North baseball rallies, beats Clarence in thriller
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Whenever the Williamsville North and Clarence baseball teams clash, there's always a good chance it will be a good game. Last Friday's contest at Clarence was no exception.

The Spartans scored five runs with two outs in the top of the seventh inning and held off a late Clarence rally to win 8-7.

"High school baseball could not get any more exciting," said North coach Jerry Scarcella.

Mike Bova started North's rally in the seventh with a clutch, two-strike single to right field. Austin Benshadle followed with a hit. James Nowicki then doubled that scored Bova and Benshadle. Steve Barth singled and scored Nowicki. Jeff Teplitsky then singled and plated Steve Barth and Alex Barth.

North forced Clarence into two outs before the Red Devils scored twice in the bottom of the seventh. Mike Herberger pitched a third of an inning to record the save. Mike Koch got the win in relief. Patrick O'Brien pitched the first three innings.

North opened a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Nowicki tripled to score Benshadle and Nowicki scored from third on a fielder's choice. Clarence scored five times before Benshadle singled in Jordan Gust in the fifth.

Nowicki and Benshadle each hit 3 for 4. Nowicki posted three RBIs. Benshadle had one RBI. Teplitsky hit 1 for 3 with two RBIs.

North split its other league games, routing West Seneca West, 14-3, at home on Monday, April 21 and losing at home to Lancaster, 8-5, last Wednesday.

The Spartans exploded for six runs in the fourth against West Seneca West to erase a 3-2 deficit. Anthony Longarzo doubled in Nowicki, Garrett Crage scored Steve Barth on a fielder's choice, Marc Kadish doubled in Benshadle and Nick Fronczak tripled in Kadish and Gust.

In the bottom of the fourth, Herberger came in and pitched the rest of the game to record the win. He allowed one hit, a walk, and struck out three.

Alex Barth went 3 for 4 (two doubles) with three RBIs. Longarzo batted 3 for 3 with three RBIs. Fronczak went 2 for 4 (double, triple) with two RBIs.

North dug itself an 8-1 deficit against Lancaster but almost rallied all of the way back in the seventh. Nowicki, Kadish, and Fronczak singled home Herberger, Benshadle and Nowicki, respectively. Fronczak was caught trying to steal third. Alex Barth singled to score Kadish but the next two batters grounded out to end the game.

Alex Barth batted 2 for 2 with two RBIs. Kadish hit 2 for 3 with an RBI. Nowicki went 2 for 4 with an RBI.

Matt Goraj scattered six hits and earned the loss.

North (2-5, 2-3) is at Jamestown at 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday and at Orchard Park at 5 p.m. on Friday.