Big Red wins battle of OVAC top seeds
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STEUBENVILLE -- A couple of top seeds got together Friday at Vaccaro Field for an OVAC tournament tune-up.
When all was said and done, Steubenville -- thanks to a run in the home half of the seventh -- collected a 4-3 victory over Wheeling Park.
Big Red, the top Class 4A seed, hosts fourth-seeded St. Clairsville today in the conference semifinals. The first pitch is set for 1 p.m. Park, meanwhile, earned the No. 1 Class 5A seed and will entertain University at noon. The loss drops the Patriots to 10-3.
"We played well. In fact, both teams played well," veteran Big Red coach Fred Heatherington said. "You had two good teams going at it tonight and, hopefully, both teams are able to get a win tomorrow."
The hosts scored twice in the bottom of the first, and Park pushed across a run in the top of the second. The Patriots then went up 3-2, scoring twice in the fifth. Steubenville tied it with a tally in the home half of the frame.
Alec Taylor drew a one-out walk in the seventh and moved to third on Johnny Agresta's sharp single to right. Jacob Bernard then hit a grounder to short and just beat the throw from second to avoid the inning-ending double play and allow Taylor to touch home with the game-winner.
"We were probably a half step away from getting in some more baseball today," Park coach Mike McLeod said. "Any time you play a Steubenville program in any sport, they are going to make you focus.
"There's a reason why they are playing in the OVAC semifinals Saturday, and there's a reason why we are also. It was a tough one to lose, but our guys played well."
Bernard went the distance on the hill for Big Red to record the victory. He scattered eight hits and his defense turned two inning-ending double plays, one in the third and the other in the fourth.
Park had runners at the corners with one out in the third when Ross Salvatori lifted a fly to center. Big Red's Taylor made the catch, then fired a strike to home to nail the Patriot runner. A potential Park rally in the fourth ended when Agresta fielded a grounder to third and started the 5-4-3 twin killing.
"Jake pitched a hell of a game for us," Heatherington said. "He got out of some real tough spots.
"We got out of a couple of tough jams, but so did Park. We turned a couple of nice double plays. That's to be expected. That is why we practice, and that's the way we are supposed to play."
Sophomore Trevor Rosenthal got the start for Park and worked four innings. He gave way to freshman Bill Gooch in the fifth. Dylan Gongola, another freshman, followed Gooch to the hill and was tagged with the loss.
"No matter what grade they are in, our kids know we believe in them," McLeod said. "All three of our pitchers did a good job, and so did the Steubenville pitcher. When you only allow four runs to a team like Steubenville, you know you getting a good effort."
Agresta finished with three singles and an RBI to pace Big Red offensively. Bernard drove home two runs, and Mason Rubish collected a pair of base hits.
"We got timely hits today when we needed them," Heatherington said. "Plus, our guys stayed in the game. We got down late but were able to come back and win it."
Trevor Thomas and Nolan Mattern both singled twice to lead Park. Thomas' RBI in the fifth put the Patriots ahead 3-2. Mattern knocked home a run in the second. Zach Kahle doubled.
Fourth-seeded University traveled to Wheeling last week and handed the Patriots a 13-7 setback.
"I told our guys when you get beat up like that at home, they shouldn't need me to get them fired up," McLeod said. "There's going to be a real playoff atmosphere tomorrow. University is in our region, and we may need to beat them to reach our ultimate goal, which is the state tournament."
Big Red and St. Clairsville were supposed to meet on April 3, but that game was postponed due to weather.
"We have not seen them play this year," Heatherington said. "They have some guys back from last year that can play."
Steubenville 4, Wheeling Park 3
Park 0-1-0 0-2-0 0 -- 3 8 1
Steubenville 2-0-0 0-1-0-1 -- 4 8 3
WHEELING PARK (10-3): Rosenthal (4IP, 2R, 2ER, 5H, 1K, 1BB) Gooch (2/3IP, 1R, 1ER, 1H, 1K, 2HBP) Gongola (LP, 2 1/3IP, 1R, 1ER, 2H, 1K, 1BB) and Mattern.
STEUBENVILLE: (8-2): Bernard (WP, 71P, 3R 1ER, 8H, 1K, 3BB, 1HBP) and Criss.
TWO OR MORE HITS: Wheeling Park (Thomas 2; Mattern 2); Big Red (Agresta 3; Rubish 2). DOUBLES: Wheeling Park 1 (Kahle). RBIs: Wheeling Park (Mattern; Thomas); Big Red (Bernard 2; Agresta; Criss).