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Newark Catholic too much for Western Reserve
COLUMBUS
The Western Reserve baseball team refused to let one inning define its season, but that’s all it took to seal their fate Saturday afternoon.
Trailing Newark Catholic by one run in the bottom of the fourth of the Division IV state title game, things began to unravel for the Blue Devils and starting pitcher John Clegg. By the time the half inning was over, a one-run deficit had inflated to six and subsequently deflated the spirits of Western Reserve.
The Green Wave rode that lead to the finish and were once again too much for the Blue Devils, adding an eighth baseball state championship to an already rich history with a 6-0 win at Huntington Park in Columbus.
“It hurt, but they were a good team,” Clegg said. “They made it happen. Credit has to go to them.”
Newark Catholic starter Rob Engle (7-1) was effective all afternoon changing speeds and keeping Blue Devils’ hitters off balance. He retired the last seven batters in order, including striking out the side in the seventh.
He finished with seven strikeouts, two walks and gave up just three hits.
“It just didn’t work out,” said Clegg, who also went the distance on the mound.
“It wasn’t our day. If they got us two nights ago, when we were hitting the ball all over the park, it could’ve been different.
“But I’m not going to say it was frustrating, because it wasn’t. They were just a good team.”
Western Reserve’s best chance offensively came in the third. Ryan Demsky singled to left and Zach Smith walked to start the inning. A forceout a second, followed by a groundout to the pitcher put runners at second and third with two outs for Jake Clark. But a groundout to the shortstop ended the threat and preserved a 1-0 lead for Newark Catholic (22-11).
“Our top hitters that normally produce, and have produced, didn’t quite get it done today,” Blue Devils coach Ed Anthony said.
The fourth inning is one Western Reserve (23-6) would like to have back. Clegg gave up a lead-off double, had two wild pitches, walked a batter and still had a chance to get out of the inning with only two runs across.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Clegg got Mitch Lohr to hit a fly ball to right-center field. Ian Hames sprinted over from his right field position but the ball hit off the top of the webbing on his glove, leading to three more runs for the Green Wave.
“Ian went a long way for it and it hit his glove and came out,” Anthony said.
“That isn’t why we lost. We gotta hit. John had a decent outing, but he didn’t have an overpowering outing.”
Clegg (5-4) was charged with three earned runs on seven hits. He struck out two and walked three in his final game in a Western Reserve uniform.
“It was a great four years,” Clegg said.
“I played multiple sports and I had some great coaches along the way and I can’t thank them enough.”