Maumee Baseball Team Rallies For Win Over Rossford, 6-1
BY KYLE BORCHERS — MIRROR SPORTS
The Maumee baseball team erupted for four runs in the fifth inning to overcome a 1-0 deficit and go on to a 6-1 win versus Rossford at Ned Skeldon Stadium last Wednesday.
With one out in the fifth inning, senior Max Reese hit a hustle double on a little fly ball that the Rossford rightfielder apparently lost in the sun.
Next, sophomore Cal Reese (the No. 9 batter) singled and then senior Jordon Jakacki ripped the first pitch he saw into the hole, past a diving third baseman to tie the game at 1-1.
A walk to junior Corey Kolbow loaded the bases and then a wild pitch scored Reese to give the Panthers a 2-1 lead.
Junior Ryan Williams then delivered the big blow, a two-run single lined up the middle, to make it 4-1.
“We broke out in the fifth inning,” said Maumee coach Cam Coutcher. “We’ve had some pretty good production from the bottom of the order, but Williams really delivered.”
Jakacki kept the good times rolling with a nice sliding catch on a sinking liner to center that he had to sprint in on during the top of the sixth.
In the bottom of the frame, senior Tyler Iwinski led off with a pinch-hit single and then Max Reese shot a double to left.
Later, Reese scored on a passed ball and then Jakacki put an exclamation point on the win with an RBI triple to left for the 6-1 final.
On the other side of the ball, Max Reese pitched a complete game, limiting the Bulldogs to just three hits.
Reese struck out six and the run Rossford got in the first inning was unearned. After struggling with his command earlier in the season, Reese walked three batters (he had walked eight and seven, respectively, his previous two outings).
“Max did a good job (vs. Rossford),” Coutcher said. “He knows the importance of throwing strikes and getting ahead of batters, and that’s exactly what he did. He didn’t try to do too much; he threw strikes and gave us a chance to make plays.”
Jakacki finished 2-for-4 and both Reese boys scored twice.
“We’ve been hitting the ball all season, but the hits just haven’t always fallen for us,” Coutcher said. “We just keep telling the guys to stay disciplined and relax.
“Hopefully, the ball keeps finding gaps for us and we get hot and stay there.”
Rossford senior pitcher Kyle Schwind was cruising right along, allowing only three base runners until Maumee’s big fifth inning.
Schwind also went 2-for-3 at the plate and senior Josh Cowden had the Bulldogs’ lone RBI.
Note: Maumee’s game at Perrysburg on Friday was suspended due to darkness with the score tied 13-13 after eight innings. The game will pick up on Monday, May 5, at Perrysburg at 4:45 p.m. The corresponding article about this game between the cross-river rivals is slated to run May 8.
Ottawa Hills 8, MHS 2
Maumee got off to a good start versus Ottawa Hills last Tuesday at Ned Skeldon, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
The Panthers, however, couldn’t string together enough hits after that and seven walks and five errors also hurt them in what turned out to be an 8-2 loss.
Maumee jumped all over Ottawa Hills senior starting pitcher Dom DePompei in the first inning.
Junior Brian Rahman hit a one-out double and then with two outs, Williams poked an RBI single through the hole on the left side to make it 1-0.
Next, junior Bobby Chapman pulled a double down the left-field line to give the hosts a 2-0 advantage.
Maumee senior Alfredo Serrano recorded two strikeouts in a perfect first inning and he also faced the minimum number of batters in the second.
In the third, though, two walks started the inning and then a sacrifice bunt and a balk made it 2-1. A sac fly by junior Nasri Hajjar tied it at 2-2.
After struggling to open the fourth, Cal Reese relieved Serrano. The first batter Reese faced – senior Andy Stancati – hit an RBI single to give the Green Bears a 3-2 lead.
Two Maumee errors helped lead to three unearned runs in the fifth, giving Ottawa Hills a comfortable 6-2 lead.
In the sixth, a two-run double by senior Brent Abendroth off the third baseman’s glove provided the final score.
The Panthers offense had at least one runner on base in all but the fourth inning, but DePompei didn’t walk any batters and Ottawa Hills only committed one error on the evening.
DePompei picked up the complete-game victory, scattering seven hits while striking out only one.
