DuraEdge’s blows out Prospects in Bob Cene Memorial

June 29, 2019 at 12:05a.m.

DuraEdge’s prospects improve when bats heat up

STRUTHERS

For three innings, Prospects pitcher Carter Chinn kept DuraEdge bats in check in Friday’s game in the Bob Cene Memorial Tournament.

Then DuraEdge’s bats came to life as the team scored fours runs in the fourth inning and five in the fifth in a 15-0 romp at Bob Cene Park.

It was DuraEdge’s second win of the day. In the morning, DuraEdge defeated Whiting, 11-2, in the round-robin portion of the tournament.

“Starting the tournament 2-0 is big because it gives us a bit of cushion now in pool play,” first baseman Andrew Sabella said.

“We knew that we had to win in order to secure a playoff spot and be one of the top four teams in the league,” said Sabella whose two hits drove in three runs.

In five innings, DuraEdge starting pitcher Jake Bowen limited Prospects to one hit.

“Jake just threw strikes and relied on his defense to make plays,” Sabella said.

In the first inning, Prospects’ Johnnie Mikos singled and took second base on a walk to Frankie Manios. Chinn grounded out to end the threat.

Prospects stranded two runners in the second inning and one in each of the third and fourth innings.

“The key today was getting up early in the count on most of the batters,” said Bowen who walked five batters, hit one and struck out two. “That enabled me to pick my spots and make them hit my pitches.

Second baseman Zach Leonard ignited DuraEdge with his one-out single in the fourth inning.

After Juston Jones walked, Sabella singled to scored Leonard for a 1-0 lead. One out later, Bowen doubled to left-center field for a 2-0 lead. Sabella then scored on Braden Olson’s single.

A throwing error during a rundown enabled Bowen to race home for a 4-0 lead.

Catcher John Malagise doubled to lead off the fifth inning. With one out, third baseman Tyler Robinson walked. Leonard’s single scored Malagise for a 5-0 lead. Jones followed with a RBI single, then Sabella singled two drive in two runs for an 8-0 lead.

Calvin Stouffer replaced Bowen and Braeden O’Shaughnessy’s groundout scored Sabella for a nine-run edge.

“Scoring 15 runs is a pitcher’s best friend so the main thing for me was to keep the my pitch count low,” Bowen said.

Today, Prospects will complete pool play by playing Creekside at 11:30 a.m. and Stark County Terriers at 5 p.m.

DuraEdge’s schedule today has Steel City Select at 9 a.m. and Stark County Terriers at 2 p.m.

One pool play ends, eight teams advance to Sunday’s quarterfinals. The semifinals are scheduled for 2 p.m. and the championship game at 5 p.m.

Greg Gulas contributed to this story.