One league game should not define the entirety of a high school but according to Streetsboro Rockets’ baseball Coach Chris Scisciani, the margin for error in the Metro Athletic Conference is razor thing. The Rockets dominated MAC foe Akron Coventry in their conference opener winning 11-1 last Thursday at Coventry Memorial Stadium.
“It is pretty important just because in years past, to win the league, a lot of the league champs only have one or two losses or zero losses, so losing one or two games could cost you the league or make you share the title,” noted the 20-year coach. “Getting started off on the right foot at 1-0 is something we are really happy with.”
In only two games this season, Streetsboro’s (2-0, 1-0) offense has impressed, outscoring their opponents by a 22-2 margin, and winning each of their first two games by 10 runs. Scisciani attributed the Rockets’ quick offensive start to the quality of their at-bats.
After finishing in second place the MAC last year with a 10-4 record, the Rockets return seven varsity starters losing only one senior to graduation who logged significant playing time.
“It helps a ton because of the experience and a lot of our varsity guys are travel ball players so the amount of games they play in the summer and the experience they have had on the field, it has helped out tremendously,” said Scisciani.
On Thursday, the Rockets seized control in the second inning when senior Josh Boldin delivered a two-run double to left field, pushing Streetsboro to a 2-0 lead.
The Rockets continued adding runs in the next two innings, scoring three runs to stake themselves to a comfortable 5-0 edge. In the third frame, senior right-hander Braden Craft plated a run when the Comets’ shortstop committed a fielding error on a ground ball, scoring right fielder Brady Long, and sophomore catcher Brett Epple followed by knocking a RBI-single to center field, increasing the lead to 4-0.
Streetsboro scored two more runs in the top of the fourth inning when Long hit a RBI-single to left field.
“One of the things we want to try and do this year, we like to try and put as much pressure on people as possible whether it is small-ball stuff or stealing bases, or hit and run, those type of things,” he added.
Craft stifled Akron Coventry’s batters, surrendering an only one hit across five innings of work while walking four and striking out seven batters.
“He throws really hard,” Scisciani said. “He throws in the mid80s and has a really good curveball, he has pretty good command. He did walk four guys which is not usual for him, but he is so overpowering at times.”
As sensational as the Rockets’ offense has been this season, Scisciani also praised the team’s pitching depth as Streetsboro boasts a trio of ace pitchers in Craft, senior right-hander Jack Batten and junior righty Scott Wilson.
While the team did graduate their ace pitcher, Jack Pincoe, last year, Scisciani said that the team’s rotation is in good hands with the trio of Craft, Batten and Wilson each capable of taking over a game and are bolstered with several underclassmen pitchers seeking to take the next step this year.
After Craft pitched five innings, Batten came on for relief and tossed two innings of one-run ball allowing one hit, one walk while fanning three batters.
The Rockets scored two more runs in the top of the sixth inning, extending the lead to 7-0 but Akron Coventry finally scored its first run of the game on a double steal. In spite of that, the Rockets stretched their lead to 11-1 in the seventh frame by scoring four runs, turning the game into a rout.
With so much returning experience on the squad, Scisciani said that the team is setting a high bar, seeking to capture the MAC banner, its first league title since the 1984 season.
“Their expectations are pretty high,” he acknowledged. “They got a little taste of success the last couple of years. Two years ago, when those seniors that were sophomores, we won the sectional championship and beat West Branch to advance to the district semifinal and last year we made a little bit of a run.”
After a home game against MAC foe Cloverleaf on Wednesday, a road game against Cloverleaf on Thursday, the Rockets will hit the road Streetsboro will hit the road and face West Branch on Friday in Beloit at 5 p.m then host Western Reserve Academy for a home game on Saturday at American Legion Field at 11:30 a.m.
