If, as many think, the Westhill and Solvay baseball teams are supposed to battle it out atop the OHSL Liberty division, then their initial encounter shows they’re not too far apart.
The Warriors are still on top, but it had to work hard in last Thursday’s game to turn back the Bearcats 3-2, the game not settled until the bottom of the seventh inning, when Brad Canavan’s single brought Ryan Roland home with the winning run.
Brett Peterson started for Solvay, and had his only early issues in the bottom of the first, Westhill scoring twice on Sam Walsh’s RBI single and an error that allowed Canavan to cross the plate.
Settling down from there, Peterson blanked Westhill for the next five innings, giving the Bearcats ample time to catch up. Solvay finally got to Warriors pitcher Mike Burton for a run in the fourth thanks to a single, fielder’s choice, hit by pitch and Peterson’s single that scored Brandon Franklin.
The Warriors still led, 2-1, when in the top of the sixth the Bearcats pulled even, loading the bases before Peterson reached on a force play that scored Sammy Kippen. But Joe Sweeny relieved Burton, escaped further trouble and blanked Solvay in the seventh.
So it was 2-2 when, in the bottom of the seventh, Roland led off with a single against Peterson and advanced to second on Galen Hayes’ sacrifice bunt. Kippen replaced Peterson on the mound and got Brian O’Mara to ground out, but on a 1-1 pitch Canavan singled and Roland raced home to give Westhill a hard-earned victory.
Solvay began its week by hosting Phoenix last Monday afternoon and proceeding to put together a massive second-inning outburst at the plate, leading the way to a 21-2 romp over the Firebirds.
With the score still 0-0 in the bottom of the second, the Bearcats amassed 11 runs, eventually building an 18-0 lead before Phoenix got both of its runs in the top of the fifth.
No less than 11 different Solvay hitters got at least one RBI. Josh Chrysler led the way, doubling twice and driving in three runs, while Peterson, Colin Lucio and Dustin Harris each got two RBIs. Chrysler and Peterson scored four runs apiece as Mike Yaizzo, staying patient, drew three walks, the same as Harris and Peterson. Mike Cimino scored three times.
This gave ample run support to pitcher Josh Rutkowski, who lasted five innings, striking out seven while holding Phoenix to four hits before Jake Kyanka did the rest in relief.
Westhill didn’t take the field until Wednesday afternoon, when it ventured to Hannibal, but the trip proved rewarding as, in this Warrior clash, Westhill prevailed by a 6-1 margin, Corey Demauro pitching most of the way as he and Mike Burton combined to hold Hannibal to four hits.
Gaining a 3-0 lead by the second inning, Westhill didn’t need any more production, but it tacked on a run in the fifth and two runs in the sixth. Canavan and Hayes each had one RBI as O’Mara, Roland, Bobby Antonacci, Joe Carello and Jeff Lobello scored runs.
