Canfield’s defense strong in sectional

May 12, 2012 at 12:10a.m.

By ryan buck

The Canfield High baseball team’s strong team pitching and sound defense were too much for the visiting Lakeview Bulldogs on Friday in their Division II sectional tournament game.

After a sluggish start, Cardinals starter Alec Buchenic didn’t allow a run the rest of the way in a 6-1 win.

“We stress that it all starts with our pitchers. We let our defense play as much as we possibly can and when we were done and met out in the outfield out there, we looked at the scoreboard and said, ‘What are we most proud of?’ It’s the ‘zero’ under the errors portion,”’ said Canfield coach Matt Koening.

Buchenic struck out only three in five-plus innings, but escaped several jams with runners in scoring position. Facing a bases loaded, one out, and a 1-0 deficit, the junior right-hander cleanly fielded a comebacker to start an inning-ending double play.

“The first inning I came out a little nervous, first tournament game,” Buchenic said. “Then my defense, they played great all game and I just came through with ground balls and stuff like that.”

The Cardinals’ infield turned three double plays, twice with runners on third base.

“We know that our bats are always going to be there and if we play flawless defense, that’s the key to winning playoff games especially,” said Canfield shortstop Joe Tucheck, responsible for those rally-killers. “Every team is going to be good and if our defense is flawless, that gives us a heck of a chance to win every game.”

On offense Tuchek drove in two run and gave the Cardinals a 2-1 advantage in the bottom of the second on a Tony Mehle groundout. Canfield padded their lead in the fourth when Tom Ciccolelli’s line drive to the right-center field gap scored Mehle from first base for a 3-1 lead.

They added three more runs in the fifth. Tuchek’s two-run single scored Anthony Ross and Derek Turocy. Michael Ross’ RBI sacrifice bunt rounded out the scoring.

In the sixth, the Bulldogs were threatening. Consecutive singles from A.J. Hrusovsky and Kevin Arnold put Lakeview runners on first and third with no outs.

Koening went to senior Justin Summer, who struck out the first batter and induced the third double play of the game to get the Cardinals out of the inning unscathed.

“Huge,” said Koening of the events. “Justin, he and another lefty, are in this sixth inning role and they thrive on it. Today was no different.”

Lakeview’s inability to capitalize on its promising first and fifth innings was its downfall.

Coach Ron DeJulio’s team needed that sixth inning rally to bring them back. “It really could’ve. Two feet here, two feet there and it’s a different story. They’re a great baseball team and they made plays when they had to, getting that double play,” said DeJulio.

Tylor Rhoads set the Bulldogs down in order in the seventh, sending the top- seeded Cardinals to the District semifinals next week.