Clippers advance with 11-1 win

HS Baseball: Columbiana defeats McDonald

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5.20.2009 High School Baseball: Columbiana defeats McDonald 11-1 at Cene Field on Wednesday evening.

Columbiana plays Springfield for the district title today at Cene Park.

By PAUL TRGOVAC

Vindicator correspondent

STRUTHERS — Every team likes to get off to a quick start and Columbiana took advantage of McDonald mistakes to score six times in the top of the first inning on the way to the 11-1 win over the Blue Devils in the Division IV district baseball semifinal at Cene Park on Wednesday.

The Clippers (21-6) will play in the district title game against Springfield today at 6:30 p.m. Cene Park. Springfield defeated Mathews 11-7 in eight innings in the other semifinal.

Things went bad for the Blue Devils right off the start as the leadoff hitter struck out but reached first on a wild pitch. Following an error, and a walk, Josh Saverko drove home the first run with a single which the Blue Devils right fielder lost in the sun. Then Tyler Denmeade drove in two runs with the first of his three hits, a double. Jay Williamson singled home the fourth run of the inning and the Clippers scored two more times before the side was retired.

“We took advantage of their mistakes in the first inning.” said Columbiana coach Scott Knox. “ We always try to score early but when we got six it helped let our starting pitcher [Saverko] ease into the game.”

With the early lead Saverko did not allow a hit for the first four innings in improving to 8-1. He had four strikeouts and walked two.

“We told Saverko to just pound the strike zone and to trust his defense and he did that,” Knox added.

Denmeade’s second hit of the day was a solo home run over the left-field fence in the top of the third inning, and his final hit (and second double) drove home two more runs in the fourth. Denmeade finished with four RBIs.

“He [Denmeade] has been swinging the bat real well but has been making some hard outs. We told him things seem to even up and to just keep swinging at good pitches and tonight he did and he was able to drive home runs for us,” said Knox.

The Clippers got their final two runs without the benefit of a hit in the top of the fifth inning, taking advantage of a pair of walks, and a hit batter. Columbiana had only six hits in the game but took advantage of five walks and six McDonald errors in the contest.

McDonald (16-3) finally got its first hit in the bottom of the fifth, a leadoff single by Devin Bansberg who eventually scored on a two-out single by Anthony Raschilla.

Alex Baker suffered the loss, his first in five decisions this season. He allowed nine runs of which only six were earned, with four strikeouts.

It will be the third meeting of the season between the two ITCL Upper Tier schools with the Clippers winning both meetings.

“We will use Jeff Davidson [today],” said Knox. “He and Saverko have been our two guys all season long on the mound.”