43
West Branch’s Kolin Stanley stops Poland
By CHUCK HOUSTEAU
STRUTHERS
After knocking off a strong Poland team 5-1 Friday night at Cene Park, the West Branch Warriors will join an elite group of area team’s in next week’s Division II district baseball tournament at Cene Park.
The Warriors advanced along with Cardinal Mooney, Hubbard and Canfield in a district that might be one of the best in the state.
West Branch will face Cardinal Mooney in one semifinal game Tuesday at 4:30 at Cene Park. Hubbard and Canfield will match up in the other semifinal.
West Branch (17-9) got an outstanding pitching performance by senior Kolin Stanley and timely hitting from sophomore second baseman Zach Wyss to turn back the Bulldogs (15-6).
Stanley tossed a four-hitter and was totally dominant with a wide array of offspeed pitches that kept Poland’s hitters off balance.
Wyss keyed the offense with three hits and three RBIs including a two-run single in the fifth inning that broke open a 2-1 contest.
Bo Beegle also had four hits for the Warriors.
“A lot of teams up here don’t know us but we play in a tough baseball conference [Northeastern Buckeye Conference],” said West Branch coach Lynn Grove. “Our league is a tough league and I think it helps us get ready for the type of competition we played tonight and next week.”
West Branch had 13 hits and played solid defense behind Stanley.
“Kolin was outstanding,” said Grove. “He had command of his offspeed pitches and when he has that type of command he is tough to hit.”
Stanley (5-3) is headed to Marshall next season to continue his baseball career.
“I felt good out there,” Stanley said. “I settled in after the third inning and was able to get all my pitches over for strikes.”
Stanley walked three batters and gave up three hits in the first three innings but didn’t allow any free passes and only one hit over the final four frames.
With West Branch holding a 2-1 lead in the fifth, the Warriors got the first two runners on base when Poland’s John Price walked Mickey Manser and Jake Stahl.
Mike Smith sacrificed the runners to second and third and then Wyss drilled a line drive over a drawn-in infield.
“That’s the way we play,” Grove said. “We like to put pressure on the other team with our batters. It’s not often you will see a team move runners up for the eigth hitter but Wyss never strikes out.
“He always puts the ball in play.”
Wyss said he was trying to hit the ball past the infielders who were playing in.
“I was nervous,” said Wyss. “I just kept fouling off pitches until I got something good to hit.”
Wyss added another RBI single in the seventh inning.
Poland couldn’t get anything going offensively and used three pitchers (Dom DeFelice, Price and Sean Gabriel) to keep the game close.
“We never even hit the ball hard off [Stanley],” said Poland coach Rich Murray.