Baseball Team Wins Its Fifth Straight Game

On Friday afternoon the Bulldogs kept their win streak alive at five with a come from behind win over Mayfield in a well played baseball game by both ball clubs.

Senior left hander Brian Clark took the mound for Stow and pitched a complete game for the win. Early on it was clear that scoring runs would be difficult as Clark was dominant , but so was his Mayfield counterpart. Mayfield went down in order to start the game and also was retired without a run in the second inning. Clark struck out three of the first six batters. The second batter in the second inning did reach base on a walk on a 3-2 pitch.

However, during the next at bat, Clark caught the Mayfield runner napping. He fired the ball to Junior Dan Garner at first who threw to Junior Kyle Scelza charging from shortstop and Scelza ran down the Mayfield runner for the out.

The Stow offense, which has looked good over the last week, struggled against a good left handed pitcher from Mayfield. In the first inning, the second batter, Scelza, reached on a walk, but would be retired in a double play when catcher Senior Ryan Damschroder hit a hard shot that the shortstop snagged to start the double play to end the inning.

In the second inning Stow got the lead off hitter on base when Senior third baseman Ryan Yurkschatt walked. But the Bulldogs could not capitalize as the next three batter went down in order.

Mayfield got the first hit of the ball game with a lead off double to left field. Mayfield then went to work manufacturing a run as they advanced the runner at second to third with a sacrifice bunt and then the runner scored on an infield ground out to give Mayfied a 1-0 lead.

Mayfield would threaten in the fourth inning when two runners reached base with a lead off singe followed by a walk. With two runners on and nobody out, Clark went to work. The next Mayfield batter sacrificed the runners to second and a third with a bunt. But Clark worked out of the inning with a fly out and ground out to keep the game close. In the top of the fifth he retired the side in order.

Stow was retired in order in the third inning and the fourth. The Mayfield starter, having not allowed a hit, appeared to have a possible injury, though, and they brought in a right hander to face Stow in the fifth inning. The result was the same as the Bulldogs were retired in order and the Bulldogs had hit only two balls out of the infield through five innings.

In the Sixth Clark faced the top of the Mayfield order and he retired the side with - four outs. He struck out the third batter swinging, but the ball got past the catcher, Damschroder, and the runner was safe. Damschroder shook his head in frustration, that he would make for in short order. The next Mayfield batter was retired on a grounder and no harm was done.

The 1-0 Mayfield lead looked hard to overcome as the Bulldogs were hitless through five. But then Senior left fielder Klayton Roach lead off the bottom of the sixth with a double on a 1-2 pitch. The next batter, Senior outfielder Jeff Keenan followed with a hard shot to third.

The Mayfield third baseman looked Roach back to second and then fired to first for the out. With the throw, Roach aggressively sprinted to third anyway on the play. After catching the ball for the out, the Mayfield first baseman fired the ball back across the diamond in an attempt to get Roach out at third, but his throw short hopped the third baseman and skipped past into foul territory. Roach slid into third and then jumped up and sprinted home for the game tying run.

Scelza was next up and he hit a solid single to left center. Damschroder then stepped in. After taking two balls, he saw a pitch he liked and drove it to deep right center for a double. On the hit Scelza shifted into high gear and came all the way around to score and give the Bulldgos a 2-1 lead.

Junior Chris Choler would pinch run for Damschroder at second. Senior third baseman Ryan Yurkschatt followed and drilled a double just inside the right field foul line for an RBI scoring Choler. The inning ended with Stow up 3-1 and now Clark had his chance for the win.

Mayfield would not go easily. In the top of the seventh, the first batter struck out, but was safe when the ball again got by the catcher. The next batter grounded to Stow second baseman, senior Anthony Merlene, who fielded the ball and flipped to Scelza to get the out at second, but on the throw down to first, the batter was called safe on a close call.

The next Mayfield batter had doubled earlier in the game and he did it again driving the ball to right center. With runners at second and third, Mayfield sent a pinch hitter to the plate. He and Clark did battle to a 3-2 count with Mayfield fouling off pitches. But then Mayfield hit a grounder that rolled right between Yurkschatt and Scelza to get a single and drive in a run to make the score 3-2 with two men on and only one out. Clark paced the mound and then got set for the next batter who he struck out on a 2-2 pitch.

With two outs now he faced the Mayfield hitter and fired a first pitch strike. On the next pitch Mayfield grounded to third. Yurkschatt charged, gloved, and fired to first baseman Garner for the third out and the win.

Stow has won five straight and in addition to a good Mayfield club has also defeated Solon and Cardinal Mooney in the past week. Clark struck out 8 and walked only one in the victory. Stow's four hits all came in the sixth inning. The senior Roach delivered with the crucial double and first hit to get things going in the come back and then the doubles from seniors Damschroder and Yurkschatt drove in the runs to provide the victory.

Stow will play a double header at home against Revere at noon on Saturday.

Editor's note: Dave Garner submitted information for this story.