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Early starts gives Boardman varsity 9-3 win over Poland

A strong start from the top of their batting order gave the Boardman Spartan varsity baseball team an impressive 9-3 win over the Poland Bulldogs. Sophomore pitcher Rob Boyd helped the cause by keeping the Poland batters at bay for the first 4 innings allowing only 2 hits.
The power of Boardman's lead off batters once again put the locals up 4-0 in the 1^st inning. Mike Popio lead things off with a double and came home on Kevin McCulloh's double. After loading up the bases, Pat O'Brien singled home an additional 2 runs before Dean Porter sent home the last run in the inning on a single.
Staring back at the top of the order in the 2^nd inning gave Boardman another opportunity to plate 1 run as Dan Kubala singled in Jon Tatarka who had singled to get on.
Going into the 5^th inning the Poland batters finally found Boyd's pitches and rallied for a 3 run inning before Joe Strawinski came in the game in relief striking out the final 2 batters to stop the Bulldogs scoring. Poland scored after a pair of walks put runners on and Matt Pitzulo homered on a 3-1 count.
The Spartans came back in the bottom half of the inning to erase Poland's runs by adding 4 more of their own. Strawinski, who just entered the game, highlighted the scoring by pounding a 3 run homer with 1 out. The inning ended after Tatarka scored after getting on with a fielders choice and coming home with a double hit by McCulloh that gave Boardman the 9-3 final score.
Boyd got credit for the mound win raking up 3 strike outs while giving up 3 walks and 3 runs. Poland's Tim Dennison took the loss in only 1 1/3 innings being tagged with 5 of Boardman's runs.
Boardman's powerful "Hit Squad" saw McCulloh go 2 of 3, both being doubles, and getting 2 RBI's. Strawinski had 3 RBI's off his 3 run home run while Popio added another double to the cause. Rounding out hitting for the day was Tatarka who had a hit, 2 runs and 2 stolen bases and O'Brien who had a hit, 1 run and 2 RBI's.
For Poland Pitzulo was 2 of 3 with a 2 run homer and Sean Gabrie had a double. The win puts Boardman at 3-1.

Mark Calautti of Boardman covers 3rd base as Alex Maceyko rounds the base on his way home in 5th inning action against Poland. Photo courtesy of Sportshots Photography.

Boardman Freshman baseball drop season opener to Poland

The Boardman High School freshman baseball team finally opened their season this week with an 11-6 loss to Poland. This was the first opportunity for the freshman team to play on a grass field because of the early season bad weather.
The contest started good for Boardman as they retired the first two batters before Clay Cooper singled to get on and advanced home on a single by David Bobby. Bobby came home on a double by Noah Hockendoner that put Poland up 2-0.
In the second inning Brandon Maceyko lead things off with a single and touched home on a fielder's choice hit by Drew Wagner. Boardman answered back with one run in the bottom half of the inning when Chris D'Apolito walked to get on with one out. He advanced on a Matt Higgins single and came home on a fielder's choice hit by Joey Markovitch. The inning ended with Poland up 3-1.
With two outs in the fourth inning, Bill Stanton was hit by a wild pitch to get on and eventually came home on a short stops error giving Poland a 4-1 lead
The fifth inning saw Poland plate four more runs. Lead off batter Bobby was hit by a pitch and Hockendoner followed with a single. Alex Magni then walked loading the bases before Maceyko double home two runs. Boardman pitcher Alec Neapolitan then retired the next two batters before Drew Calcagni singled home two more runs.
In the bottom half of the inning Boardman's bats finally saw some use as the Spartans cut Poland's lead to 8-4 getting three runs off of two hits. Markovitch and Carmen Tarantino lead off with back to back singles then David DiBernardi walked to load the bases. Both Mark Calautti and Neapolitan followed walking in runs before a sac fly by Tommy Slagle sent home Boardman's last run of the inning.
The sixth inning saw Poland pad their lead by two more runs. With one out Cooper walked getting on before Hockendoner was hit by a pitch. A single by Maceyko on the right side sent both runners in.
Poland rounded out their scoring in the seventh inning with Donahue tagging a double and coming home on Coopers single. Boardman fought back in the bottom half of the inning getting two more runs but it was not enough. Calauttis single started off the inning then he advanced to third on a first baseman's error and a wild pitch. Slagle walked to get on before moving to second on a pass ball. Both runners came home on a ground out by Pilolli.
For the day Cooper took the mound win going five innings getting seven strike outs and giving up nine walks and three hits. Bobby pitched two innings of relief for Poland. Tarantino had the loss for Boardman going four innings and getting five strikeouts and giving up only three walks and four hits. Neapolitan pitched two innings of relief while Markovitch added one.
Poland was lead at the plate by Hockendoner who had a double and single with one RBI. Calcagni and Maceyko each had two RBI's with Maceyko hitting a double and two singles. Boardman was lead at the plate by Tarantino with two singles.

