By Roger Gordon

Correspondent

It was quite a start to the season for Joe Sharish. The Southeast junior belted a grand slam in the very first inning of the Pirates’ season opener March 29 in a 7-3 home win over Vienna Mathews. Sharish hadn’t even scratched the surface, though. He also singled and doubled and knocked in all of his team’s runs.

For good measure, he was Southeast’s starting pitcher. He went two innings and yielded no hits and an unearned run.

“Joe had a day to remember, especially to kick off the season,” head coach John Kinsey said. “He had a hell of a night.”

Freshman Alaunte Massrock relieved Sharish to start the third inning and went the rest of the way, fanning seven and giving up just one earned run.

“For a freshman,” said Kinsey, “we’re really excited about what Alaunte is bringing to us.”

Three nights later, on April 1, Southeast lost 5-0 at Garfield.

 It was a rough night offensively as the Pirates managed only four hits off of G-Men ace Aidan Hill.

“Hill might be the best pitcher we see all season,” Kinsey said.

     • Next up for Southeast: At home against Garfield April 4 at 5 p.m.

GARFIELD

Senior Aidan Hill tied a career high with 15 strikeouts April 1 in going the distance in Garfield’s 5-0 home win over Southeast. Hill gave up just two singles and walked only one.

“Aidan kept Southeast’s hitters off balance,” head coach Mike Paes said. “I think they knew he threw pretty hard, and they were trying to time that up early on, trying to sit on his fastball. But I think what really gave them problems was him throwing his curveball so much for strikes to keep them off balance.”

Offensively, the G-Men scored three runs in the first inning, one in the fifth and another in the sixth. Hill shined at the plate, too, with two singles, two RBIs and a run.

Three nights earlier, on March 29 in the season opener, Garfield defeated visiting Bristolville Bristol 9-2. Junior starter Garet Warnick went three innings, yielding three hits and fanning three.

“Garet pounded the zone. He had a real efficient day,” said Paes. “He made the most of the three innings he pitched.”

Relieving Warnick was freshman Jared Cardinal, who went the rest of the way, giving up two runs on three hits while striking out three.

Jared used his curve ball really well. He kept the hitters off balance,” said the coach. “For a freshman to go in his first game and pitch four solid innings … some of Bristol’s hits off him were little singles and ‘Texas Leaguer’ kind of hits. He did really well.”

At the plate Hill, the shortstop in this game, had two doubles, a single, knocked in three runs and scored twice. Junior second baseman Brandyn Boducki had three singles, three runs and three stolen bases. Said Paes, “Brandyn saw the ball well and put three solid hits in play.”

     • Next up for Garfield: At home against Mogadore April 3 at 5 p.m.

ROOTSTOWN

Rootstown had a fine start to its season. The Rovers triumphed over Coventry twice – 5-0 March 29 on the road and 12-1 April 1 at home in a game shortened to five innings due to the 10-run rule.

In the first game, junior pitcher Bryce Harless went six innings, giving up four hits, striking out nine and walking one.

“Bryce has been very, very consistent and is really looking sharp,” head coach Keith Waesch said. “He has really made a drastic improvement from last season when he had a better-than average year for a sophomore. We’re extremely excited in terms of what we’ve seen from him in the early going.”

Junior R.J. Soika relieved Harless and pitched the seventh inning, striking out one and giving up a double.

Offensively, Rootstown scored early and often with two runs in the second inning and three in the third. The home team had seven hits by seven different players. Junior first baseman

Landon Rodstrom knocked in two runs.

Soika started the second game, going the distance, yielding four hits while fanning five and walking three.

“R.J. didn’t have his best stuff,” said Waesch, “but that’s a positive from a standpoint of even though he didn’t have his best stuff, he still was able to pitch five innings and give up just one run. He, like Bryce, has made a lot of improvement. When you’re not pitching with your best stuff and you can still win, that’s a sign of a pretty good pitcher. We’re extremely excited about R.J.”

At the plate, sophomore left fielder Carson Hayn singled twice, drove in two runs and scored once.

     • Next up for Rootstown: At home against Akron Garfield April 4 at 5 p.m.

STREETSBORO

Scotty Wilson started and went the distance April 1 in tossing a gem for Streetsboro in the Rockets’ season-opening 11-1 rout of visiting Mogadore. The game was shortened to six innings due to the 10-run rule.

“Scotty did a really good job for us,” head coach Chris Scisciani said. “He threw strikes, his pitch count was low. He did a great job of mixing in his fastball and off-speed stuff. He had a lot of confidence in our fielders just by putting the ball over the plate and letting our guys make routine plays. It was really nice to see that.”

At the plate, senior shortstop Jack Batten tripled and singled, had three RBIs and scored a run. Sophomore designated hitter Nate Estep singled and a doubled, driving in a run and scoring twice.

     • Next up for Streetsboro: At Coventry April 3 at 5 p.m.

FIELD

Field senior starting pitcher Landon Homan pitched three dazzling innings March 29 in the Falcons’ season opener at home against St. Vincent-St. Mary.

The Irish were able to manufacture some runs late, though, to score a 3-1 win over the Falcons.

“Landon looked good against a really good lineup,” head coach Joe Peterson said, “but he left a couple fastballs up in the fourth; one was a double and the other was a single, leading to two runs.”

Roberts relieved Homan and pitched well the rest of the way, giving up a hit with a walk and a hit batter. Homan wound up yielding four hits with three strikeouts and a walk.

