WB’s Stanley shuts down Mooney

By Joe Scalzo

scalzo@vindy.com

STRUTHERS

There were a few moments in Wednesday’s game when West Branch ace Kolin Stanley got a little too pumped up, gripped the ball a little too tight and watched his pitch sail out of the strike zone.

His coach didn’t mind.

“It’s OK to be a little wild,” said Warriors coach Lynn Grove. “I don’t mind one getting away from him a bit.

“It keeps the hitters off balance.”

Stanley did throw four wild pitches but more than made up for it with nine strikeouts. He finished with a four-hitter to shut down Mooney in the Warriors’ 4-2 victory in a Division II district semifinal at Cene Park.

“I was confident in every pitch I threw today,” said Stanley, a senior headed to Marshall. “They were all off-balance; they didn’t know what was coming most of the time.”

Stanley (6-3) also walked four batters in a 106-pitch, complete game effort. He throws five pitches — two- and four-seam fastballs along with a changeup, curveball and cutter — and has finally gained control of all of them.

“Kolin’s found it,” said Grove. “He struggled a bit during the season with control but he’s found it.”

Senior Mickey Manser had three hits, including a double, and an RBI for the Warriors (18-9), who will play Canfield at 7 p.m. today at Cene for the district title. Senior Jeff Deckerd is expected to get the start.

“If they need me to come in and close the game [tonight], I’m all for it,” Stanley said.

Sophomore Matt Unkefer added a single and a double and scored twice, freshman Brenden Wells singled, tripled, scored a run and drove in a run and Stanley had two hits at the plate for West Branch, which advanced to the regional finals two years ago.

Senior Eddie Reese doubled, walked and drove in a run for Mooney (18-7). Dan Reese and Taylor Callahan each had singles and Callahan scored a run.

Senior starter Mark Warchol (8-1) scored the other run but struggled on the mound, giving up all four runs 11 hits in six-plus innings.