Media KOs Pavlik in charity softball

By Jon Moffett | August 10, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

Team Pavlik: Softball Practice

Kelly’s father, Mike, smashed a shaving cream pie into the face of Vindicator sports reporter Joe Scalzo.

STRUTHERS – Middleweight boxing champion Kelly Pavlik may have met his match.

Kelly and the rest of Team Pavlik were defeated by Team Media in the first Kelly Pavlik Celebrity Softball Slam Saturday night at Cene Park.

Team Media, which consisted of participants from WFMJ Channel 21, WKBN Channel 27 and WYTV Channel 33, as well as radio station Y-103 (WYFM-FM) and The Vindicator, walked away from the slugfest as a 19-11 winner.

“They cheated,” Pavlik said of Team Media. “They were recruiting. I just can’t believe they went out and recruited like they did.”

The bad blood started early as Mike Pavlik Sr. smashed a shaving cream pie into the face of Vindicator sports reporter Joe Scalzo as he was being interviewed.

“Kelly’s favorite sports was baseball growing up because he went bald in the second grade,” Scalzo said, “and it allowed the other kids not to make fun of him because he could wear a hat.”

Later in the game, Team Pavlik pulled another prank as pitcher Lou Schiavoni substituted a softball with an egg when pitching Dana Balash of WFMJ.

The egg came because of an April Fools prank Pavlik played on Balash, John D’Altorio of Team Pavlik said. Pavlik announced his retirement at a prefight press conference, and when Balash asked Pavlik to explain himself, Pavlik revealed the joke and Balash had egg on his face, D’Altorio said.

“On the night news [Balash] showed an egg and said ‘I’ve got egg on my face because Kelly got me,’ so that’s how it started,” he said.

Team Pavlik got on the board first when Kelly singled to bring in teammate Jack Toeth. Team Media was able to even the score when Vindicator editor Todd Franko tripled to deep right field, followed by a Scalzo double which scored Franko. Scalzo later came around to score on an inside-the-park home run from Joe Aulisio [WKBN/WYTV] and Team Media led 3-1 going into the top of the second inning.

Team Media’s defense was able to keep Team Pavlik against the ropes early on. The elder Pavlik line a ball to a shortstop, but Vindicator sports editor Rob Todor launched into the air and snagged it. Team Pavlik’s defense also showed up early, as Pavlik was able to gun down WFMJ’s Mike Case at the plate.

Team Pavlik tied the game in the fifth inning, but Team Media was only getting started. Media led 8-3 in the sixth and 19-5 in the middle of the ninth. Showing the true heart of a champion, Team Pavlik didn’t quit.

Franko intentionally walked two batters to load the bases in order to get to Pavlik. Pavlik responded with a single and later came around to score. Mike Cox of Team Pavlik hit a three-run home run to bring the deficit to 19-11, but Team Pavlik simply ran out of outs. Pavlik finished the night 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

“We had some clutch hits, and Mike’s big bomb paid off at the end,” Pavlik said.

Despite the loss, there were no losers in the game. The event was held to raise money for the United Way, and the packed crowd was a pleasant surprise for participants.

“Either way, win or lose, it was going to be a good time,” said Mark Monstrola of WFMJ, who made a nice diving catch in left field. “We definitely had fun, and it seemed like the fans had a good time too ... It’s great to be able to come out and help someone who is in need.”