KARL PEARSON
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP — A team holds a 6-1 lead entering the bottom of the sixth inning and is apparently cruising along when the opponent comes up with a big inning to tie the game. It’s those moments that a baseball coach dreads.
Coach Joel Taylor and his Conneaut Spartans stared that situation squarely in the face in Monday’s Division II district semifinal against University School. It was one of those times when a team can either fold or rise to the occasion.
The Spartans chose the latter path. Because they refused to pack it in, they gutted out an 8-7 victory over the Preppers in 10 heartpounding innings. Because of it, they’ll be playing today at 4:30 p.m. in the district championship game against the Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin Lions.
It will be the first time Conneaut has battled for the district title since 2001 and is the fourth time in Taylor’s 20-year coaching career at Conneaut the Spartans have reached that level. Ironically, in 2001, NDCL defeated Conneaut and used it as a springboard to the Division II state championship.
NDCL earned its stop in the district-title game with an 11-0 victory over Geneva in a game that lasted just 41⁄2 innings before it was ended by the mercy rule. Lions pitcher Bill Turosky limited Geneva to just one hit, while his teammates scored four runs each in the first and second innings and three in the third to give him more than enough support.
Taylor admitted he was wondering how the Spartans (10-4, 6-3 Northeastern Conference) would react when they left the field at the end of the US sixth with the game tied. Their response did him proud.
“A lot of times when something like that happens, you see the wheels come off,” he said. “I thought it was remarkable how the boys responded in that situation. It was a tribute to their character with the way they snapped back into focus.”
Number junior Grant Wenger, who drove home Shon Cline in the top of the 10th with a ringing triple to right center with two out off hardthrowing US reliever Pat Shedlock, a Cleveland State University recruit.
“It’s definitely the biggest hit I’ve ever had,” he said. “It was the best feeling in the world.”
“That was a big hit for Grant,” Taylor said. “Usually, he hits a lot of groundballs, but he really hit that one. He needed that one for his own confidence. I think it picked the whole team up.”
But just as important was the performance of senior Zane Garza, who shed his catcher’s equipment in the ninth inning and managed to hold the fort in the 10th to get the win.
“I’ve never made it through a game like this,” he said. “It feels good to beat a team like US.”
Garza probably would have preferred not to have to have to go to the mound, especially the way sophomore starter Jake Simek was going along through the first five innings. But he and Taylor have a way in keeping in touch with each other just in case he’s needed at any time on the hill.
“Coach kept asking me if my arm was all right,” he said. “When I get on the mound, my adrenaline starts pumping and I’m fine.”
“I’m always asking Jake how his arm feels,” Taylor said. “The other day, I asked him and he said his arm didn’t feel very good, so I didn’t put him in.
“Today, he said he was OK, and I had confidence I could put him in. I try to keep an eye on him.”
The tension seemed to mount with each passing inning after US (12-9) tied the game in the sixth. Schaefer, who led the Conneaut offense with four hits, including a triple, and three RBI held the Lions at bay through the eighth, helped by some solid defense, including a great defensive play by second baseman Andrew Bunnell in the bottom of the eighth, somehow flagging down a sizzling grounder and starting a key double play. On the other side, Shedlock was in command.
That is, until the top of the ninth. Garza walked with one out and was replaced by pinch runner Josh Furmage. He moved to second on a wild pitch, then came all the way around to score on an error by the US second baseman.
But US extended the game to the 10th when Chris Harris walked with one out and Andrew Weisman hit a fielder’s choice to short in which both runners were safe. Will Clements tied the game with a solid single to right, but Garza came on to get the final two outs, the last with the bases loaded.
After Cline scored with the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th, Garza had to rise up again. Shedlock led off with a single to left and was moved to second on a groundout. Garza got the second out on a strikeout, then had a 1-2 count before walking Chris Harris. But Garza got Weisman to ground to Simek, who had moved to first after relinquishing the pitching chores, who made the play at first unassisted.
US coach Ben Bako said his team didn’t capitalize on enough of its opportunities.
“Our pitchers pitched well enough to win, but you have to give (Conneaut) credit,” he said. “They hung around and they took advantage of their opportunities. You have to tip your hat to them.
“The longer you let a team hang around, the better chance you give them. We had our chances in the eighth, ninth and 10th, but we couldn’t get the job done.”
“The thing is, we took advantage of our opportunities,” Taylor said.
Now, the Spartans hope the confidence they gained Monday carries over to today.
“We know NDCL is an excellent team,” Taylor said. “It would have been nice to have two NEC teams playing for the championship today. Now I guess we have to carry the banner for the NEC.”
n NDCL 11, Geneva 0 — It was a case of too much Turosky, too much NDCL offense and too little defense for Geneva.
Mike Szabo’s three-run homer in the first inning was all the support Turosky, who struck out nine batters and walked only one. Geneva’s only hit off him came from Brian Jewell, who got a single leading off the fourth.
Geneva coach Justin Cafaro had to tip his hat to Turosky and his teammates.
“He pitched very well,” he said. “They hit the ball hard. Even their outs were hard-hit.
“They played a heckuva game and we couldn’t get much going. We couldn’t make contact. We didn’t play very well defensively, either.”
NDCL coach Jim Clark said the Lions (17-5) were wary of the Eagles (15-6, 8-4 NEC).
“We had a lot of respect for Geneva coming in,” he said. “We wanted to try and jump on them early. I think getting off to the fast start really boosted our confidence.”
