Field senior Sam Confer connects on a hit during the Falcons’ victory over Warren JFK.
Shannon Eldreth/Special to Portage Sports

By Roger Gordon

Correspondent

Three of the Field baseball team’s four scrimmages last month left a lot to be desired offensively.

Even a thrilling victory at United on March 28 in the season opener was accomplished with smoke and mirrors — the Falcons needed a late rally to secure victory.

Heading into a home game March 30 against Warren John F. Kennedy Catholic, head coach Joe Peterson felt his team needed a jolt.

“We desperately needed an offensive outburst top to bottom,” he said.

The Falcons got it in the form of 10 hits in a 15-4 rout of the Eagles in a game that was shortened to 4.5 innings due to the 10-run rule.

Leading the way was senior right fielder Caden Kolesar, who nearly hit for the cycle with a home run, a triple and a single not to mention three RBI and a walk for good measure.

“Caden had a monster day at the plate,” said Peterson.

Senior left fielder Joey Conroy doubled, singled and knocked in four runs.

On the hill, senior Sam Confer started and went four innings. Conroy doubled down and pitched the fifth and final frame.

“Sam did really well,” the coach said.

In the win over United, Field rode a wave of Golden Eagles mistakes in the top of the seventh inning — four walks, an error and a hit by pitch — that turned a 6-2 deficit into a 7-6 triumph.

It was an actual hit, though, by Nick Cultrona, that saved the day.

The senior second baseman ripped a two-out single that drove in the tying and winning runs.

“Going into that seventh inning I think we were a little dejected,” Peterson said. “I’m super proud of our kids for not giving up, battling through and finding a way.”

Cultrona wound up with two singles, a double and those two RBI. Confer, playing third base that game, had two hits and Kolesar walked three times.

Pitching wise, sophomore James Roberts started and went most of the game. He was relieved by Kolesar. Confer pitched the seventh inning and earned the save.

“I thought James pitched pretty well for us early on, and then Kolesar came in and made quick work of three batters to earn the save,” Peterson said.

SOUTHEAST

Joe Sharish was on top of his game March 30 in Southeast’s season-opening 4-0 win at home over Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference foe Garfield.

The senior pitcher started and went six innings in yielding just three hits while fanning 10 and walking three.

“Joe had great command of his pitches, threw everything for strikes,” head coach Matt Dillon said, “and his teammates behind him made some really good plays.”

Junior Cohen Richardson closed out the game in the top of the seventh inning.

Pacing the Pirates’ nine-hit attack with two hits apiece were Richardson (two singles) and first baseman Daniel Clint, his classmate, who doubled and singled.

With a hit apiece were centerfielder Braedyn Walden and sophomore outfielder/pitcher Devyn Miller, whose clutch RBI single in the last of the sixth came at an opportune time.

“That gave us a little breathing room,” said Dillon.

GARFIELD

It seems that inconsistency at the plate in 2025 for Garfield has spilled over into 2026.

The G-Men managed only three hits in their season-opening 4-0 loss March 30 at Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference rival Southeast. The visitors struck out a dozen times.

“We looked a little fooled at the plate,” head coach Mike Paes said. “Southeast definitely had our number. They pitched well.”

Two of Garfield’s hits were provided by senior shortstop Brandyn Bogucki, who doubled and singled. Junior left fielder Nate Bacskowski singled.

“Brandyn is one of the best hitters I’ve ever had,” said Paes. “He broke the school record for highest batting average in a season as a freshman. Every year, he’s consistently put the ball in play and gotten on base. Last year, he batted over .400 again. He’s been one of the better players in the area at the plate for the last four years. He’s done great things.”

On the mound, senior Garet Warnick started and went the distance, giving up nine hits with a strikeout and three walks.

“Garet threw enough strikes to win the game. He pitched a good game and gave us a chance,” said the coach. “We just didn’t have anything to help him out offensively.”

STREETSBORO

With his team trailing visiting Warren Howland 4-1 heading to the sixth inning March 30 in the season opener, Streetsboro head coach Chris Scisciani was hopeful his Rockets could scratch out a few runs to make things interesting.

Before they even had a chance to fulfill their coach’s wishes, however, it was too late.

The Tigers scratched out a few — actually eight — runs of their own in the top of that sixth inning en route to a 12-1 triumph that was called after six innings due to the 10-run rule.

“We had a couple walks, they had a couple hits, we had a couple errors. They scored six of the eight runs with two outs,” Scisciani said. “We were in 1-2 or 0-2 pitching counts, but we just didn’t make a good pitch or there was an error or there was a bloop single … even in the first

couple innings when they scored their first four runs. The score looks a lot worse than what it

was. We made some mistakes. We have to shore up some things and get some better at-bats.”

Streetsboro was limited to just three hits – two by senior first baseman Jayden Coffie and a double by freshman catcher Joey DeToro, who also scored his team’s only run.

On the mound, starter Jake Szczecinski, a junior, and freshmen Graham Jonas and Mason Sanford yielded only four earned runs thanks to four errors behind them.

MOGADORE

Sometimes in athletics, the final score can be deceiving.

That was not the case in Mogadore’s season-opening 15-0 defeat March 30 at home to

Canton Central Catholic.

   • The game was shortened to five innings due to the 10-run rule.

   • Central Catholic pounded out 10 hits to two for the Wildcats.

   • The Crusaders scored in every inning but one.

“We did make some contact, but we got behind on some counts where we had to chase some pitches. We struck out seven times,” head coach Chris Williams said. “Central is a really solid team, so if you’re not hitting gaps and hitting line drives, they’re usually going to make the play.”

The Hopkins twins — juniors Noah and Jake — provided Mogadore’s offense, each with a single.

“Central Catholic swings the bat well one through nine. We were struggling on the mound,” said Williams. “When they got good hitters counts and we threw fastballs across the middle, they were there to make us pay.”