Boardman Varsity suffers loss to Federal League Foe

A 7^th inning opportunity to pull out a win was lost with 2 men on last week against Federal League opponent Uniontown Lake for the Boardman varsity baseball team. An early one run lead disappeared in the 4^th inning for the Boardman as Lake went up 2-1.
Shane Parks scored Boardman's lone run in the 2^nd inning after getting on with a left fielders error. A sac fly by Pat O'Brien sent home Parks.
Lake took the led 2-1 in the 4^th inning after a 3^rd baseman's error put on a runner and a follow up single added another. Jim Smith and Micah Stair were able to send both runners home.
Both teams remained scoreless for the remainder of the contest but in the bottom of the 7^th inning Boardman was able to get runners on 1^st and 2^nd base. With 2 outs Mike Popio came to the plate. While facing a 1-1 count, Robby Boyd was caught leading off 1^st base ending Boardman's hope of a comeback win.
The loss on the mound was suffered by Pat O'Brien who went 7 innings giving up 4 hits and 2 runs while recording 4 strike outs. Lakes Colin Broughton got the win, also going the distance.
Popio and O'Brien each had doubles on the day, with O'Brien adding an RBI. Anthony Frank led Lake going 2 of 3.

Boardman moves to 2-0 with win over Liberty

Boardman High Schools Varsity baseball team moved to 2-0 on the year with a 6-1 win over Liberty at the high school field. Boardman pitcher Joe Strawinski had 10 strike outs in 4 innings on his way to the win.
Boardman jumped on the Leopards early getting all six of their runs in the first two innings. In the first inning Jon Tatarka started things off with a walk and eventually came home on a wild pitch. Kevin McCulloh followed with a single and Pat O'Brien got on with a fielders choice. Both runners were hit home on Shane Parks double giving Boardman a 3-0 lead.
In the second inning Dean Porter lead off with a single with Mike Popio hitting a single with one out. Porter came home on a sac fly by Kevin McCulloh followed by Dan Kubala's two run double. The three runs gave Boardman a 6-0 lead.
P.J. Finley added Liberty's only run in the sixth inning after singling with one out.
Popio lead all hitters going 3-4 with one run and a stolen base. Kubala and Parks each went 1-2 with doubles and each had two RBI's. Kyle Conway's double in the first inning lead Liberty.
Strawinski got the mound win with four innings of service getting 10 strike outs and giving up one hit. Nate Fader had the loss giving up eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Canfield Upsets Boardman in 7th inning 4-3

Saddling Canfields play for 6 innings was not enough for the Boardman Varsity baseball team as Canfield came back scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the 7^th inning to upset Boardman 4-3.
Boardman put up runs in the 1^st and 2^nd innings taking the early lead. Mike Popio scored in the 1^st after a single going home on Kevin McCulloh's single. In the 2^nd inning Joe Strawinski scored on a single by Popio. Strawinski got on with a fielders choice.
In the 4^th inning, Shane Parks started things off with a single then Dean Porter tripled him home putting Boardman up 3-0.
Canfield put together a run in the 5^th inning after Carrolle doubled to get on then came home on a double by Cheslik making it 3-1.
Canfield's bats came alive in the 7^th inning as Kucek singled to lead things off and Turocy and Cheslik each doubled with Chesliks hit tying up the game. Banna followed with a single that scored Cheslik and gave him the game winning RBI.
For the day Shane Parks took the loss in 1 inning of action giving up 4 hits and 3 runs. McCulloh went 5 innings giving up 5 hits and a run with 4 strike outs for Boardman. Kucek had the win for Canfield.
Porter led Boardman at the plate going 3 for 3 with a triple and an RBI. Popio was 2 for 3 with an RBI while Dan Kubala was 1 of 2 with a double. Carrocce, Turocy and Cheslik each had a double and singles for Canfield and scored runs. The loss put Boardman at 2-1 on the year.

Boardman Freshman take Federal league win over Lake

The Boardman Boys Freshman baseball team beat Uniontown Lake 7-1 in their first Federal League contest moving their record to 1-1.
After going down 1-0 in the 2^nd inning Boardman lit up their bats putting together 4 runs in the bottom half of the inning. Alec Neapolitan started things off with a hard hit single to the short stop then with 2 outs Joey Markovitch's single sent home a run. A long triple hit by Carmen Tarantino was then stretched into 4 bases on a throwing error that plated 3 more runs.
In the 3^rd inning, again with 2 outs, Tommy Slagle got on base with a fielders choice advancing to 3^rd base on pass balls before Sam Cambouris singled him home putting the locals up 5-1.
Boardman scored 2 more runs in both the 5^th and 6^th innings. Mark Calautti scored after a single that saw him advance on a wild pitch and infield error and Danny Albertini scared in the 6^th after getting hit by a pitch.
For the day Mark Leone went the distance on the mound getting 10 strike outs and giving up 5 hits. Ries had the loss with 7 hits and 2 walks.
Markovitch and Calautti each went 2 for 3 and scored a run with Markovitch getting an RBI. Tarantino was 1 for 2 with a triple. Rapchoch had 2 singles for Lake.