Boardman back in final

The Spartans will face North Royalton in a rematch of last year's final.
By PAUL TRGOVAC
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
STRUTHERS -- The 2005 Boardman High baseball team saw its season end in the Division I district championship game against North Royalton.
The Spartans have a chance to avenge that loss as they will face the Bears for the 2006 district title today at Cene Park, after they knocked off Painesville Riverside 8-0 Wednesday night.
& quot;They [North Royalton] are an outstanding program, We wanted another chance to get back to this game, and it just so happens to be that they are the team we play. & quot; said Boardman coach Scott Knox.
The Spartans got a two-hit complete game performance from Rich Obrien, while Kevin Sikora had three hits, one a double, and Joe Iacobucci and Anthony Lavolpa had a single and a double each as Boardman (18-8) pounded out 11 hits in the contest.
& quot;Obrien had command of all three of his pitches. He got ahead of the hitters, and when they put the ball in play we caught it. You have to pitch and play defense to get to the plate to have a chance to score and we did that tonight, & quot; added Knox.
Obrien (6-1) had four strikeouts and walked three. He also was helped by good plays on defense, especially by freshman shortstop Kevin McCullough who made one on a ball hit up the middle to start the sixth inning.
The Spartans started fast as they plated two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Armani Johnson walked, and Sikora followed with a single. Iacobucci plated both runners with his double.
& quot;Our experience and the strength of our schedule showed tonight. & quot; added Knox.
Lavolpa's double with two out in the third scored two runs, and he tallied the third run of the frame on a hit by Ryan Walters.
The Spartans scored three unearned runs in the fourth with Johnson, Anthony Porter and Lavolpa driving in runs with singles.
For Riverside (11-12), sophomore pitcher Andrew Brown (4-5) went five innings, striking out two and walking two.
& quot;We are going to have to do the same thing as we did tonight when Sikora pitches against North Royalton if we are going to win, & quot; Knox said.
McDonald 9,Youngstown Christian 4
WARREN -- Steven Hughes had two doubles and a single for two RBIs in McDonald's Division IV sectional championship victory at Harding High School's field.
David Dugan also doubled for the Blue Devils (15-7), who meet Columbiana at Cene Park next.
Hughes, a junior, also walked twice.
Scott Burk, Steven Hughes and Corey Vukovic combined for 11 strikeouts and five hits. Burk, a junior, struck out six of the 11 and gave up three of the five hits.
Josh Bell doubled for Youngstown Christian (7-11).