Roundup: Sharon baseball tops Hickory; Slippery Rock defeats Grove City

Apr. 8—SHARON — Being the first week of April, teams are a long way from mid-season form. Perhaps that would explain multiple balks and hit-batsmen, a botched run-down play, and some misplayed fly balls.

But no one is complaining in Tiger-town, especially 1st-year Sharon High baseball skipper Kevin Burns.

"I know this is only the second game, but this is a little foundation we're tryin' to build. We're workin' hard in practice, and we're doin' what we have to do ... and havin' a little fun, too," a smiling Burns summarized following his Tigers' 12-9 triumph over Hickory.

At Johnny Pepe Field in Wednesday's matinee Sharon posted a 1st-frame 6-spot, then had to weather Hickory's 5th-frame 6-run rally.

Sharon starting pitcher Sully Brown took the Tigers into the 6th stanza, but wilted in the 80-degree temperature after 91 pitches. Mikey Rodriquez recorded a 4-out save for Sharon (2-0).

"Sully's our number one pitcher, and Mikey came in and cleaned it up for him," said Burns. "That's what you do when you're developing a pitching staff. And Cole Voytik will be ready for our next game.

"But everybody did a nice job," Burns praised. "We hit the ball, and that's what you've gotta do to win games. We put twelve runs on the board."

The Tigers' trio at the top — Peyton Koss, Brown and Jason Stanek — combined for an 8-for-12 plate performance with 8 runs scored. Leadoff man Koss connected for half of those hits and Stanek scored half of those runs. Each reached base 4 times.

"Jason has been steady, and Peyton's our leadoff hitter. He gets on and ... that first inning, all heck broke loose," Burns said.

Righthanded-hitting Rodriquez ripped 3 hits, including a 2-run triple to the left-center field gap that highlighted a 4-run 5th frame. Leading 12-3 at that point, Sharon actually was one swing away from a 10-run mercy-rule win, but Sy Piccirilli's laser liner to left-center was speared by Hickory's Matt Jordan.

"I'm proud of the boys, and they're learnin' how to be tough out there," Burns praised. "The kids work hard, and that's what it translated to (Wednes)day."

Notes: Right-handers Brandon Boyles (4 innings, 76 pitches, 47 strikes, 8 runs, 10 hits, 2 KOs, 1 walk, 1 hit bats-man) and Lanschak (2 innings, 43 pitches, 22 strikes, 4 runs, 5 hits, 2 walks) hurled for Hickory. Righty Sullivan's final line was 91 pitches (58 strikes), 9 runs, 9 hits, 3 KOs, 1 walk, 2 hit-batsmen. Reliever Rodriquez required 32 pitches (18 strikes) for his 4 outs. He whiffed 3 and walked 1.

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In other spring sports events:

BASEBALL

— Slippery Rock 4, Grove City 1 — At Slippery Rock, the Rockets (1-0, 2-0) registered more runs than hits in both teams' Region 2 opener.

With Grove City ace Mason Jones on the hill, Slippery Rock managed just three hits (single and double from Brett Galcik and Walker Vogan single), but took advantage of five walks and a pair of errors.

Slippery Rock jumped on their rivals in the first, pushing a single run across without the aide of a base hit and extended its lead to 2-0 after doing the same in the second inning.

Grove City cut into the deficit with its only run of the game in the top of the third when Coldan Barr singled and scored on Jones' sacrifice fly.

The Eagles' momentum quickly faded with a pair of Slippery Rock runs in the fourth when Galcik ripped an inning-opening double and scored on Vogan's single.

Colin McCune — who followed Galcik's double with a free pass — scored the final run of the afternoon on a passed ball with two away.

Slippery Rock junior Shane Thompson picked up the win, striking out 7 and scattering 5 hits over 6 1/3 innings. McCune earned the save by recording the final two outs.

For Grove City (0-1, 1-2), Criss singled twice and doubled, while Luke Tubbs beat out a pair of infield singles.

Jones was saddled with the loss, allowing just 2 hits and 4 runs over 4 innings of work. He struck out 6 and walked 5 — Information submitted by Herald Sports Correspondent Corey J. Corbin.

— Reynolds 4, Mercer 2 — At Transfer, the Raiders picked up the Region 1 win over the Mustangs.

Reynolds scored a run in the 1st inning, 1 in the 4th, and 2 in the 5th. Mercer plated 1 run in the 5th and 1 in the 7th.

Noah Geiwitz pitched 5 2/3 innings for the Raiders. He fanned 4, walked 1, and gave up 1 run on 7 hits. Jared Wyant and Cameron Buckley closed it out. They struck out 3, issued 1 walk, and gave up 1 run on 2 hits.

