Windham goes for four-peat after edging Lowellville, 8-4

The Bombers will meet McDonald for the district title today at Cene Park.
By PAUL TRGOVAC
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
STRUTHERS -- Over the last four seasons the Division IV baseball championship at Cene Park has been controlled by the Windham Bombers.
Monday afternoon, the Bombers showed they want to continue the trend, defeating Lowellville, 8-4 in a district semifinal game. Windham will meet McDonald for the district title today at 7 p.m. at Cene Park.
Matt Heller had a pair of triples and three RBIs to pace Windham's offense and picked up the win -- his first of the year -- with three innings of relief pitching. Brent Fincham added a triple with a pair of RBIs, while Cody Fincham knocked in two runs with a double for the Bombers (11-3).
Dante Abbas had a pair of RBIs and Vince Travaline had three hits for the Rockets (18-7).
Lowellville had two on and two out in the top of the first inning, but couldn't push across any runs. In the bottom of the inning, Cody Fincham was hit by a pitch and was sacrificed to second by Kyle Cooper. Heller then drove a ball to the wall in left-center for a run-scoring triple and Brent Fincham followed with a sacrifice fly.
The Rockets cut the lead to 2-1 in the third on a sacrifice fly by Dante Abbas, but the Bombers added four runs in the their half of the inning. Cody Fincham led off with a walk, then Cooper moved him to third on a perfectly executed hit and run with the ball being driven through the hole between first and second. Heller then drove a second ball to the wall in left-center field to score two runs and Brent Fincham greeted relief pitcher John Opincarne with a triple. Fincham scored the final run of the inning on Cody Apthorpe's sacrifice fly.
"We did a great job of executing after the hit batter and leadoff walk. Kyle Cooper did exactly what we asked of him," said Windham coach Brian Kiser.
Padding the lead
Windham added two unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth on Cody Fincham's bloop double down the left field line.
Lowellville attempted to rally in the top of the seventh. Travaline singled and Jerrod Donatelli was hit by a pitch. After a walk to Ryan Gruber, Cooper came on in relief for Windham. One run scored on Opincarne's fielder's choice, then Abbas drove in a run with a single. Cooper then struck out the final two batters to close out the game.
"We love to play here. If we could play every game here we would. Our goal is to make it back to Columbus again this season," added Kiser.
Windham lost in the state semifinal last season.
Brent Fincham went the first three innings, allowing only one run, but jammed his shoulder on his triple. Heller went three innings with six strikeouts, and four walks for the win, while Cooper had two strikeouts in one inning.
Drew Skelley (3-1) suffered the loss, allowing five earned runs in 2-plus innings. Opincarne went four innings, allowing just one earned run on two hits. He had six strikeouts
"Cody Apthorpe is ready to go on the mound [today], plus with Brent [Fincham] going just the three innings he could be ready to come in. He got a deep bruise on the play at third, but he seems OK," said Kiser.