Fitch can’t hold lead in Div. I semifinal

The Falcons were eliminated by Eastlake North, 7-5, in a game at Cene Park.

By RYAN JONES

Vindicator Correspondent

STRUTHERS — The Austintown Fitch baseball team took a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning and seemed ready to close the door.

Falcons pitcher Josh Foster put together back-to-back scoreless frames and the Falcons’ offense had scored at least one run in each of the first four innings.

But that didn’t discourage Eastlake North. The Rangers rallied for three runs in the fifth inning and two in the sixth to post a 7-5 triumph in a Division I district semifinal at Cene Park.

Fitch (14-9) coach Wally Ford said his squad had the chance to put North away early.

“We hit the ball pretty well,” he said. “We had them on the ropes but we didn’t do the little things. We scored five runs in the first three innings, but we left seven men on base. Those things came back to haunt us, and this one is going to haunt us for a long time.”

With Fitch holding a 5-2 lead in the fifth inning, Foster walked Drew Fornick, Kyle Smalley and Chris Thompson to load the bases with no outs.

“We felt that Josh was finding a rhythm out there,” Ford said. “And then, unfortunately, it all fell apart.”

Nick Crum, who came on in relief, got the next batter, Keith Zeiser, to ground back to the pitcher’s mound. But Crum mishandled the ball and tossed it over catcher Jason Bagoly’s head.

Fornick and Smalley scored when the ball scooted to the backstop to make the score 5-4.

“We got what we needed, a ground ball back to the pitcher,” Ford said. “It was a crazy play because Nick never really had control of the ball when he tried to throw it home to get the force out.”

Thompson scored on a sacrifice fly by Anthony Klobas to tie the game, 5-5.

North (15-12) scored two runs in the sixth to surge ahead 7-5.

George Grady singled, stole second and scored on an throwing error. Later in the inning, Zeiser hit a RBI single that drove in Fornick.

“We just make too many mistakes,” Ford said. “Not just physical mistakes, but mental ones too.”

The Falcons had their last chance in the top of the seventh. With two outs, Brett Lemke was hit by a pitch and advanced to third when Savko flared a single to right.

Crum smoked the first pitch he saw to the hole between short and third, but North’s Kevin Mangan, made the stop and threw Crum out to end the game.

“When Nick hit that shot I thought it was going to get through,” Ford said. “Eight out of 10 times that ball gets through, but North made the play.”

Fitch took a 1-0 lead in the fist frame when Chris Miller singled home Tony Koch.

In the second inning, Crum doubled home Brett Lemke and scored on Koch’s RBI single to give the Falcons a 3-1 lead.

Ford said seniors Crum, Bagoly and Ricky Segesto made three straight district appearances.

“They’ve done a great job for us all year, and did again tonight,” he said. “I think they’ve set a good example for the younger guys in our program, and hopefully we can get back here again next season.”