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State notebook
State notebook
Tough start: Western Reserve ace Nick Allison (8-1) lasted just 12/3 innings to suffer his first loss of the season. Allison has been battling an elbow injury for weeks and was clearly less than 100 percent, mostly throwing in the mid-70s. (He normally throws in the mid-80s.) Allison gave up two runs on five hits, two walks and a hit batsman, striking out just one. “We monitored him closely before the game and he gave the thumbs-up,” WR coach Ed Anthony said. “He said, ‘Coach, I’m ready to go.’ The poor kid was just pitching on guts. We couldn’t have him out there no more [after 12/3 innings]. We had to make the change and he understands that.” Tristan Bova pitched the next four innings, giving up four runs on six hits, two walks and a strikeout. John Clegg got the final out. “I was just focused on throwing strikes,” Bova said. “They’re gonna put the ball in play, no way around it. Unless you’re Nolan Ryan or something, you ain’t throwing a no-no against these kids.”
Bright future: The Blue Devils graduate eight seniors, including Allison and Bova, but will return four starters: freshman Wyatt Larimer, juniors John Clegg and Zach Smith, sophomore Walker Marlowe. “We’ve got a ton of young kids coming up and they’re hungry,” Bova said. “They know this feeling and they’re going to remember it next year. Nobody knows us around here and they better start recognizing us.” Added Green Wave coach John Cannizzaro, “If he’s [Anthony] got enough coming back, he probably will be back. They were well-coached and well-schooled.”
Back again: Newark Catholic has made 14 trips to the state tournament, winning seven state titles, including last year when it beat Springfield 2-1 in the championship game. The Green Wave have finished second three other times. “You never know about trips here,” Cannizzaro said. “We had a lot of new faces [from last year]. Nine of them were on the team last year but most of them weren’t on the field.”
State history: Mahoning County has placed a team in the Division IV state tournament in five of the last six years: Western Reserve (2014), Springfield (2009, 2011, 2013) and Columbiana (2010). The last area baseball team to win a state championship was Canfield in 2007, when it beat Springfield Kenton Ridge in the Division II final.