LAKEWOOD — It wasn’t the game’s defining play. No doubt it didn’t have a huge bearing on who would win and who wouldn’t.
But it was a play that was indicative of what an underdog can never afford when playing the second-ranked Division I team in Ohio.
“We didn’t turn the double play,” Olmsted Falls coach Richard Szalay said about the failed twin-killing that could not get his Bulldogs out of trouble in the first inning of Thursday’s district championship.
St. Ignatius had the bases loaded with one out when Joe Dorocak sent a ground ball to shortstop. The Bulldogs erased the runner at second, but Dorocak beat the throw to first to score a run and tie the game at 1.
That was followed by back-to-back home runs by Jesse Franklin and Kirby Becker. The Wildcats went on to eliminate Olmsted Falls 8-2 and advance to the Shelby regional against Amherst on Thursday at 5 p.m.
“That (play) left the door open for them,” Szalay said. “Against a team like that you have to make every play, and we didn’t. We didn’t play badly, but you give a team like that any chance and they’ll take advantage of it.”
Olmsted Falls (16-14) gave the Wildcats another open door in the fourth, the only other inning in which St. Ignatius (23-5) scored. Aaron Klinee’s foul pop down the first baseline was misplayed by two Bulldogs, giving Klinee new life. Klinee eventually walked and Alex Johnson followed with a home run to make the score 7-2.
That third homer chased Falls starter Brent Edmonds from the mound. Matt Ballinger finished up, allowing a run in 22/3 innings.
“What more can you say?” Szalay said. “We played to the end. We lost a lot of one-run games this year, but the kids hung in there.”
Matt Rosinski pitched a complete game for St. Ignatius, using an excellent curveball to strike out eight while walking none and giving up just one earned run.
Ryan Evans got to Rosinski for a double in the game’s first at-bat. Cameron Trefny bunted Evans to third and Buddy Gerus’ high fly ball to right field enabled Evans to score.
The Wildcats came back in the first, greeting Edmonds with singles by Frank DeSico and Brad Clement. One out later Bryan Conway walked to load the bases. Dorocak then kept the inning alive by staying out of the double play, setting the stage for the home runs that sailed over the right-field fence.    
Gerus led off the fourth with a double to right-center. Two outs later Edmonds’ grounder to third was thrown away to let Gerus score.
St. Ignatius added a run after Johnson’s homer in the fourth. DeSico singled, stole second and scored on Justin Mackert’s two-out single.
Contact Steve Byrne at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.

In order to comment, you must agree to our user agreement and discussion guidelines.

Need help? Email Us.