Montalbano triggers Mahoning victory

June 15, 2014 at 12:00a.m.

Ursuline graduate had two extra-base hits during All-Star Game

Niles

During the summer, Ursuline High School’s Michael Montalbano and Girard’s Jim Standohar are teammates on the Class B League’s Astro Falcons.

Saturday afternoon at Eastwood Field, prior to their Falcons game against Bel Park Pharmacy, they squared off against each other one last time as high school diamond rivals in the annual Mahoning-Trumbull County High School All-Star Classic.

Montalbano had a double and triple. He also walked once, scored once and drove in two runs to lead Mahoning County All-Stars to a 7-6 victory.

The Irish graduate, who is headed to Mercyhurst North East Junior College in the fall, earned game MVP honors.

“The game was a lot of fun and a great way to end your career,” Montalbano said. “It’s an honor to represent both Ursuline High School and Mahoning County.

“The win takes some of the sting out of losing in the regional final,” said Montalbano, referring to Ursuline’s loss to Orrville in the Division III tournament at Massillon two weeks ago.

“Both teams were loose, laughed, joked with each other and simply had a good time,” Montalbano said. “Isn’t that what baseball is all about anyway?”

The game was scoreless until the third inning when singles by Ursuline’s Dion Felger and Canfield’s Jimmy Leone staked Mahoning to a 3-0 advantage,

The lead was short-lived as Trumbull sent 10 batters to the plate in their half of the fifth. The uprising was keyed by Lakeview’s Patrick Nero, who hit a two-run single as Trumbull took a 6-3 lead.

The inning also produced run-scoring singles by Warren Harding’s Alex Fitzgerald, Lakeview’s Evan Olbrych, McDonald’s Mike Schuller and Girard’s Zach Chase.

Standohar, who will play baseball at Mercyhurst University next spring, called the game a collection of the top talent from baseball-rich surrounding counties.

“This brings back great some really good memories, playing both with and against players that were your rivals the past three seasons,” Standohar said. “We had a great fifth inning while they had two nice innings and a timely hit in the eighth inning that gave them the lead for good.

“It’s just a fun way to end your high school career.”

With one out in the eighth frame, Poland’s Chase Knodle singled and then raced home with the game-winning run when Austintown Fitch’s Scott Pierce followed with an opposite-field double.

“I just wanted to get on so we could get something going,” said Knodle, who will play baseball at Baldwin-Wallace University in the fall. “Scott came through big time.”

Pierce, who also will play baseball at Mercyhurst North East J.C., was hoping to advance Knodle and get him into scoring position.

“It was an outside fastball and I just hit it where it was pitched,” Pierce said. “I was just happy to be able to get the job done.”

Gary Muntean of Struthers combined with Leone to retire the final eight batters to pick up the win.

“It was a friendly game, yet still intense,” said Cardinal Mooney’s Al Franceschelli, Mahoning’s head coach. “We were able to overcome that one inning in which we had a bit of a lapse in play.

“Overall, both teams played well for not being together any length of time.”

Girard’s Aaron Alejars, Trumbull’s head coach, said everyone in the game was a winner.

“Our area should be proud of this group of players,” Alejars said. “It was a fun afternoon.”