×

Dragons beat General McLane for fourth straight win

Ryan Rafalski was brilliant in firing a no-hitter on Tuesday against Fort LeBouef at Ainsworth Field in Erie.

EDINBORO, Pa. – Warren’s baseball team moved within 1/2 game of the Region 7 lead with a 5-2 region win at General McLane Monday.

Aidan Morrison drove in a pair to back Ryan Rafalski’s 6 1/3 strong innings on the mound to lead the Dragons (8-3 overall, 3-2 Region 7) to their fourth straight win. Nick Hussey pitched the final 2/3 of the seventh for his first save of the year.

“It was good to get an away region win,” Warren coach Rick Eaton said. “We kept the momentum going from last week’s big wins.”

Lancers (5-5, 2-3) pitcher Chance Hoehn came into the game having only given up two runs, both unearned, on nine hits in 10 2/3 innings this season.

The Dragons changed that quickly.

Warren’s Aidan Morrison ripped a 2-run double in the first inning of Warren’s 5-2 win over General McLane on Monday. With the win, the Dragons are now 8-3.

Mitch Grosch and Austyn Cummings drew consecutive walks with one out in the first. Morrison then lined a 1-0 pitch to left-center for a 2-run double. Micah Passmore walked to put runners on the corners, but Hoehn was able to induce a pair of pop outs to end the inning.

Hunter Loomis reached on a dropped third strike to start the second and Ryan Arnold doubled to put runners at second and third with no outs. One out later, Grosch hit a sac fly to center to bring in Loomis and put Warren up 3-0.

Morrison drew a leadoff walk in the third and James Swanson came in as a courtesy runner. Swanson stole second, then moved to third on Passmore’s fly out to right. With two away, Ben Berdine hit an RBI single to left to bring in Swanson and put the Dragons up 4-0. Loomis followed with a walk that chased Hoehn after just 2 2/3 innings. He allowed four runs on four hits with five walks and three strikeouts.

“Aidan had a clutch hit in the first and we added a couple runs in the third and fourth, which was key,” Eaton said. “We only had four hits, but we took advantage of the five walks.”

The Lancers got on the board in the fifth.

Justin Bastow hit a leadoff single and Eli Buto, who came on to relieve Hoehn, walked.

Bastow moved to third on Grady Johnson’s fly out to center. Tyler Myers hit a sharp grounder to short and reached on an error. Bastow scored on the play to make it 4-1.

With one out in the sixth, Hoehn hit a solo homer to left to cut the deficit to 4-2.

Warren tacked on an insurance run in the seventh.

Grosch drew his team-leading 14th walk of the year to start the inning. He stole second, then scored on a throwing error by Derek Fay after Morrison lined out to the Lancers first baseman.

Buto singled to start the bottom of the inning, but was picked off at first. Johnson followed with a double and was Rafalski’s final batter of the game. Hussey entered and got Myers to pop out and Leehan to strikeout to end the game.

“One of the key plays of the game was that pick-off,” Eaton said. “Our region is so tight, runs are at a premium.”

Rafalski allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits over his 6 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out six.

“Rafalski pitched real well,” Eaton said. “The last two innings were played in a steady rain and he got to his pitch limit.”

Morrison was 1-3 with a double and 2 RBI. Grosch was 0-1, but scored twice and drove in a run.

Warren will look to avenge an early-season loss Wednesday in a Region 7 showdown at Fort LeBoeuf. The Bison topped the Dragons, 3-2, at Legion Field April 10.

“They got us the first time,” Eaton said. “We’ll go out there and look to get our next win and the opportunity to control our own destiny in the Harbor Creek game.”

NOTE: The Bradford at Warren game that was rained out last Friday is scheduled to be made up this Friday, weather permitting, at Legion Field.

– – –

WARREN (5)

Baldensperger cf 4-0-0-0, Grosch ss 1-2-0-1, Cummings lf 2-1-1-0, Morrison c 3-0-1-2, Swanson cr-rf 1-1-0-0, Passmore 3b 3-0-0-0, Rafalski p 3-0-0-0, Berdine 1b 3-0-1-1, Loomis dh 2-1-0-0, Arnold rf-lf 3-0-1-0, Totals 25-5-4-4

GENERAL MCLANE (2)

Leehan ss 4-0-1-0, Mountain cf 3-0-0-0, Fay 1b 3-0-0-0, Hoehn p-3b 3-1-1-1, Renick c 3-0-0-0, Bastow dh 3-1-1-0, Buto 3b-p 2-0-1-0, Johnson 2b 3-0-1-0, Myers lf 3-0-1-1, Totals 27-2-6-2

Warren 211 000 1 – 5 4 1

General McLane 000 011 0 – 2 6 2

DP-None. E-Grosch (W), Fay (G), Myers (G). 2b-Arnold (W), Cummings (W), Morrison (W), Johnson (G). HR-Hoehn (G). SB-Grosch (W), Swanson (W)

IP H R ER BB K

Warren

Rafalski (W, 2-3) 6.1 6 2 1 1 6

Hussey (SV, 1) 0.2 0 0 0 0 1

General McLane

Hoehn (L, 2-1) 2.2 3 4 4 5 3

Buto 4.1 1 1 0 1 5

– – –

JV: WARREN 5, GENERAL MCLANE 1, 2 INNINGS

Warren won a rain-shortened junior varsity game, 5-1, in just two innings.

Ethan Wilson had two RBI, while Tyler Gustafson and Hunter Loomis each drove in one. Dylan Maeder gave up one run on two hits with a strikeout in two innings.

– – –

OTTO-EDLRED 10, YOUNGSVILLE 0, 6 INNINGS

DUKE CENTER, Pa. – Otto-Eldred’s Cole Sebastian went 3-3 with three home runs and seven RBI to lead the Terrors to a 10-0, six inning win over visiting Youngsville Monday.

Sebastian hit a 2-run dinger in the first, a solo homer in the third and a grand slam in the fourth. Chase Sebastian and Chris Connelly each drove in a run in the win.

The Terrors (10-2) weren’t just dominant at the plate. Starter Jacob Merry scattered two hits over his 5 1/3 shutout innings. He walked none and struck out 12 Eagles (3-7) .

Sam Hoover had one of the two Youngsville hits. He also pitched a complete game. He gave up 10 runs, five earned, on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out six.

Youngsville heads to West Middlesex Wednesday for a Region 1 matchup.

– – –

UNION CITY 10, EISENHOWER 0, 5 INNINGS

UNION CITY, Pa. – Shad Haskins and Nate Soliwoda combined to throw a no-hitter in Union City’s 10-0, five inning Region 4 win over visiting Eisenhower Monday.

Haskins walked one and struck out six in his three innings, while Soliwoda walked none and struck out four in two innings. Haskins had two hits, as did Brayden Kinney and Bronnan Higley.

Owen Trumbull gave up six runs, one earned, on four hits over two innings for the Knights (1-9 overal, 1-6 Region 4). He walked two and struck out three.

Zane Alexander drew a leadoff walk for Eisenhower. He was the last baserunner Union City (7-4, 6-2) allowed for the game.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today