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Davis’ single lifts Boardman over Poland
Spartans slip past
Bulldogs in seventh
By Greg Gulas
STRUTHERS
Charlie Davis’ walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the Boardman baseball team a 4-3 victory over Poland on Friday at Bob Cene Park.
It was a game that saw one streak end and another continue as the two teams continue to prepare for their respective sectionals. Tournament play begins Tuesday for the Spartans (14-13) at Massillon Washington and Wednesday for the Bulldogs (after a first-round bye) when they host the winner of the Hubbard-Girard sectional semifinal at Cene Park.
“I hit an outside fastball, got a little bit out on my front foot and was able to drive it into right field. Luckily, it fell,” Davis said. “I knew we were either going to win the game or go to extra innings. All I was hoping for was to get a first-pitch fastball and that’s what I got.
“I was on time with it and it just worked out great. This was a big game for us as we head to the tournament because it proves that we can compete, especially in a close game. We’re peaking at the right time.”
The Bulldogs (17-5), who entered Friday’s game riding a nine-game winning streak, defeated the Spartans 5-4 at their place back on April 11.
Boardman has now won 11 of its last 12 outings and head coach Joe Gabriel found an unlikely hero in pitcher Cam Kreps, who struck out 12 without yielding an earned run in his first start of the season.
“It’s really all about the team. I’m not worried about getting the win, I’m just excited that we were able to get a victory over a very good Poland team,” Kreps said. “I was pitching to contact and the defense backed me up the entire game.”
Six of Kreps’ 12 strikeouts were on called third strikes.
“I think we showed a lot of maturity by coming back in the seventh inning,” Kreps said. “I went to the bullpen to warm up prior to the game and all three of my pitches, fastball, curve and cutter were working. As the game progressed, I probably relied more on my curveball.”
Through the first five innings, Kreps struck out the side twice and had at least two strikeouts in two other frames.
The Spartans took a 2-0 lead in their half of the fifth. Davis who led off with a single and eventually came around to score and Luke Stauffer later scored on fielder’s choice by Mike Fetsko,
The Bulldogs tied the game at 2 in the sixth on Braeden O’Shaughnessy’s deep drive to left field, only to have the Spartans reclaim a 3-2 advantage in the bottom of the inning on Travis Harvey’s RBI single.
Harvey, the eventual winning pitcher, relieved Kreps in the seventh frame, but Bulldogs pinch-hitter Jeremy Castro doubled home M.J. Farber with the game-tying run which set up Davis’ last-inning heroics.
Poland starter Jared Knight, who beat Boardman in April, went the route and absorbed the loss but went neck-and-neck with both Kreps and Harvey.
“[Cam] Kreps pitched a great game today. We had a couple of unfortunate plays, but overall it was a well-played game,” Knight said. “I’ve been working on my cutter a lot and it helped me today. I’m hoping to develop that a bit more as we head into the tournament.”
Spartans head coach Joe Gabriel feels his team is playing well at the right time with tournament play less than a week away.
“We beat a good Poland team and coach [Rich] Murray does a great job with his team each year,” Gabriel said. “We’re playing well at the right time and hopefully we can keep it going through the tourney. Our pitching staff has done a great job all season, Cam gave us great start tonight and Jared [Knight] also did a great job, doing it twice now against us.”
Murray said the Bulldogs are at their best when they score first.
“Both teams were solid today,” Murray said. “Each team pitched well and played solid defense, I only wish we would have hit better. My hat is off to Cam. He threw hard and kept us off balance.
“We’re a lot better when we score first. We cannot wait until the fifth inning to get out bats going.”