship game at Cooper Stadium.
On the road to the title game, the Irish (24-6) had defeated Garfield Heights Trinity (8-3) and Burton Berkshire (9-0) in the regional, and Canton Central Catholic (11-2) in the state semifinal.
The Spartans pitchers offered a different challenge and the result was a bit of a surprise to their coach.
Expected explosiveness
"Rick and Brad have been there all year for us, but I didn't think it would be a 2-1 game," Spartans coach Chris Kubbs said. "They are a great ball club and we knew they are explosive.
"We thought this would be a high-scoring game," Kubbs said. "We didn't think this would be a great pitching duel. I don't know how we kept them in check."
Ursuline coach Sean Durkin said he expected a tight contest.
"In a state championship game, you know you are going to need a few breaks," said Durkin who's guided three teams to the state final. "Offensively, we didn't get them. Their pitchers did a great job of keeping us off balance.
"This is a heartbreaking loss, but we'll be back," Durkin said.
Ursuline freshman Shawn Roman (5-2) limited the Spartans (26-5) to one hit in his 41/3 innings on the mound, but walks took their toll.
With the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Ben Pincentini drew a walk and stole second base. After Pincentini advanced on a groundout, John Kuzio walked on a 3-2 pitch.
Patrick in relief
Senior David Patrick, Saturday's winner against Canton Central Catholic, relieved Roman and Clay Lust hit his second pitch into right-center field to score Pincentini.
"They looked poised for a big inning, so we brought David in to try and stop the bleeding," Durkin said. "He did a great job."
Patrick struck out Martin and Jacob Burns to strand two runners.
Rules limited Wilkinson, the winner of Saturday's 2-1 semifinal victory of Sparta Highland, to three innings. He relieved Martin in the fifth inning and retired all but one batter, mostly relying on fastballs.
In the first inning against Martin, the Irish loaded the bases and scored their run when Todd Finn hit a fielder's choice to second baseman Eric Cunningham. Shortstop Kuzio's relay pulled Burns off first base, allowing Patrick, who had singled, to score.
The other Irish threat came in the second inning when they gambled and lost. Baserunner Joe Wielbruda was thrown out by Kuzio when he tried to score from second base on Patrick's infield hit behind second base.
Kept off-balance
Of Martin, Durkin said, "He did a great job of keeping us off-balance with his off-speed stuff. We had the opportunity in the first inning but we only got one run and that was disappointing."
Wielbruda made a dazzling stop in the second inning to preserve Ursuline's 1-0 lead. With Burns at second, Wielbruda caught Nathan Dutcher's line drive in shallow right field then doubled off Burns at second base.
The Spartans tied the game after Wilkinson singled and Pincentini was hit by a pitch. Griffin Clark's sacrifice bunt advanced pinch runner Joe Thompson to third base and Kuzio's groundout produced the run.
"We played excellent defense and we couldn't have asked more of Shawn Roman or David Patrick," senior shortstop Ryan Satterlee said. "We just didn't hit the ball. We didn't do our job."
williams@vindy.com