The 2023 OHSAA Division III State Championship Kenston Bombers baseball team has had a busy start to its new season.
The 2023 OHSAA Division III State Championship Kenston Bombers baseball team has had a busy start to its new season.
After playing four games on a spring trip to Tennessee, the Bombers returned home to Ohio on March 28 for a contest against the Avon Eagles.
Facing their opponents at Mercy Health Stadium, the home of the Lake Erie Crushers, the Bombers showed great resiliency and battled back to tie the Eagles 6-6.
Post-game, Kenston Head Coach Joe Hritz said that he was pleased with the progression his team is making.
“It’s always tough ending in a tie,” Hritz said. “We started out real slow, made some mistakes in the field, but it’s coming along.
“Seeing the guys battle back, especially the past couple days, to either put themselves in position to win or pull out a couple games, has been good to see.”
After the Eagles went up early 2-0, the Bombers scored three runs in the top of the third to take a 3-2 lead.
Grady Flynn started the top of the third inning with a walk. After advancing to third on two ground outs, Flynn scored on an Eagles wild pitch.
With two outs, the Bombers then loaded the bases when University of Akron commit LA Mighton reached base on an error. This was followed by Ohio University commit Jimmy Cerha and teammate Avery Siperke drawing walks.
Bridger Bischof then had the big hit of the game for the Bombers. With two outs and an 0-2 count, Bischof doubled on a line drive to right field, which drove in Mighton and Cerha and put the Bombers ahead 3-2.
Post-game, Bischof spoke about his third-inning double.
“I hit a little line shot over the first baseman’s head and got to second base on the play,” he said.
Added his coach, “(Bridger) always comes through in situations, and he was able to turn on the ball. He made a great swing on it. He attacked the pitch and went after it. It was a big momentum swing.”
After a scoreless fourth inning for both teams, the Eagles scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 6-3 lead. This, however, did not faze the Bombers, as they came back with three runs of their own to end the game tied at 6.
First, Tommy Pecoraro started the top of the sixth inning with a line drive single. Beclay then walked, and the Bombers loaded the bases after Mighton was hit by a pitch.
Cerha drove home Pecoraro on fielder’s choice. However, a throwing error on the same play allowed Beclay to score from second base to make the score 6-5.
The Bombers tied the game when Cerha scored from third base on a wild pitch.
Neither team scored in the remaining inning and a half.
In addition to their Eagles contest, Kenston played four games on their spring trip.
The Bombers lost their first two games in Tennessee, 1-0 and 4-1.
On March 26, Kenston was left offensively in a 10-0 victory over the Johnsburg Skyhawks by Bischof, who was 2-2 with an RBI, and Nolan Gelin, who was 2-4
with an RBI. On the mound, Bischof, Griffin Marcoguiseppe and Luke Schaedler combined for a three-hit, six inning shutout.
The next day, Kenston defeated the Maine East Blue Demons 10-6, coming back from a 6-2 fourth-inning deficit. Leading the Bombers offensively were Andy Fender (2-3, RBI), Beclay (2-3, RBI) and Cerha (2-4), and Beclay got the victory, throwing 3.1 innings of 1-hit baseball and striking out five batters.
The Bombers would return to the field April 1 for their home opener against the Solon Comets.
