Rondinelli third in CABA World Series

By Paul Trgovac

STRUTHERS — The Ohio Warhawks defeated Rondinelli Tuxedo, 4-1, to eliminate the Class B League champion from the Continental Amateur Baseball Association World Series at Cene Park Sunday.

Rondinelli had its chances, getting runners on base in each of the first six innings, but stranding 10, including leaving the bases loaded in the sixth inning of the consolation final.

Mitch Myers of the Ohio Warhawks kept making the pitches when he had to, striking out six over six innings. Aaron Gais tossed a perfect seventh inning for the save, as the Warhawks defeated Rondinelli for the third time in the tournament.

Brad Bates pitched well for Rondinelli, allowing four runs (three earned) and striking out three.

Rondinelli opened the game with a leadoff triple by Drew Fitzpatrick, the only extra base hit in the game. After a ground out, Corey Hitt reached on a slow roller and Todd Kibby walked. Matt Durkin drove home the run with a single but a double play got the Warhawks out of the jam.

The Warhawks tied the game in the second inning on a hit by Mitch Sroka, scoring Colt Stafford who had singled and stole second.

Ellot Williams was hit by a pitch to open the Warhawks’ third, and Wes White followed with a single. Both runners then were running on a double steal and Williams scored when the throw to third went into left field with White moving to third. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Clark.

The Warhawks scored their final run in the sixth on a single by Tristan Moore, who stole second and scored on two throwing errors.

Fitzpatrick finished with two hits for Rondinelli while White had a pair of singles for the Warhawks.

Diamond Premier 6, Ohio Warhawks 5

Kyle Schultz tripled to open the bottom of the sixth inning, and scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the championship game.

Diamond finished the event 9-1 with a 9-1 record, defeating the Warhawks three times.

Schultz and John Mastronicolas had three hits each, while Roger Tremaine, named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, and Kody Krizman each had two. Andrew Brown went the distance for the win, allowing four earned runs with six strikeouts.

Diamond scored three times in the bottom of the first inning with a single by Krizman driving in the first run, and two more scoring on Mastronicolas’ first hit of the game. Premier increased its lead to 4-0 when Anthony Pucci singled and eventually stole home.

The Warhawks scored five times in the fourth inning to take the lead with six straight hits in the frame. Brown got out of the jam and retired 11 of the last 12 batters he faced.

Premier tied the game on a double by Bobby Marko in the fifth inning.