43
South Range handles Ursuline
Raiders’ ace sets school record for strikeouts in a season
By BOB ETTINGER
STRUTHERS
Jake Gehring isn’t one to take credit for the success of the South Range baseball team. That doesn’t mean the sophomore hurler doesn’t impact a game greatly, as he did in the Raiders’ 7-1 victory over Ursuline in a Division III district semifinal at Cene Park on Monday.
“I trust in my teammates more than anything,” Gehring said. “I know they have my back. I know we’re going to take a punch. We did take a punch. But when they make plays, that gets me going. (Competing) is something that’s been in me since I was young. I love the game and I love these boys.”
The Raiders (24-5) will play Canton Central Catholic in the Division III district championship game at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Cene Park.
“(Rootstown and Canton Central Catholic, the other two semifinalists) are two good ballclubs,” South Range coach Jim Hanek said. “They’re two well-coached programs. We’re looking forward to Wednesday. We know it will be a challenge.”
Gehring scattered seven hits and fanned 11 in the complete-game victory.
“He’s a competitor, the ultimate competitor,” Hanek said. “He thrives in big-game situations and today was a testament to that.”
With a strikeout to open the top of the seventh, Gehring recorded his 100th of the season, a school record for a single season, shattering the mark held by George Rowan.
“It’s a great achievement,” Gehring said. “It’s a goal you set for yourself, but, ultimately, this is a team game. I only got 11 outs by myself. Ten other guys had to make plays.”
South Range broke open a 2-1 game in the home half of the fourth. The Raiders sent 10 batters to the plate and took advantage of four walks and a hit batter to plate five runs.
“We gave them nine free passes (in the game),” Ursuline coach Matt Weymer said. “We gave them seven walks and hit two batters. I wish we made them earn it more by swinging the bat. Give them credit, they did get the big hits.”
Gehring and Brandon Mikos each had two run singles in the inning.
“I knew the first pitcher wasn’t hitting his spots with his off-speed stuff,” Mikos said. “I knew he was tipping off his off-speed stuff, so I was sitting on the fastball. I let everyone else know and we barreled up when we needed to.”
That was more than enough of a lead for Gehring.
“Jake was a real moose today,” Weymer said. “We had him at 119 or 120 pitches and his velocity never wavered. He just never wavered. He was at 88 or 89 (mph) all night.”
South Range went up, 1-0, in the first after the Fighting Irish (14-13) walked the bases loaded and Mikos brought in a run with a ground-ball out.
Ursuline tied the score in the third behind three consecutive two-out singles. Vince Armeni’s base knock knotted the score, 1-1.
“That’s something (Ursuline) has done all year,” Hanek said. “They hit their way back into the game.”
Trey Pancake led off the South Range third with a triple to straightaway center and scored on Jared Bajerski’s single to put the Raiders ahead, 2-1.
Mikos drove in three with two hits and Gehring had two RBI to lead South Range.
Brady Shannon doubled for the fighting Irish.