Six-run sixth pushes Tigers to ninth win

By BRIAN DZENIS

bdzenis@vindy.com

STRUTHERS

Springfield’s baseball team was already rolling before Shane Eynon was back at full speed. Now that he’s in full form, the Tigers are even scarier.

Eynon threw all seven innings and a six-run sixth inning delivered Springfield’s 10-3 victory against Cardinal Mooney.

He could have left the game in the bottom of the seventh, but he declined coach Terry Dobson’s suggestion that he make way for a reliever.

“It’s always nice to have a complete game win. It’s my first one of the year,” Eynon said. “It was my second start after a long basketball year and it took me a while to get back in my baseball shape.”

His first start was two-inning, 30-pitch outing during a 12-0 win against East Palestine. On Monday, Eynon scattered three runs on five hits with three strikeouts and no walks. His first victory improves Springfield’s record to 9-0.

“He talked me into letting him finish the game. His pitch count was up there. If he had thrown a couple more, he was coming out,” Dobson said. “He was moving the ball inside and out.

“The catcher did a good job moving in and out and the umpire was calling low strikes. He focused on keeping the ball low, which you always should do.”

Leading 4-3 going into the top of the sixth, the Tigers went on a hitting spree. Two swinging bunts helped Springfield load the bases with no outs.

“[The swinging bunts] still count. They’re the hardest thing to field in baseball because you’re not expecting them,” Mooney coach Al Franceschelli said. “Your infielders are generally back, but that second one killed us, but you know what? That’s baseball.”

Brannon Brungard hit a two-run single that chased Mooney starter Ethan Shaw. A.J. Pepperney entered the game in relief the first batter he faced, Jarrett Orbin, added another two-run single. Mitchell Seymour and Chris Thompson hit back to back doubles to score a combined three runs. All of that scoring happened before Pepperney got his next three outs.

“It was just confidence at the plate,” Seymour said. “They had a great pitcher who was hitting his spots. We just overcame that, put the ball in play nicely and capitalized on mistakes.

Seymour finished the game 3 for 4 with an RBI. Eynon also went 3 for 4 with an RBI. The Tigers put up 15 hits as a team.

The win snapped a two-game winning streak for Mooney (2-6), which was trying to upend an undefeated team for the second game in a row after previously beating Canton Central Catholic, 1-0, on Saturday.

“Springfield has a nice team and I thought their kid threw a gem and he kept us off balance with his curveball,” Franceschelli said. “That being said, we struggled on the mound. We gave up a lot of hits and when you give up 15 hits, you’re not going to win.”

Mooney picked up all three of its runs in the second inning. Ethan Shaw and Matt Womer hit back to back RBI singles and Womer came home off a suicide squeeze.