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Muck forces Mack to push title game back
By John Bassetti
STRUTHERS
Connie Mack state tournament rules require that all games go the seven-inning distance except when the mercy rule is invoked.
Mother Nature had no mercy Saturday night when she unleashed a torrent on Cene Park’s Field One prior to the state championship game between Rondinelli Tuxedo and 1080 Media.
Baseball sage Yogi Berra said it’s not over until it’s over, but Mother Nature says it doesn’t start until it starts.
Because of the downpour that washed out the 7:30 p.m. game, the title game will be played tonight at 8.
“We came here expecting to play,” said Tony Gorvet, manager of Rondinelli, the defending Connie Mack state tournament champion.
“We were looking for a big game tonight.”
Of the seven times 1080 and Rondinelli played so far this season, 1080 has won four and Rondinelli three, although all were not Class “B” League contests.
In their latest meeting — a Connie Mack game Thursday, Rondinelli won 7-0.
“They’re a good team,” Gorvet said. “All season long I thought they had the best team in the league, but they ran into a buzzsaw in the playoffs [when Wharmby Sports knocked them out]. Then we were fortunate enough to get hot and win the [Class B] championship [by beating Wharmby].
“Player-for-player they have just as good a team as anybody. They probably have more talent than anybody, player-for-player.
Gorvet is assisted by Marty Kanetsky, Ken Quinn and Sam DePizzo.
“It says a lot for our league when two Youngstown teams are playing for the [Connie Mack] state championship and two Class B League teams were in the NABF regional championship game,” Gorvet said. “We have a strong league, despite those who knock our league and favor travel ball and think our league is weak. When it comes right down to it, we can play with anybody in the state.”
Rondinelli’s 2009 state title game victory was against the Lake Erie Bulldogs.
“We were the underdogs,” Gorvet said. “They had about three kids who threw 90 miles-per-hour. They had a 4-1 lead, then took their pitcher out and brought in one of their 90 mile-per-hour arms and we broke it open.”
Rondinelli had to win a doubleheader last day, the second game of which was played at 8 p.m.
“We were fortunate enough to have the pitching.”
Rondinelli lost two key players from 2009: Jason Bagoly and Drew Fitzpatrick.
They were the Nos. 3 and 4 hitters in the lineup last season.
“That was the middle of our lineup, so just about everybody else is back.”
Bagoly went to Kent and Fitzpatrick of Mooney went to Louisville.
Earlier this month, Rondinelli repeated as back-to-back Class B League champs. 1080, which was the top seed entering the “B” league’s postseason playoffs with a 25-2 record, was knocked out by Wharmby.
1080 is the franchise that was formerly sponsored by R & J Trucking and W.W. Heating and Ohio Carpet.
Now that it has back-to-back league titles, Gorvet is hoping for a Mack repeat.
“It’d be nice to win another Connie Mack championship, but it’s going to be hard because 1080 isn’t going to roll over. They’re a well-coached team [by Andy Timko] and they have a lot of talent.”
The starting pitchers tonight are expected to be Brandon Easton for Rondinelli and Justin Summers for 1080.
The 6-5 Easton will be a senior at Pymatuning Valley. Summers is from Alliance.
To reach the championship game, 1080 relegated Ohio Glaciers to third place in the state with a 7-5 victory Friday night, although the outcome was in doubt until the final out.
Behind Dillon Haviland’s one-hitter, 1080 was cruising along with a 7-0 lead when the Ohio Glaciers erupted for all their runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Remember Yogi Berra’s words.