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Columbiana, W. Reserve in Div. IV regional
Photo
Columbiana pitcher Hank Schlueter fires a throw to fi rst base after fielding a bunt attempt during a recent game. The Clippers will play Buckeye Central in a Division IV regional baseball game on Thursday.
Staff report
Scott Knox is getting used to coaching in the regional tournament.
The team he leads in Thursday’s Division IV event at the Pipe Yard in Lorain, the Columbiana Clippers, it’s a rare appearance.
Columbiana, which is joined by Western Reserve in the tournament, last qualified for the regional in 1994, when the Clippers lost to Greenwich South Central in the final.
Knox was coaching Maplewood about that time. In 1992, Maplewood lost in a Div. IV regional final to Fostoria St. Wendelin. Knox was also coach at Boardman when the Spartans reached the state final four in 2001. The next year, Boardman reached the Div. I regional but lost to Canton GlenOak in a semifinal.
Now, Knox is back in Div. IV with the Clippers (19-10) where he’s compiled a 53-29 record.
Knox said that Columbiana was 8-8 at one point this season. The team’s pitching was adequate, but its defense struggled.
“We weren’t turning double plays and getting outs that we should,” said Knox. “We went day-to-day and got things turned around,” he said of a turning point when the Clippers swept Fitch at Columbiana.
“That jump-started our kids,” Knox said of the win over the Div. I program. “That gave our kids a lot of confidence to finish the season.”
Columbiana proceeded to go 13-2 in its final push over a two-week period headed into tournaments.
“We hang our hat on pitching and defense now,” said Knox. “Offensively, we try to take good swings and hit in zones and use the opposite field. Also, our defense catches the ball behind our pitching. When that happens, we’re going to have a real good chance.”
Knox won’t hesitate to put Hank Schleuter, a left-handed sophomore; right-handed Josh Saverko or Jeff Davidson on the mound.
“I feel confident with any of those three starting,” Knox said.
Four-year starter Tyler Denmeade, who is hitting .461, brings versatility in the field with the ability to play third, outfield or second base.
“He’s adaptable,” Knox said of his top-average hitter.
Several other players are good doubles hitters.
“We have some who will hit in the alleys and drive the ball. Every now and then we’ll hit a long ball, but we’re mostly a doubles and line-drive hitting team.”
Knox expects Buckeye Central to throw Sam Shafer.
“Their first five batters are all lefties who like to hit fastballs,” Knox said. “They’ll be aggressive on the bases, so we’d better keep them off the bases as much as possible.”
Western Reserve (19-8) recently won its third district championship, joining the 2002 and 2004 teams.
When Reserve got to the regional in 2004, current assistant coach Jake Zatchok was a player. At the time, Zatchok, now 24, and the Blue Devils lost to Ashland Mapleton.
This season, Reserve beat Mapleton in a district semifinal, 9-5, then the Blue Devils beat Rittman, 11-0, for the district crown at Summit Lake Park in Akron.
Head coach Ed Anthony said the Blue Devils have relied on the arms of Nick Timko (7-2) and John Gora (7-2).
Gora threw a 10-0 one-hitter against Windham in the sectional final before Timko pitched six innings with nine strikeouts against Mapleton. Gora had another one-hitter against Rittman.
“We’ve gotten timely hitting toward the end of the year,” said Anthony. “Early in the year, we were averaging 10, 11 runs a game. Then it dropped off toward the end of league play and we lost five of seven games. Now, some guys who were struggling are starting to hit the ball again. That, combined with good pitching is what’s keeping us going.”
Gora, a junior, has a 1.42 ERA and Timko’s ERA is 2.29. Timko, a senior, threw over 100 pitches against Mapleton, but gave up only two earned runs.
John Rosati is batting .452 with 32 RBIs and three home runs, while Timko’s average is .366 with 30 RBIs and three home runs. Gora is hitting .384 with 19 RBIs.
However, in the tournament, Adam Smith has hit .500 with six RBIs in the last two games and Eric Kennehan is also .500.
“We’re playing pretty solid baseball now, but defense wins championships,” Anthony said. “As long as our defense stays strong and we continue to get timely hitting from Smith and Kennehan in the bottom of the lineup, good things could happen.”
Western Reserve’s opponent on Thursday is Cuyahoga Heights, a team that beat Southington, 11-2, in another district championship.
And, yes, if both Columbiana and Western Reserve win on Thursday they’d play a day later for a state berth.
The teams split in a regular-season doubleheader, with Western Reserve winning the first game, 6-0, then losing to the Clippers, 4-3.