Harding can’t take advantage of chances in 8-3 loss to St. Edward

By Paul Trgovac

STRUTHERS — The Warren Harding Raiders had their chances, but were not able to tie or take the lead, as Lakewood St Edward defeated Harding 8-3 in a Division I baseball district semifinal at Cene Park on Thursday.

The Eagles will take on Eastlake North for the district title today at Cene Park at 5 p.m.

St. Edward (19-6) scored two times in each of the first two innings to take a 4-0 lead. That included a two-run homer by Alex Lavisky, with the second two scoring on a single by Stetson Allie.

Ryan Patrick allowed Warren Harding only one hit in the first three innings with three strikeouts.

The Raiders (19-4) had their first scoring chance in the top of the fourth inning. Back-to-back singles by Zach McGhee and Ben Penman put runners on first and second. Joe Sekula bunted and Patrick threw high to third, loading the bases. Jordan Miller then drove a ball over the head of the right fielder for a bases-clearing triple, cutting the Eagles’ advantage to 4-3.

Will Frazier fouled out for the first out, then Miller was caught off third for the second out on a failed squeeze play, and Mitch Lowery struck out to end the threat.

“We had a safety squeeze called there. We have been aggressive all year base running and this time it jumped up and bit us,” said Harding coach Ed Shaker.

With two outs in the Harding fifth Jay Rowland was safe on an error, and after McGhee singled, the Eagles went to Allie in relief. McGhee was picked off at first by Lavisky, the catcher, to end the inning.

Allie, a right-handed pitcher who was hitting 96 mph on the radar guns in the stands, walked the first two batters of the sixth, and after one out, walked his third of the inning to load the bases. Allie settled down to strike out Tyler Chapin and retired Kevin Pierce to end the rally.

The Eagles put the game away in the bottom of the sixth. A double by Allie scored one run, with two more crossing the plate on a double by Andrew Bosser who then scored on a double by Brian Boland.

“Up until the sixth inning it was a couple of bloops and one blast for them, but we took our chances with a very good baseball team,” said Shaker. “Zach has been our workhouse all year and maybe we stayed with him a little too long but he has gotten our of those types of jams all season long. We had our chances put they slammed the door on us and you have to tip your hat to them for that.”