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Blue Devils are Mahoning Valley’s last men standing
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Western Reserve shortstop Tristan Bova, right, awaits a throw as Mathews’ Cobie Pratt (5) slides in safely at second base during a Division IV disrict final at Bob Cene Park. Bova and the Blue Devils are preparing for Thursday’s state semifinal.
Blue Devils are Mahoning Valley’s last men standing
By Curtis Pulliam
Senior shortstop and pitcher Tristan Bova remembers the exact moment the season turned around for the Western Reserve baseball team.
“I’d say losing to McDonald,” Bova said. “We didn’t hit the ball very well that game. My pitching was a little astray, everyone was not in sync.”
Bova, disappointed in his and the team’s performance, spoke to the team before the next practice.
“We had a nice long pre-practice speech,” Bova said. “I knew myself I could have pitched better. I told the team we had to start hitting the ball at the right time, moving guys along base paths, we had to start making the right throws and smart plays.”
“After that, we all kind of banded together,” Bova said.
Sophomore Walker Marlowe, the team’s starting second baseman, agrees with Bova.
“Ever since then, we’ve been lights-out,” Marlowe said. “We never stay down or even come in down. We’re always pumped up and we want it more than the other team.”
Come together they did, and now, the Blue Devils (20-5) are currently on a 15-game winning streak and find themselves preparing for a Division IV state semifinal against Newark Catholic (19-7), the defending state champions.
“We do know they’re a mainstay down there,” head coach Ed Anthony said. “They’ve been down there 13 times. This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for them, but apparently they rebuilt real fast or just reloaded.”
Anthony knows the Green Wave will be a difficult matchup.
“From all implications, they are a solid group, Anthony said. “They are very experienced group, and it’s going to be a tough challenge. They have a lot of history at that level and they are definitely not going to be in awe of anything.”
For the Blue Devils, Anthony is still undecided who is going to start on the mound Thursday.
“We’re not sure yet,” Anthony said. “Nicky [Allison] is going to a specialist where he went before to try and get that soreness out. If he can go at 75 or 80 percent, he’ll be our starter. If he can’t, then we are going to look towards running it with Bova.”
On the defensive side, no changes will be made for Anthony’s team.
“We are going to go with what got us here,” Anthony said.
“We have been playing pretty strong defense, I think we only had two or three errors in the last two to three games. I’ll take that any day.”
No previous Western Reserve team made it to state. Junior John Clegg is excited about getting this far.
“We just going out there to have fun, but also to win,” Clegg said. “We want to win.”
In order to win, Anthony feels the x-factor for his team is going to be balanced in the three phases of the game.
“When you get to this stage you have to have solid pitching,” Anthony said. “You have to have solid defense and you have to have timely hitting. If you don’t have any of the components, you’re probably not going to win.”
Bova is thrilled to get the chance to play at Huntington Park in Columbus.
“Being with my brothers [the senior class], playing on that incredible field, win, lose or draw, it’s going to be incredible in itself,” Bova said.
Marlowe realizes the experience will probably be a little nervewracking.
“It hasn’t hit me yet,” Marlowe said.
“But I think once we get to the field, I think it’s going to hit me.”