The home team actually took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Junior second baseman Joey Conroy drew a walk to lead off, a throwing error on a pickoff attempt advanced him to second base and then, with two outs, Drexal McAmis doubled off the left field fence to drive in Conroy.

MOGADORE

It was rough going for Mogadore in its season-opening 11-1 loss April 1 at Streetsboro.

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

“Streetsboro’s pitcher threw well,” head coach Chris Williams said. His team’s lone hit, a single by junior left fielder Dylan Hartung, was proof positive. Williams continued, “Their pitcher was mixing pitches whenever he wanted to. He was definitely commanding the plate. We struggled as a young team hitting the ball.”

Eight errors by the Wildcats didn’t help.

“We kind of expected that with a bunch of new guys starting,” said the coach.

Sophomore starter Maddox Smith went four innings in yielding seven runs but only three earned.

“Maddox was getting groundballs,” Williams said, “but we had four errors in the infield that probably led to the four unearned runs for him.”

Relieving Smith at the start of the fifth inning was sophomore Jake Hopkins. Max Simone replaced Hopkins later that inning and finished the game.

Hopkins scored Mogadore’s only run; he was driven in by junior designated hitter Lucas Umbright.

     • Next up for Mogadore: At Garfield April 3 at 5 p.m.

WATERLOO

Waterloo was limited to two hits April 1 in a season-opening 10-0 defeat at Berlin Center

Western Reserve in a game shortened to five innings due to the 10-run rule.

“I give Western Reserve’s pitcher a lot of credit,” head coach Jeremy Randles said. “He had some really good off-speed pitches, and he mixed them up really well. He kept our guys guessing. We just couldn’t get any rhythm going.”

The Vikings’ hits were singles by seniors Austin Hurst, the designated hitter, and Landon McClain, the center fielder.

On the mound senior Trevor Simons went 3 2/3 innings, giving up six hits, striking out nine and walking four. Hurst went the last 1 1/3 innings, yielding a hit with two strikeouts and two walks.

     • Next up for Waterloo: At home against Ellet April 3 at 5 p.m.

RAVENNA

Ravenna’s batters hit the ball hard but in the wrong direction March 29 in its season opener at Doylestown Chippewa.

“We had five or six hard-hit balls, but they were right at guys,” head coach Lee Lovejoy said. “Those really would’ve made a difference for us.”

The result? A 3-0 loss to the Chipps.

“We were up against one pitcher who located well and the other who did a good job of keeping us off balance,” Lovejoy said. “That’s just part of the game.”

Junior third baseman Connor Welling doubled for the Ravens’ lone hit. On the mound, starter Logan Hysell went five innings and gave up all three runs. He fanned two. Relieving Hysell was Welling, who pitched the last inning and had a strikeout.

Three nights later, on April 1, Ravenna lost 6-0 at Lake Center Christian.

“That game was a little different,” said the coach. “We definitely didn’t hit the ball the greatest. Their pitcher did a good job.”

Junior third baseman Jeriah Miller singled for the Ravens’ only hit.

On the mound, James Evans started and went five innings while yielding two earned runs. He had four strikeouts and two walks. Pitching the final inning was freshman Landyn Godley.

     • Next up for Ravenna: At Norton April 3 at 5 p.m.

AURORA

Aurora was involved in some high-scoring games, all at home, to start the season. The Greenmen routed Enderlin 16-1 March 28 in the season opener shortened to six innings due to the 10-run rule. They scored in all but one inning. With three hits apiece were seniors Jack Lang and Jack Radvansky and junior Max Anzells. Lang and Anzells each knocked in three runs, and Radvansky scored three times. Pitching for Aurora were senior Alex Kaczmarek and junior Rocco Zembala.

That same day, the Greenmen fell 17-5 to Highland Park in a game shortened to four innings due to the 10-run rule. The home team was down 12-0 before it scored its first run. With two hits apiece were seniors Ben Lukasik and Tommy Tartabini. Pitching for Aurora were seniors Maddox Booth and Will Bodine, Zembala and sophomore Drew Scott. Four nights later, on April 1, Aurora lost 9-7 to Revere in a back-and-forth affair. Anzells had three hits, an RBI and two runs.

     • Next up for Aurora: At Revere April 3 at 5 p.m.

KENT ROOSEVELT

Kent Roosevelt opened the season March 25 with a 7-3 defeat at Springfield Kenton Ridge. Four nights later, on March 29 at home, the Rough Riders lost 12-3 to Green. Ryan Sanders had a single and an RBI, while John Estep singled and scored a run. Three nights later, on April 1 also at home, Kent Roosevelt beat Cuyahoga Falls 10-0 in a game shortened to five innings due to the 10-run rule. Teddy Maccarone and Deonne Dickerson both had two singles and scored three runs. On the mound Tristyn Page started and went the distance, yielding only two hits while fanning 13 and walking just two.

     • Next up for Kent Roosevelt: At home against Lyndhurst Brush April 3 at 5 p.m.

WINDHAM

Windham opened its season with an 8-2 victory April 2 at Bristolville Bristol. Jack Eye homered and tripled, had three RBI and scored a run.

Keegan Kiser singled twice, drove in a run and scored twice. Eye doubled as the pitcher in going the distance, yielding just two earned runs and four hits while striking out 12 and walking only two.