Geiwitz doubled, Wyant ripped 2 singles and drove in a run, and Patrick Belback added a pair of singles.

Troy Bachman pitched 5 2/3 innings for Mercer. He struck out 5, issued no walks, and gave up all 4 runs on 8 hits.

Cole Cunningham had a pair of hits for the Mustangs, Bachman had an RBI double, and Jake Mattocks added an RBI single.

— West Middlesex 9, Conneaut (Ohio) 8 (8 inn.) — At West Middlesex, Coach Kolten Hoffman's Big Reds plated 3 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning to force extra innings and then won the Region 1 clash in the 8th.

WM cut the lead to 8-6 in the 7th on a bases-loaded walk. Eric Nehlen came to the plate and ripped a 2-out, 2-run single to tie the game 8-all.

In the 8th inning, Tanner Shick drove in the winning run with a 2-out, RBI walkoff single.

No other stats were reported to The Herald.

— Wilmington 3, Kennedy Catholic 2 — At Hermitage, Isaac Schleich's 2-out, RBI-single proved decisive for the visiting Greyhounds in the Region 1 affair.

Schleich's hit was preceded by Ben Miller's 1-out single, while winning pitcher Jaret Boyer advanced him to 3rd base, setting the stage for Schleich.

Boyer bested KC by gong the distance, allowing only 4 hits and 1 earned run. He whiffed 10 and walked 1. Also for Wilmington (2-0 region, 3-0 overall) Garrett Heller and Boyer banged doubles.

Kennedy Catholic hurler Remington Hart yielded 2 hits and the 1 run in his lone inning. Also, KC's Cochenour doubled for the game's lone extra-base hit.

— Sharpsville 14, Lakeview 4 (5 inn.) — At the McCullough Run Recreation Complex in South Py Twp., the Blue Devils took a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the 1st inning and never looked back in rolling past the Sailors in the Region 1 clash.

Sharpsville added 4 runs in the 2nd inning, 2 in the 3rd, and 3 in the 4th frame.

Kaleb Gorichky belted 2 home runs, singled, and drove in 3 runs for the Blue Devils, Cameron Williams ripped a 3-run double and had a sacrifice fly, Zak Ramsey had a 2-run double, Andrew Frye added a double and RBI single, Stephen Tarnoci doubled and singled, and Kolton Eckles contributed an RBI single.

Doyle (1 inning), Jack Leipheimer (3), and Eckles split time on the mound for the Blue Devils. They combined to strike out 8 batters, issued 3 walks, and gave up 7 hits.

Sharpsville also had 2 impressive double plays. Brock Lenzi made a catch in left field and then gunned down a player at home as catcher Jared Leipheimer applied the tag to end the 1st inning.

In the 5th, Tarnoci at second base threw to Frye at first for an out and then Frye fired a throw to Leipheimer at home plate for a tag to end the game.

Kendall Crocker (2 2/3) and Isaac DeVault pitched for Lakeview. They fanned 2, walked 5, and gave up 11 hits.

At the dish for the Sailors, Mason Bevan belted a 2-run homer, Kyle Uber and Ted Shillito doubled and singled, and DeVault added an RBI single.

BOYS TENNIS

— Sharon 4, Grove City 1 — At Grove City, Jake Auchter and Jake Cattron won at 1st and 2nd singles and the Tigers swept the doubles matches in the win over the Eagles.

Nathan Collins won at No. 3 singles for GC.

Singles: Auchter (S) def. Jimmy Nichols, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3; Cattron (S) def. Ryan Waugman, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5; Collins (GC) def. Peter Wood, 6-1, 6-2. Doubles: Nikolas Hunchuk-Ty Chartraw (S) def. Eric Baumgartner-Isaac Aldstadt, 7-6, 6-3; Andrew Joint-Liam Klingensmith (S) def. Shane Cavolo-Landon Schofield, 6-2, 6-0.

— Hickory 5, Rocky Grove 0 — At the Hickory High Tennis Center, the Hornets improved to 2-1 in Region 1 and 2-2 overall with the sweep.

Tony Giusepucci, Kevin Walton, and Remy Abalos swept singles play for the Hornets while Logan Phillips-Arick Samoros and Chris Trontel-Ryan Orendi teamed up for doubles' wins.

"I'm happy with how our team played across the board," said Hickory Coach Ed Newmeyer. "We definitely showed signs of improved play and are looking forward to April's busy match schedule."

Singles: Giusepucci def. Renner Weisman, 6-0, 6-0; Walton def. Tyler Thompson, 6-1, 6-1; Abalos def. Conner Jones, 6-0, 6-1. Doubles: Phillips-Samoros def. Mallory Wetjen-Desiree Dulaney, 6-1, 6-0; Trontel-Orendi def. Malee Nolf-Miranda Gardner, 6-0, 6-0.

