North's bats help team lock up first in ECIC I
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

It was another offensive onslaught on ECIC Division I competition last week for the Williamsville North baseball team.

The Spartans (15-2, 12-1) totaled 74 hits and 70 runs in league wins over Sweet Home, 10-0, on Monday, May 7, West Seneca West, 9-6, on Tuesday, May 8, Orchard Park, 21-14 and 11-4, on Wednesday, May 9 and Thursday, May 10, respectively, and 19-13 over Lancaster on Friday, May 11.

North slugged 68 hits and scored 59 runs two weeks ago against league foes.

"I've had teams that were capable of hitting a lot in a game and they would do it two or three times in a season but never 10 games in a row like we have," said North coach Jerry Scarcella. "We're just blasting the ball but you know it can't continue. You're not going to get 12 hits every game."

Scarcella credits the team's work ethic for their hitting success.

"This group works as hard in the offseason as they do during the season," said Scarcella. "The team is mostly seniors and they really want to do well. They have great chemistry and feed off one another. All it takes is a hit in an inning and we explode. I hope we can stay hot for sectionals."

North scored twice against Sweet Home in the first, second, third, and fourth innings. The Spartans finished with 12 hits.

John Ticco (2 for 3, three RBIs), Jared Fabian (2 for 4, three RBIs) and Max Zimmerman (2 for 3, RBI) paced the North offense. Brad Stellrecht pitched a complete game three-hitter with three strikeouts and two walks.

The Spartans scored seven times against West Seneca West in the second inning, courtesy of solo home runs by Taylor Gahagen and Nick Fronczak, a two-run single from Fabian (scored Alex Barth and Jordan Gust), and singles by Ticco (Dwyer) and Zimmerman (Ticco).

West Seneca West scored five runs in the third and a run in the fourth and fifth to tie the score at 7-7. North answered with a run in the sixth (Pat Dwyer tripled in Barth) and seventh (Fronczak singled in Ticco).

North finished with 11 hits. Barth and Ticco were each 2 for 4 with two RBIs.

Eric Dahlman recorded the win in relief. He allowed three hits, walked two and struck out four.

North's biggest output of hits came in the team's first meeting with Orchard Park. The Spartans had 20 hits; OP had nine hits.

North scored four times in the first on back-to-back doubles from Ticco and Fronczak and added seven runs in the second, four coming from a Barth grand slam. Barth finished 3 for 4 with six RBIs.

OP eventually tied the game at 12-12 after four but North added six more runs in the fifth. Ticco and Alex Calderon each had two RBIs each. Calderon finished 3 for 6 with two RBIs. Ticco was 5 for 5 with seven RBIs.

OP scored twice in the sixth but the Spartans tacked on four more runs in the seventh.

Mike Koch recorded the win in relief.

The Quakers led the second game with the Spartans, 4-0, after the top of the third but North rallied with two outs for five runs in the bottom of the inning. Ticco singled home Calderon and Zimmerman, Fronczak singled home Ticco, and Barth singled in Fronczak.

The Spartans added five more runs in the fifth. Ticco led off with a solo home run and finished 3 for 3 with two RBIs.

North had 13 hits throughout the game.

Zach Boron pitched a complete game and allowed six hits, struck out five and walked five.

North closed out the week with 18 hits against Lancaster and clinched the Spartans the ECIC I title for the second time in three years.

Tied at 2-2 after one, the Spartans scored 12 runs in the third, highlighted by a three-run home run by Austin Benschadle (Fabian, Dwyer,) and a two-RBI single by Barth (Ticco, Gahagan).

"The third inning went forever," said Scarcella. "We had eight hits and they weren't cheap hits either."

North added three runs in the fifth and two in the seventh.

Benschadle (3 for 4, home run, double, four RBIs), Gahagan (3 for 4, four RBIs, solo home run), and Fronczak (3 for 4, two RBIs) led North.

Dahlman pitched 2.1 innings of relief to record the win.

North, ranked No. 1 in Western New York large schools, played Jamestown on Monday, May 14 and at Canisius on Tuesday, May 15 but results of both were unavailable before The Bee went to press. The Spartans play at Williamsville South on Thursday, May 17 and home against Williamsville East on Friday, May 18. Games start at 4:45 p.m. each day. North closes out the regular season with East at 4:45 p.m. on Monday, May 21.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com