Hollobaugh’s three-hitter powers Warren JFK

May 22, 2019 at 12:05a.m.

STRUTHERS

Warren JFK embraced the unlikely underdog role.

Despite being a No. 2 seed playing sixth-seeded Lisbon in Tuesday’s Division IV district semifinal at Bob Cene Park, the Eagles didn’t look like a favorite because of who was on the mound for the Blue Devils: senior Logan Bell.

Bell is an Akron commit for baseball and owns multiple Lisbon pitching records. But it turns out Warren JFK has some stars of its own. Sophomore Cam Hollobaugh tossed a three-hitter and the Eagles tagged Bell for 10 hits in a 8-2 victory.

“We took advantage of it. Everyone was coming here talking about Bell, Bell and Bell. Nobody was talking about Warren JFK, which is fine. I like that,” Warren JFK coach Tom Elder said. “I don’t mind that, but you have to understand something. The opposing team has to score too. You have to score and they have to score. I have two kids that can throw the ball, too. I have [Hollobaugh] and you’ll see [A.J. Arp on Thursday].

“Ask me who my No. 1 is and I can’t tell you because they both can throw the ball.”

Hollobaugh showed his mettle in the top of the third inning. Lisbon (12-14-1) loaded the bases with no outs with a chance to cut into a 4-0 deficit and Hollobaugh escaped allowing just one run. He struck out Tyler Welsh, got Bell to ground into a fielder’s choice that allowed Garrett Cox to score and Josh Entrikin at a fly ball to center field to end the threat.

“That was huge. I was just struggling to throw strikes and I just left my teammates do a little bit of the work,” Hollobaugh said. “I just threw strikes and I just got out of it.”

Hollobaugh struck out 10 and walked two while pitching a complete game.

Warren JFK (19-5) rewarded Hollobaugh’s efforts with three more runs on the scoreboard. Alex Hernandez hit a two-run double and the Eagles picked up another run off a passed ball earlier in the inning. Hernandez finished with two doubles.

“That was nice to see. Alex struggled for a good portion of the season and his [two-run double] was uplifting,” Elder said. “I could be wrong, but when that happened, you could see the wind come out of [Lisbon’s] sail. That was a clutch hit.”

Hernandez, a senior, set up a tee in his backyard to work his way out of a slump.

“I hit off that tee every day,” Hernandez said. “I was really trying to get out of that slump because in the beginning of the season, I was having a really hard time putting the ball in play.”

Jordan Edmundson also hit a two-run double and Hollobaugh had two RBIs.

Warren JFK scored seven runs through the first three innings. Bell walked one and struck out eight while taking the loss.

“They were really good and Logan has had a great career. I don’t want to take anything away from him because of one game,” Lisbon coach Doug Andric said. “You lose a player like that — a four-year starter — he’s going to be missed.”

Cox hit an RBI single in the fourth inning to account for Lisbon’s second run.

JFK advances to face top-seed Springfield in the district final on Thursday. Hollobaugh is fine with not being the favorite again.

“It’s a better victory if you win,” Hollobaugh said. “It makes you feel better and you surprise everybody.”