By Chuck Condley
Record-Courier staff writer
The Ravenna Mets scored early and then held off the Kent A’s to capture a 10-4 H League district semifinal win at the Ravenna Hot Stove Tournament at Volunteer Park on Saturday.
The Mets will play the Lake Nationals today at 3 p.m. for a berth into Champion’s regional tournament.
Ravenna scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning on five hits and a pair of errors.
Joe Brode led off the inning with a double and moved to third on an infield single by John Schroyer.
Brode came home as Derek Cross reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on a triple by Conner Brown.
Brown came across on a throwing error to make it 3-0.
Brad Crislip singled and continued to second on an error by the right fielder. Dean Gray then laced a single to chase home Crislip.
Tyler McKown’s single leading off the game was the only hit Ravenna starting pitcher Cross gave up until Eli McCarty single leading off the third.
Cross was replaced by Schroyer, who gave up a single to McKown.
But a pair of flyouts and a strikeout got the Mets out of the inning without giving up a run.
Ravenna added a pair of tallies in the bottom of the third on singles as Cross and Browne single to open the inning.
Crislip sacrificed the runners over, then both came home on a single by Gray to make it 6-0.
Kent finally got untracked in the top of the fourth when they scored all four of their runs.
A walk, then a double by Grant Houser put runners on second and third. Isaac Stokes reached on a throwing error allowing both runners to score.
Stokes went all the way to third on the miscue and scored on a single by McCarty, who scored on another Ravenna error.
But that was all the offense the A’s could muster.
Ravenna put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fourth, as Brode and Schroyer singled and Cross followed with a three-run blast over the left-centerfield fence to push the margin to 9-4.
Kent threatened once more in the top of the fifth, when they loaded the bases on a single by Kevin Bozeman a walk and a two-out infield single by McCarty.
But Schroyer got out of the inning with a strikeout.
Ravenna scored its final tally in the bottom of the sixth on a double by Schroyer and a single by Browne.
Brode came on in relief in the top of the seventh for the Mets and gave up a pair of walks. But he also had two strikeouts and got the final batter of the game to pop out to the first baseman.
Cross finished with a home run, single and four RBIs; Browne drilled a triple and two singles and Schroyer had a double and two singles, while Brode added a double and single to lead Ravenna.
McCarty had three singles, McKown two singles and Grant Houser had a double to pace Kent’s offense.
In other semifinal games on Saturday:
H LEAGUE
Greentown Lions 10,
Lake Indians 9
Winning pitcher Kevin Scheppler led the offense for the Lions with four singles; Jesse Alfman stroked a home run and single; while Max Moats smacked a home run for Greentown (16-2).
The Lions will play the Lake Brewers today at noon for the district title.
Lake Brewers 12,
Mogadore Indians 2
The Brewers (17-1) advanced as Niko Perrin and Sam Williams drilled three singles each.
Chase Knoch, Kyle Knoch and Alex Dingman added two singles each for the Brewers.
Brandon Reynold picked up the win on the mound for Lake and was relieved by Kyle Knoch.
Austin Williams led Mogadore with a double and single, while Dalton Brake and Jacob Richardson added a single each for the Indians.
Lake Nationals 12,
Lake White Sox 2
No details were reported on this game.
G LEAGUE
Ravenna Ravens 9
Lake Athletics 8
Winning pitcher Bryce Linton also sparked the Ravenna offense with a double and single.
Donnie Heller and Jacob Henson had two singles each for the Ravens (11-5).
River Mills, Kyle Welter and Matthew Kennell all had two singles for the A’s.
Ravenna will play the Mogadore Cardinals today at noon for a district title.
Mogadore Cardinals 19,
Kent Dr. Belli 1
Brandon Berry, Andy Owens and Logan Palcheff combined to toss a no-hitter to move the Cardinals into today’s finals.
Johnny Roberts led the offense with a double, single and three RBIs.
Matthew Deibel had two singles and two RBIs, while Danny Sentelik chipped in with a triple.
Greentown Tigers 8,
Lake Dodgers 5
No details were reported on this game.
Ravenna A&W Mets 15,
Greentown Wildcats 7
Dre’k Brumley smashed a pair of home runs and added a single to lead the Ravenna A&W Mets (16-0) to today’s district final against the Greentown Tigers.
Shane Polidoro added a triple and two singles and Bailey Cross had a pair of doubles and a single for Ravenna.
Nathan Hathaway was the winning pitcher.
Andrew O’Donnell had two singles for the Wildcats.
F LEAGUE
Alliance Stanley
Steamer 12,
Kent Mom & Jerry’s Pizza 10
Aaron Pucci drove in five runs with a double and single to lead Alliance to today’s district title game.
Kyle Johnson added to singles and two RBIs, while Cody Sponseller had an RBI single for Stanley Steamer.
Dorian Brown paced Kent with a double, single and three RBIs; Logan Reaser had two singles and an RBI; while Brandon Gonos rapped a double for Mom & Jerry’s.
Ravenna Braves 21,
Alliance Traps Sports 2
Tyler Bayless drove in four runs and Kyle Spellman and Gerardi had three RBIs each, as the Braves pounded Traps Sports in a district semifinal contest.
Bayless had a double and two singles, Spellman pounded out a triple and double, while Gerardi added a triple and single.
Brandon Gros had a pair of triples, a single and two RBIs and Trevin Knight chipped in with a triple and two singles for Ravenna.
The Braves will play for the district title today against Alliance Stanley Steamer at noon at Volunteer Park.
Minerva VFW 13,
Ravenna Vipers 0
Quin Markins pitched a no-hitter and Anthony Cobedesh had two hits and drove in three runs to lead Minerva into today’s finals.
Tristen Walker had two hits and two RBIs and Matt Treep added a pair of hits and an RBI for VFW.
Alliance Pizza Hood 15,
Ravenna Coia Indians 3
Pizza Hood (25-2) will play Minerva VFW today at 3 p.m. for the title after downing the Indians.
Lathan Williamson drove in six runs with a double and three singles to back the pitching of Shawn Kirk.
J.T. Kukura had three singles and two RBIs; Hunter Kordelle Phillips rapped two singles and had two RBIs; while Hunter Cannon helped out with two singles and an RBI for Alliance.
John Chell paced Ravenna with two singles, Danny Miller had a double and Trevor Pesicek picked up a single for the Indians.