Astro Falcons edge Creekside for one-game lead

July 4, 2012 at 12:10a.m.

— Class B baseball championship | Game 1SEmD

By john bassetti

Struthers

Prior to Tuesday’s Class B League championship series opener, Dan Popio was recognized as one of the all-league selections.

Within the hour, his three-run home run at Cene Park snapped a 1-1 tie that put Astro Falcons in the lead toward an eventual 8-6 victory against Creekside.

“It shifted the momentum toward us, definitely,” Astros manager Andy Timko said of Popio’s third-inning blast that put the defending league champions ahead, 4-1.

Creekside, however, came on strong with a five-run seventh inning.

“I think if we would have played one more inning, we would have tied it up,” Creekside manager Terry Landis said.

“I expected him to give me something over in the strike zone because, with two outs, he doesn’t want to get the bases loaded,” Popio said of the situation he faced against Hank Schlueter with the game tied.

“I figured I was going to get a pretty good fastball and, early in the count, I was fortunate that I hit it that well,” Popio said of his first home run since his 2011 high school season with Boardman. “It was a big two-out hit and it helped the team out.

“I feel like I’ve got to prove myself — being a small guy — on the field that I’m worthy of being mentioned to all-league.”

In explaining the pitch to Popio, Schlueter said it was a fastball, but it wasn’t the best idea.

“He’s a good hitter, so I was supposed to throw it out, but I left it in [the corner] and he got a hold of it. I tried going outside on him, but I missed my spots.”

Landis said that the homer was a big factor.

“We finally came back in the end, but it was too late and we ran out of time.”

Landis said that Schlueter didn’t have his best stuff and that reliever Mike Gunther wasn’t sharp.

Timko said that his starter, Chris Wastchak (4-1), settled down after the first inning.

“Then we started getting runs in spurts, but we needed them all in the end.”

Creekside scored in its first at-bats when Dan Ferguson’s grounder went past third baseman Alex Bell and into left field to allow Cory Hickman to score for a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second, Astros got runners on first and second when Dave Gecina and Matt Unkefer walked back-to-back. Tanner Love’s sacrifice fly allowed Gecina to tag up and reach third and Gecina scored Astros’ first run to tie the game, 1-1, when he raced home safely while Unkefer unsuccessfully attempted to steal second.

Leading off the bottom of the third, Adam Becker got Astros’ first hit and he went to second on a sacrifice bunt by James Coates. After Brendan Cox’s flyout and Bubba Wells’ walk, Popio came to the plate and hit a home run over the left field fence to score Becker and Wells to put the Astros up, 4-1.

The Falcons went up 5-1 when Cox walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth. Becker scored on a wild pitch to increase the lead to 6-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, pinch-hitter Jake Froats scored on Love’s single to stretch Astros’ advantage to 7-1.

Through six innings, Astros starter Chris Wastchak allowed only two hits, by Dan Ferguson and Harrison Wagner.

Astros went up, 8-1, when Coates walked, stole second, went to third on a passed ball, then scored on Bubba Wells’ single.

Creekside chased Wastchak in the seventh and the Astros’ lead dwindled. Zarley Zalenski’s double was the big hit in the seventh.