Baseball
Clarence needs extra innings to defeat North
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Sweet Home's Travis Denman allowed four hits and struck out two North batters. Photo by John Rusac Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

Clarence bested Williamsville North in extra innings last year to win the Erie County Interscholastic Conference Division I regular season baseball title. Fast forward a year, and the Red Devils have handed the Spartans another loss in extra innings, a 5-4 defeat in eight innings on Saturday.

A single from Red Devil Richard Onorato went off the heel of the glove of North relief pitcher Zach Boron, and Justin Urschel raced home from second for the winning run in the bottom of the eighth.

Trailing 4-0, the Spartans rallied for four runs in the top of the fifth, courtesy of a Taylor Gahagen triple that scored Jared Fabian and a three-run home run by Max Zimmerman. It was Zimmerman's third home run in four games. Zimmerman, 3 for 4, almost had another home run in the game, but it was ruled a double.

Despite the loss, North coach Jerry Scarcella thought the game brought his team together.

"We had our first test, and we battled back," said Scarcella. "It looks good for the rest of the season."

Williamsville North's Pat Dwyer is safe at first base during the Spartans' 5-3 road win at Sweet Home on Friday, April 20. Photo by John Rusac Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

As a team, North had eight hits, including singles from Austin Benschadle, John Ticco, Pat Dwyer and Nick Fronczak but left 10 runners on base.

Ben Zwierchowski scattered six hits and struck out four over seven innings.

"He pitched good enough to win," said Scarcella. "We just couldn't score at the end."

Clarence's Ed Kohout got the win in relief of Kris Gentzke.

A day earlier, North bested Sweet Home, 5-3. Alex Calderon was the player of the game, striking out five and allowing four hits on the mound and hitting one for three with two RBIs at the plate. In the sixth, Calderon doubled home Ticco and Fabian and scored on an error.

Dwyer scored on a fielder's choice in the first, and a Benschadle fly ball to the outfield scored Eric Dahlman in the third.

Ryan Maxwell scored two of Sweet Home's three runs. He scored in the fourth from a Travis Denman single and in the sixth from a Corey Sykes single. Denman also scored in the sixth on an Aaron Klein fielder's choice.

On the mound, Denman allowed only four hits and struck out two but walked seven batters. Three of North's five runners who scored reached base on walks.

Boron picked up the save for North.

Brian Pappagallo and Chris Hammer each doubled. Alex Esposito singled.

North (2-2, 2-1) continues a four-game home stand at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, April 25 against Lancaster and at 5:15 p.m. Thursday, April 26 versus Jamestown. Games with Orchard Park on Monday. April 23 and West Seneca West on Tuesday, April 24 were played before The Bee went to press.

North also plays at 7 p.m. Friday, April 27 against St. Mary's of Lancaster in the Robert E. Rich High School Baseball Classic at Dunn Tire Park. The all-wooden bat tournament pits ECIC teams against teams from the Monsignor Martin Association. North has competed in the event the last two years, beating St. Joe's and losing to Canisius.

Scarcella feels the event is a great way to bring the leagues together.

"It's neat. It gives us an opportunity to see teams that we usually wouldn't see," said Scarcella.

Sweet Home (0-3) had games last week with West Seneca West, Orchard Park, and Jamestown postponed. This week, it played road games at Lancaster on Monday, April 23 and at Clarence on Tuesday, April 24, but results were unavailable before The Bee went to press. The team travels to Frontier at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 25 and hosts West Seneca West at 5 p.m. Thursday, April 26.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com