Rahman looked good at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two doubles. He was the only Panther to have multiple hits.
Junior Nick Gerschultz pitched a perfect seventh for Maumee. Stancati finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and two stolen bases.
Senior shortstop Johnny Crooks went 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Green Bears.
Also for Ottawa Hills, freshman J.J. Buckey scored twice and senior Jake Bruner hit a double.
Maumee Downs Springfield In Tennis; Panthers Now 10-2
BY KYLE BORCHERS — MIRROR SPORTS
Maumee beat visiting Springfield 4-1 last Wednesday in Northern Lakes League tennis action, a match that was suspended due to rain after about 20 minutes of play on April 10.
Seniors Tyler Cronin and Aaron Buschmann won 6-1, 6-0 for the Panthers in No. 1 doubles over sophomore Chad Campbell and senior Tiffany Wylie.
In No. 2 doubles, Maumee seniors Austin Gray and Nick Kieswether scratched out a 7-5, 6-4 win over sophomore Oladeji Tiamyu and junior Shane Sobcziak.
The first singles match ended with junior Derek Mason grabbing the Blue Devils’ only win on the evening, 6-2, 6-4 over senior Mick Fagans.
“For a while there, we thought Fagans might pull this one out,” said Maumee coach Ken Slivka, “but Mason is a nice player who managed to make some great shots at some key moments.”
In second singles, Maumee sophomore John Russell won 6-1, 7-5 over sophomore Nile Kamlani.
In third singles, junior Adam Radtke won 6-1, 6-0 for the Panthers over sophomore Drew Pezzin.
The win improved Maumee’s record to 3-1 in the NLL, 9-2 overall. Springfield fell to 2-5 (0-4).
Maumee 4, Northview 1
Maumee beat visiting Northview 4-1 last Thursday to improve to 4-1 in the conference.
Fagans won 6-0, 6-2 in No. 1 singles over Holles.
“Fagans has been improving in every match he plays,” Slivka said. “This was one of his strongest wins of the season – and Russell and Radtke followed his example.”
In No. 2 singles, Russell won 6-1, 6-2 over Patel. Radtke breezed to a 6-0, 6-0 win in third singles over Seigneur.
Buschmann and Cronin battled but lost, 1-6, 7-6, 5-7, to Jurski and Rachwal in first doubles. Buschmann and Cronin’s record stood at 9-2 at the end of the week.
In second doubles, Gray and Kieswether won 6-2, 7-5 over Deng and Camp.
“Our 10-2 team record at the end of the week has been very satisfying for the guys,” Slivka said.
“When you consider that we added a couple of quality opponents this year (Waite and St. Francis) and that we lost our best player from last year (Toby Flemming), our results reflect the depth we have throughout the lineup.
“You only have to win three of the five matches to get the ‘W’ for the team. While Fagans has been playing the top player from each team, this has enabled our other singles players and the doubles teams to match up very well with their opponents (they all have winning records).”
Maumee 4, Rossford 1
Maumee won 4-1 over visiting Rossford last Tuesday. The match was originally supposed to be on the road for the Panthers, but there were some issues on Rossford’s courts.
Fagans won 6-2, 6-4 over Evarts in first singles.
In second singles, Russell won 6-2, 6-3 over Mark Hotz. Radtke won 6-0, 6-4 over Appt in the third position.
Buschmann and Cronin pulled out a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 win in No. 1 doubles over Bohland and Andy Hotz.
Maumee’s only loss of the day was at No. 2 doubles, a 4-6, 6-7 (6-8) loss by Gray and Kieswether to Keller and Gross.
Maumee 5, Bowsher 0
The Panthers won 5-0 over Bowsher at the Lucas County Recreation Center last Monday.
Cronin switched to No. 1 singles for fun and he won the most competitive match of the night, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 over Thornton.
In No. 2 singles, Russell won 6-1, 6-3. Radtke rolled to a 6-0, 6-1 victory in the third spot.
Fagans left his usual spot at first singles to join Buschmann in first doubles, where the Panthers won 6-2, 6-0 over Melsner and Barrientos.
In second doubles, Gray and Kieswether won 6-2, 6-0 over Witter and Nichols.
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