SOFTBALL

— Brookfield 14, Western Reserve 0 (5 inn.) — At Brookfield Twp. Park Wednesday, Autumn Sirochman homered, tripled, doubled and drove in 3 runs as the Lady Warriors rolled past Western Reserve.

Brookfield scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning, 2 in the 2nd, 2 in the 3rd, and blew the game open with 7 runs in the 4th frame.

Grace Schultz fired a 1-hitter for Brookfield and struck out 7 batters.

Schultz, Jenae Pugh, Abby DeJoy, and Macy Devine all had 2 hits. Devine and Schultz each drove in 2 runs.

— Franklin 13, Sharon 3 (6 inn.) — At Franklin Tuesday, the visiting Lady Tigers got on the board quick with an Iresha Norris' RBI-single. The Knights answered quickly with 3 of their own in the bottom half of the inning with doubles by Sydni Hoobler and Kirsten Hicks. Franklin pounded out 10 more runs over the the final 5 innings to secure the mercy-rule in the 6th.

Winning pitcher Trinity Edge homered and singled, Kaylyn Fry doubled twice and singled, and Hoobler doubled twice and singled to lead the Knights' offense.

For Sharon, Kaley McMahon laced a triple and scored once, Ella Connelly and Miranda Metro collected 2 hits each, and Emma Kimble went the distance from the circle for Sharon striking out 2, and issuing 3 free passes.

Sharon (1-3 overall, 0-1 region) hosts Grove City today at Wengler field.

TRACK & FIELD

BOYS

— Hickory 116, Sharon 29 — At Hornet Stadium, host Hickory was led by Cole Frazier (400, distance- and mile-relay legs), Michael Henwood (100, 200, sprint-relay leg), Brady Mellott (high hurdles, high jump), Tommy Hunyadi (800-, 3200-meter runs, distance-relay leg), and Sam Chlpka and Vincent Wolf (distance- and mile-relay legs).

Sharon's Sean Ruggles swept the discus and javelin events for the visiting Tigers.

GIRLS

— Hickory 106, Sharon 41 — At Hornet Stadium, host Hickory was paced by Aniyah Anderson (high, intermediate hurdles, sprint-relay leg), Kayla Saylor (100-, 400-meter dashes, sprint-relay leg), Christie Boren (200-meter dash, 4x1 anchor leg), Hanna Wilcox (sprint- and mile-relay legs), and Paige Griffith (high jump, 4x4 relay leg).

Gianna Labbiento swept the 800- and 1600-meter runs and anchored the 4x8 relay team for the visiting Lady Tigers.

CROSS COUNTRY

BOYS

HICKORY 116, SHARON 29

3200 relay---Hickory (Chlpka, Wolf, Hunyadi, Frazier), 9:21.85; 110 hurdles---Mellott (H), 16.2; 100---Henwood (H), 11.08; 1600---Coul (H), 5:55.13; 400---Frazier (H), 53.02; 400 relay---Hickory (Whitehead, Iacino, Henwood, Scullin), 44.62; 300 hurdles---Bliss (S), 48.17; 800---Hunyadi (H), 2:24.86; 200---Henwood (H), 22.55; 3200---Hunyadi (H), 12:12.40; 1600 relay---Hickory (Wolf, Chlpka, Frazier, Nevil), 3:56.17; Shot put---Carroll (S), 40-0 1/2; Discus---Ruggles (S), 110-5; Javelin---Ruggles (S), 112-3 1/4; Long jump---Nagle (H), 20-6 1/2; Triple jump---Scarvel (H), 39-3; High jump ---Mellott (H), 5-11; Pole vault---Kirvosh (H), 7-6

GIRLS

HICKORY 106, SHARON 41

3200 relay---Sharon (Ostheimer, Douglas, Messina, Labbiento), 11:14.56; 100 hurdles---Anderson (H), 15.21; 100---Saylor (H) 13.63; 1600---Labbiento (S), 5:27.01; 400---Saylor (H), 1:10.73; 400 relay---Hickory (Wilcox, Saylor, Anderson, Boren), 52.69; 300 hurdles---Anderson (H), 47.69; 800---Labbiento (S), 2:31.93; 200---Boren (H), 27.90; 3200---Stephenson (H), 13:42.16; 1600 relay---Hickory (Stephens, Wier, Griffith, Wilcox), 5:11.34; Shot put---Smith (H), 31-4 1/2; Discus---Kovac (H), 99-3; Javelin---Hardman (S), 89-1; Long jump---Evans (H), 15-4; Triple jump---Miller (H), 29-1 1/2; High jump---Griffith (H), 5-4; Pole vault---Bull (H), 8-0.