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Poland makes most of few hits
By Tom Williams
STRUTHERS
The Poland High baseball team made the most of just three hits Tuesday night, rallying for a 3-1 victory over Hubbard on one of the few playable diamonds in the Mahoning Valley.
“It was great to come down here and play,” said Poland head coach Rich Murray after their evening game Field No. 3 at Bob Cene Park. “We hadn’t played since last Wednesday.
“I think some of that contributed to our lack of hitting, but [Hubbard starter T.J.] Jones pitched great.
“He kept us off-balance.”
Winning pitcher Adam Knight (1-0) went the distance for the Bulldogs (2-1), scattering six hits and striking out seven.
“Adam Knight pitched great, he threw strikes all night,” Murray said.
Because of temperatures in the 40s, Murray’s advice was “to go right at them.“
Trailing 1-0 in the fourth inning, Poland’s Marty Malenic drew a one-out walk, bringing Chase Knodle to the plate for a third time.
On Jones’ second pitch, Knodle doubled over right fielder Adam Thirion, sending Malenic to third base.
“Once I saw him come in, I was thinking two [bases]” Knodle said. “It felt pretty good. Coach had a hit-and-run on, and the ball just carried and went over the fielder’s head.”
Malenic scored the tying run on a wild pitch, beating Jones’ tag while Knodle advanced to third.
After Nick Maillis walked, he stole second, drawing an errant throw that sent Knodle home with Poland’s second run.
Hubbard first baseman Drew Bencetic made a diving grab of a foul ball hit by Ricky Svetlak for the second out. Maillis alertly tagged up and beat the throw to catcher Billy Chmelik.
“We got aggressive on the bases that inning and created some problems,” Murray said.
Sonny Lipari and pinch-hitter Jake Hawkins had the Bulldogs’ other hits off reliever Paul Gardner.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Eagles’ Tyler Taafe singled and took third base on Thirion’s one-out hit. B.J. Fronzaglio singled to right to score Taafe for Hubbard’s 1-0 lead.
The Eagles stranded six baserunners. Alex Greathouse’s two hits included a double.
“I knew I had a great defense behind me,” Knight said. “They did a heck of a job backing me up today.”
Knight said he stayed warm while his teammates batted by layering up in the dugout.
“My main focus is keeping my arm warm,” Knight said.
Knodle said he didn’t mind playing in less-than-ideal conditions.
“Even though I’m covered in mud, it’s still great to get on a field.” Knodle said.
Jones carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning, but had to pitch out of several jams because of walks (three) and hit-batsmen (four).
“We were living dangerously,” Hubbard head coach John Schiraldi said. “It finally caught up to us. There were back-to-back innings where we got out of bases-loaded [jams].”