When trying to repeat success after a dominant season, there is no better way to start than by dominating a conference rival. The Garfield G-Men baseball team’s fast start continued with a 10-0 shutout victory against Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Grey Tier foe Campbell Memorial in their home opener last Thursday evening at Garrettsville.
“The kids are just coming out and hitting the ball, putting the ball in play and doing the right things,” said Coach Michael Paes. “We had a couple of baserunning mistakes so we have to work on that but I was happy to see us putting the ball in play and doing well on the base paths, but we have a lot of things to clean up still.”
Leading 6-0 in the top of the fifth inning, the G-Men (2-0, 2-0) had stifled the Red Devils behind the arm of junior right-hander Aidan Hill. The 6-foot-3 right-hander dominated Campbell Memorial batters by only allowing two hits through the first four innings. He appeared on his way to cruising through another inning after getting two quick outs but suddenly lost his command.
He walked senior right fielder Michael Mesaros and loaded the bases when he hit sophomore second baseman Bobby Ramirez and senior center fielder Adyn Vazquez in consecutive at-bats.
Hill acknowledged that he struggled to grip the ball due to the cold weather.
“It was pretty sketchy,” he added. “We pulled it out. It’s hard to grip the ball in the cold and I lost my grip on the fastballs.”
Hill averted disaster when he froze senior shortstop/right-handed pitcher Duan Reynolds on a called strike three to end the threat.
“When you get adversity in baseball you always want to see how people react through that adversity,” added the nine-year coach. “As a team and I think Aiden as well, we did a pretty good job.”
Having scored multiple runs in each frame except for the third inning, Garfield enjoyed its biggest inning in the bottom of the fifth, recording four runs on only one hit and capitalizing on several Campbell Memorial defensive miscues.
After junior third baseman Tyler Lutz drew a leadoff walk, he stole second base, advanced to third base on a passed ball and scored when Ramirez booted a ground ball off the bat of sophomore left fielder Jack Neikirk, increasing Garfield’s lead to 7-0.
Neikirk took second on an errant pick-off throw by senior righty Andy Vazquez and advanced to third base on the same play. Sophomore designated hitter Brandyn Bogucki worked a walk and stole second base before senior center fielder Leo Grandizio delivered a two-run double into right-center field, pushing the G-Men’s advantage to 9-0.
Grandizio stole third base with two outs during Hill’s at-bat and scored the decisive run when senior catcher Kosta Patris allowed another passed ball, extending the G-Men’s lead to 10-0, triggering the mercy rule to end the game.
According to Bogucki, although Garfield did a nice job at consistently scoring runs, its situational hitting was not up to par.
“We did not hit the ball as well in this game,” he said. “But they did not score, and we played pretty well on defense. Aidan did a pretty good job pitching on Thursday.”
Hill dominated the Red Devils by hurling five scoreless innings, allowing only two hits, one walk and striking out eight batters.
“Aidan pitched really well,” Paes noted. “When he spots his fastball and curveball he can be as good as anybody. He has the speed and has a nice off speed and he pitched really well on Thursday.”
Although the G-Men’s offense was not as explosive as it was in the season opener against Campbell Memorial on March 25 when they hammered their MVAC Grey Tier rivals 18-3, Paes was pleased to see his squad stea; six bases and take advantage of several passed balls.
“We always try to,” he said. “That is one of the things we try to focus on in the offseason and in practice and things like that. If there is an opportunity to get an extra base, you never know when that extra base can win you a game. If you get from first to second base, you can score on a hit and if you get from second to third then you can score on a passed ball. Just being aggressive on the base paths can help us win games.”
In only two games this season, the G-Men have outscored their opposition by a 28-3 margin and wreaked havoc by stealing 19 bases.
After a road game against Berlin Western Reserve on Wednesday, Garfield will host Portage County rival Streetsboro on Friday at 5 p.m.
