Hardman, Marsh lead Brookfield baseball team past Struthers, 8-5

May 7—STRUTHERS, Ohio — The Brookfield baseball team had its opportunities, and a series of quality at-bats allowed the Warriors to break Saturday's gameopen in the middle innings.

The Warriors scored seven runs combined in the fourth and fifth innings of an 8-5 win over Struthers at Cene Park.

With the game tied at 1 entering the fourth, the Warriors (6-13) loaded the bases. Gavin Marsh followed with an RBI single over the left fielder's head to give Brookfield the lead. Hunter Warrender and Hays Montgomery drew bases-loaded walks and Brandon Hardman added a two-run double.

"Our kids sometimes swing at pitches early and they get in trouble," first-year Brookfield coach Randy Clark said. "We try to tell them, 'Get something you like until it's two strikes and then we protect.'

"We're getting better. It's the first year. They're starting to listen, and they're responding well."

Brookfield added a couple more runs in the fifth, and that was enough breathing room for Hardman.

The lefty stayed out of trouble most of the afternoon. The Wildcats (10-9) scored five runs, but most of the work came from Alec Grzyb and Chance Laczko. Grzyb drove in Laczko three times — twice on sacrifice flies and once on double in the fifth inning.

Hardman lasted 6 2/3 innings for the Warriors. He allowed five runs, but only four were earned. Bray Coleman relieved the Brookfield starter in the seventh. He got Caleb Sakara to ground out to end the game and record thesave.

"We were mixing some of the curveballs and fastballs in there, trying to catch them off guard," Hardman said.

Brookfield has two games against Champion and one more with Mathews to close out the regular season. Then it's on to the playoffs.

The Warriors were given the 20th seed in the playoffs. They will hit the road to play 17th-seeded East Palestine in the sectional semifinals on May 15. The playoff brackets were released by the Ohio High School Athletic Association on Sunday.

Brookfield was knocked out in the sectional final last season. The Warriors will look to make it to the district semifinals for the first time since 2011.

Clark would like to see the bats come alive a little more before the end of the season, and then maybe they could make a little noise in the postseason.

"I got three or four freshmen and some sophomores that are playing a lot," Clark said. "I came in with nine seniors, but we got a ways to go. We're just trying to put it together."