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Pitching powers Poland’s regional run
Photo
Posing for a photograph in front of the blank wall that will soon be covered with a mural depicting life throughout the decades in the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. worker housing complex in Campbell are, from left, David Donofrio, Clayton Donofrio, Marcy Gussenhofen , Tim Sokoloff , Katelyn Gould, Linda Gens and April Caruso-Richards. Gould, a Pittsburgh-based artist, will paint the mural, and be assisted by Gussenhofen. Sokoloff , Gens and Caruso-Richards are the Iron Soup Historical Preservation Co.’s president and chairman, executive director and board secretary, respectively.
By Greg Gulas
YOUNGSTOWN
The Poland High baseball team enters Thursday’s Division II regional semifinal on a hot streak.
So does its opponent.
The Bulldogs (21-5), who have won 11 of their last 12 games, will play Portage Trail Conference champion Peninsula Woodridge (27-3) at 5 p.m. at The Ball Park at Hudson. The winner advances to Friday’s 5 p.m. championship game against the winner of Notre Dame Cathedral Latin-Canton South.
Woodridge has won 13 straight games and went 12-0 in the PTC County Division. Poland, meanwhile, defeated defending district champion Cardinal Mooney 8-3 in last week’s final to advance to its first regional since 2009.
“It sure is great to win the district, first because it was our number one goal prior to the season and second, because it’s been a while since we’ve been able to call ourselves district champions,” Poland coach Rich Murray said. “Our goal now is to win the regional but that will be a very tough assignment, starting with a very good Woodridge team. We have a great group of kids; team players who understand what it takes to win so it should be a great regional tournament.”
Murray’s team is powered by its pitching — the staff ERA is 2.12 — and on Thursday he will start Pat Carlozzi (7-1), who has a 0.94 earned run average and is coming off a 4-0, no-hit performance against West Branch in the district semifinals.
He’s won his last seven outings while allowing opponents two total runs (one earned).
Murray will also count on pitchers Jared Burkert (5-0, 1.06 ERA), Adam Knight (3-0, 1.06 ERA), Ryan Burkert (2-1, 2.91 ERA), Jared’s older brother, and Matt Granger (3-2, 3.3.1 ERA).
“At this point of the season, limiting scoring opportunities by the opposition while cashing in on your opportunities is what can spell the difference between advancing or going home,” Murray said.
Offensively, Carlozzi (.386) plays the outfield and leads the team in home runs with three.
He’s upped his average 36 points since last week’s district tournament.
Second baseman and leadoff hitter Chase Knodle sets the table and is batting .320.
Woodridge has won four district titles under coach Dennis Dever, now in his 15th season. This is the Bulldogs’ first since 2008.
Woodridge defeated Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, 6-2, for the sectional title, topped Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, 6-2, in the regional semis and then ousted fourth-seeded Tallmadge, 11-5, for the district crown.
Dever said balance has been the team’s biggest positive, adding that a tough league schedule has also helped.
“It’s tough for any team to go undefeated in their league so when you can accomplish that against teams like Mogadore, Garrettsville, Southeast, Streetsboro, Waterloo and Rootstown, all excellent baseball programs then you’ve had a pretty good season,” Dever said. “We have a little bit of everything to offer in that we can play with anyone when our defense is on and have a unique ability to manufacture runs. Pitching depth, however, has been the key to our success.”
Woodridge’s staff has a 2.40 ERA and its top three pitchers are a combined 16-1: staff ace Kevin Kelleher (5-1, 1.53 ERA), Jackson Taylor (4-0, 1.97 ERA) and Mike Seminatore (7-0, 2.66 ERA).
Dever said he has not decided on his Thursday starter.
Kelleher (21 RBIs), who plays first base when not on the mound, is tops offensively and is hitting .446 while right fielder Justin Lightly (.430), a senior, has 46 hits, third-most in a season for the Bulldogs.
“We have a really tight knit group of players,” Dever said. “There are seven seniors, four of which are starters, but their leadership over the course of the season has been absolutely tremendous. As we look to Poland we don’t know much about them, but to beat a talented Cardinal Mooney team you must be pretty darn good in your own right.”