The Tigers came off a tough stretch of baseball entering today’s game versus Waynedale, the #17 team in Ohio. Games versus #27 University School, #5 GlenOak, and #2 Jackson preceded today’s matchup. The game did not have very high stakes as the Tigers are already set to host round one of the regional tournament versus Euclid next Tuesday. In the ballgame Tigers pitching walked 7 and hit 5 batters, dooming them in an 8-0 shutout loss; the Tigers only picked up 3 hits on the offensive side. Massillon now falls to 10-14 on the season; Waynedale moves to 23-3 with the win.
Game Recap
Brock Polilli opened the game on the mound for the Tigers. He blew the first batter he faced away for a strikeout and induced a half-hearted swing for a second strikeout. A groundout to short ended the inning. The Golden Bears had stellar pitching all day– a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the first was a sign of things to come for Waynedale. Isaac Maxheimer took over on the bump for inning number two. The Tigers ran into trouble following two hit batters and a walk. A strikeout kept the runners on but a weak flare over second and a throw that went to the backstop led to two runs for Waynedale. A strikeout and a pickoff at second limited the damage. Polilli led off the bottom of the second with a single but stayed put all inning as Massillon was unable to advance the runner. The Golden Bears added three more runs in the top of the third. A walk, single, and a perfect bunt base hit on the grass down the first base line led to a run, another walk and a hit-by-pitch led to a second run, and a sac fly led to a third run. In the middle of 3 Waynedale led 5-0. Massillon managed to get two runners on with back-to-back two-out walks but failed to score. Brayden Kraemer took over as pitcher for the Tigers and got out of a jam with two runners on; Aiden Wilhelm would later come on to pitch as the Tigers tried to keep fresh for the tournament. Polilli walked to lead off the bottom of the inning for Massillon. Drew Longwell followed with a single and Aiden Wilhelm laid a beautiful bunt down the third base line for a hit. It looked as if the Tigers were in business, but a force at home, a pop out, and a weak fly followed to end the inning. The Tigers ran into all sorts of trouble in the top of the fifth. A fielding error, hit-by-pitch, and walk loaded the bases with no one out. A deep fly to left center was stabbed by Will Hymes, who reached out to prevent a disastrous bases-clearing hit. It was deep enough to score a run to make the score 6-0. A hit batter loaded the bases again and a throwing error led to two more runs. After the dust had cleared, it was Golden Bears 8, Tigers 0. Both Massillon and Waynedale went in order in the next inning, and no changes in the score happened in the seventh. The final stood with the Golden Bears pitching an 8-0 shutout.
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