Canfield 11-12 team headed to state tournament in Painesville

July 22, 2015 at 12:00a.m.

CANFIELD

In 2013 when Canfield’s 9-10 Little League baseball team finished fourth in the state tournament, the coaches learned a valuable lesson about pitching.

“We basically ran out,” said Dave Rose, who is helping Duke Starr coach this year’s Canfield’s 11-12 district champions. “We put kids on the mound who normally did not pitch for us.

“Hopefully we’ve learned from our experience,” Rose said. “Pitching is our strength [and] should keep us in games.”

When Little League’s state tournament begins Saturday in Painesville, Canfield will have eight pitchers on its roster of 13: Brandon Mikos, Alex Iannizzaro, Trey Dye, Cory Rose, Luke Holland. Brent Herrmann, Dom Debonis and Alex Smyzczynski.

The other team members are Sam Starr, Mickey Velasquez, Pat Guerrieri, Mike Pelini and Steve Zordich. Also coaching is Stoy Holland.

This year’s state tournament format is double-elimination. Teams that lose early will be busy.

Little League’s maximum is 85 pitches in a game. If a player throws 20 or fewer, he can pitch the next day. If it’s between 21-35, one day of rest is required. If the total is between 36-50, two days of rest follows. If it’s between 51-65, three days of rest is needed. More than 65 triggers a four-day break.

“One of the biggest challenges of the tournament is matching up your pitching staff with your games,” Rose said.

Head coach Duke Starr said teams in the winners bracket will get days off and that is Canfield’s goal.

“First two days, we play, but if we keep winning we get some time off,” Starr said. “We’ll be here [practicing] on those off days.”

Canfield’s team was compiled from six teams that play at Canfield Baseball Club.

Last year, Canfield won the state tournament and represented Ohio in the Great Lakes regional tournament in Indianapolis. Canfield qualified for the championship round and was eliminated by Chicago’s Jackie Robinson West, the regional champion that eventually was disqualified for using players from beyond its Little League boundaries.

Mikos was on Canfield’s state champion team and Starr says the experience he picked up is “invaluable.

“He’s been there and that can go a long way helping us out. It’s a chance for him to step up and be a leader for these guys.”

In last year’s state title game, Mikos pitched against West Hamilton.

“It was fun to be on ESPN,” Mikos said of the regional in Indianapolis. “I hit my first home run [in a televised game]. It’s a great memory.”

Last summer, Canfield’s 10-11 team without Mikos finished second in the district to Boardman, which went on to finish state runner-up after losing to West Hamilton.

“Having him back is obviously a tremendous boost for us,” Starr said of Mikos.

Iannizzario, who relieved Mikos in the sixth inning of Canfield’s 1-0 win over Boardman in the district title game, said Mikos’ knowledge can help.

“He kinda knows how it all plays out because he’s been there to experience it,” the outfielder said.

Sam Starr, who plays second base, remembers the fun of seeing friends playing games televised by ESPN’s networks.

“My family and I watched the games after I came home from baseball practice,” Starr said. “It was fun getting to see people that we know on television.

“Hopefully, we get to do the same thing.”

If they do, pitching will be the reason why.

“Our pitching is more dominant than our hitting so I’d rather be in a 1-0 situation because I know our pitching will pull us through,” third baseman Cory Rose said.

Iannizzario enjoys pitching but doesn’t mind sharing.

“If I’m not pitching any place in the outfield is fine,” he said. “I just want to do what [is best] for my team.

Starr remembers the state tournament two years ago in Hamilton as a fun trip.

“It was an amazing experience for us,” the second baseman said. “It was fun in the hotel with the guys. We played soft-baseball in the hallways.”

Shortstop Trey Dye remembers how the team went to Miami University in Oxford and went on the football field.

If things go well in Painesville, another road trip could be in Canfield’s future.