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Dragon slayer: Muntean pitches Struthers into district final
Photo
Struthers’ Dan Diloreto (2) goes to join Wildcat pitcher Gary Muntean (24) and catcher Brandon Kish (5) as they celebrate the final out in the seventh inning of a Division II baseball semifinal against Niles on Monday at Cene Park in Struthers. The Wildcats ended the Red Dragons’ season with a 6-3 win.
Struthers knocks off top seed
Niles
By Brandon Judeh
Struthers
Little did the powerful Niles offense know that their three first-inning runs would be the last of their season as Struthers upset the Red Dragons, 6-3, in a district semifinal Monday at Cene Park.
Niles (21-7), the top seed in the Division II tournament, got off to a hot start on offense after the sixth-seeded Wildcats jumped out to a 3-0 first-inning lead.
The Red Dragons batted through the order and tied the game when senior Jake Foster smashed a two-run single up the middle, but that was be all for the Dragons bats thanks to Struthers pitcher Gary Muntean.
Muntean cruised after the first inning, mixing his off-speed pitches with his fastball, quieting the hot Red Dragons’ bats.
“I started to settle in and get comfortable and I used my fielders and they did a great job,” Muntean said. “The game plan was to throw some off-speed stuff early in the count and throw them off balance. They are a great fastball-hitting team. I have to credit the coaches for preparing us for this game.”
Muntean induced 10 fly-ball outs and walked just two while picking up his fifth win of the year.
“Gary really settled in and took control of the game,” Struthers head coach Mike Donatelli said. “He’s done this all year. He’s our workhorse and he really did a great job.
“We’re excited to be in the district championship game. We’ve been telling our guys that this is their time and to go out and have fun with it.”
The Wildcats (14-8) jumped out to an early lead when five straight one-out singles led to an early three-run lead.
Anthony Lariccia knocked in the first run and Brandon Kish followed him with a two-run single.
Crucial runs were added on in the third and fourth innings for the Wildcats. Kolton Rudzik doubled in a run in the third and Struthers put together a two-out rally in the fourth thanks to a Dan Diloreto RBI double and a run-scoring single by Muntean.
Niles stranded 11 runners. Red Dragons head coach Mike Guarnieri said that was the difference.
“When you have opportunities like we had, you have to take advantage of them,” he said. “We didn’t and that was the difference.
“I’m going to miss our eight seniors, I love them. They’re a great group of guys who bought into our program their freshman year.”
Lariccia went 3 for 3 with an RBI and a walk for the Wildcats, while Marcus Donnadio had two hits and scored a run.
Niles’ James Tate had three hits and Ryan Ifft knocked in a run in his final game.
After knocking off West Branch, Ravenna and Niles, Muntean feels confident heading into tonight’s matchup against second-seeded Cardinal Mooney.
“The sky’s the limit for us,” he said. “It’s the district championship game. Anything can happen.”