Turocy pitches Canfield to title

The senior tossed a one-hitter and struck out 12 in a 5-0 win over Poland.

By PETE MOLLICA

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

STRUTHERS — Drew Turocy was nearly perfect and the Canfield High baseball team was again Division II district champions.

Turocy pitched a one-hitter and struck out 12 as the Cardinals pulled away to a 5-0 victory over Poland Friday night at Cene Park.

Canfield (25-4) advanced to the Hudson regional tournament next Thursday where it will meet Canton South in a semifinal contest.

Pitching duel one-sided

The contest was billed as a pitching duel between the Cardinals Turocy (6-1) and Poland’s Lou Coppola (4-2), but the duel turned out to be one-sided as Turocy dominated and the Cardinals got to Coppola the second time around the batting order.

“Lou Coppola is an outstanding pitcher and I’m sure he’ll have a great career at Cincinnati, but our kids, the second time around got to him tonight,” said Canfield coach Matt Koenig.

“What can you say about Drew [Turocy],” he added. “I’d be willing to put him up against just about anybody in the state.”

Poland coach Rich Murray agreed.

“He pitched a great game and give Canfield credit, they got the big hits when they needed them,” Murray said. “We only got one hit and you don’t win many games with one hit.”

Only struggled once

Turocy only struggled once and that came in the first inning when he gave up his only hit and also walked his only batter, but he still struck out the side, the final one with two runners on.

“I haven’t pitched in almost a week,” Turocy said. “I struggled some in that first inning, but after that I just got into a rhythm and things went well from then on.”

Turocy retired the final 19 Bulldogs in order, although he need a double play in the third inning when a Poland’s Frank LaRubbio reached on the Cardinals’ only error of the game.

In the final three innings Turocy struck out seven of the final nine batters.

Coppola struck out the side in the first inning before the Cardinals got to him for single runs in the third and fourth inning and broke the game open with three runs in the fifth. Mark Carlozzi replaced Coppola in the sixth and retired the Cardinals in order.

Canfield got all the runs that Turocy needed in the third off the bat of shortstop Mike Hoelzel, who ripped a triple to deep right center field and came on to score on an error on the relay throw in from the outfield.

In the fourth inning Dan Banna walked to open the inning and was sacrificed to second by D.J. Haurin. Josh Dankovich reached on an infield single with Banna moving to third and John Pitzulo singled to right field scoring Banna.

Big rally in fifth

In the fifth Hoelzel led off with an infield single, but Coppola struckout the next two Cardinals before the rally began.

Hoelzel stole second and scored on Haurin’s single up the middle. Dankovich then singled to left and both runners scored on Pitzulo’s double to deep left field.

Pitzulo finished the night three-for-three with three RBIs, while Hoelzel, Haurin and Dankovich all finished with two hits as the Cardinals totaled nine hits.

Poland’s Mark Turnbull had the only hit off Turocy in the first inning on a single up the middle. The Bulldogs only had three base runners the entire contest.

mollica@vindy.com