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Girard scores 14 runs in three innings to beat Struthers
Indians’ offensive outburst downs Struthers at Bob Cene Park
By ERIC FORTUNE
STRUTHERS
In four out of the seven innings the Struthers Wildcats pitched against the Girard Indians, they gave up three goose eggs and one run.
The only issue was the 14 runs in the other three innings in their 15-8 setback Monday at Bob Cene Field.
“We got a lot of walks,” Girard coach Aaron Alejars said. “Their pitchers struggled to throw. Our bats were patient enough to know the strike zone. We’re pleased with that.”
Girard (2-0) got off to a quick 3-0 advantage in top half of the first and were coasting along up 4-0 when the Wildcats responded with a three run inning.
Jake Shaffer delivered a 3-2 two-out pitch to deep center to drive in two to cut the advantage in half. Struthers (0-1) added another run on Chad Lazcko’s single to make it 4-3 heading to the fourth.
The Indians responded with their own big inning in the top half of the fourth as they knocked Lazcko out of the game on a five run inning on just two hits.
“We had a little trouble finding the strike zone tonight,” Struthers coach Dom Lariccio said. “We couldn’t make the plays when they did start finding their groove. We just made it hard on ourselves tonight.”
Those plays were huge with the Wildcats not being able to end the inning with two on and two out as Brady Hunkus’ walk drove in a run and continued the inning.
No hit was bigger than Shawn Leasure’s two-out three run single to make it a 7-3 game.
All five of the Girard runs in the inning came with two outs.
Leasure and Nick Malito led the Indians with 3 RBI’s a piece batting out of the eight and nine hole.
The Indians tacked on one more and were again coasting along holding the Wildcats to just two hits over the next two innings.
In the top of half of the sixth, Girard tacked on six more runs to push the lead out to 13-3 with Malito’s triple knocking in two.
Six batters later, Anthony Graziano’s double scored David Blackmon and Nick DeGregory making it 15-3.
“You like to be up 12,” Alejars said.
“I’ve played Struthers for a long time. They can always hit the ball. They weren’t going to give up. I didn’t think it was easy from that point, being up 12. I was sitting in there nervous, thinking about situations.”
It didn’t get that drastic, but the Wildcats started to knock around the Indians’ pitching in the top of the sixth.
Girard had a chance to get out of the inning giving up just one run, but Ruszik’s two out two run single continued the inning.
The Wildcats added two more runs on Lascko’s two run single to cut the deficit to 15-8.
Though by that time, it was too little too late for Struthers.
Hunkus was the winning pitcher for the Indians.
“That’s kind of been our struggle from last year and rolling into this year — it’s been getting out to slow starts,” Lariccio said. “We have a team that can put up runs, but we can’t be down by 10.”