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Hudson senior shortstop Nate Shaw is batting .370 with five stolen bases. The Explorers host Highland Friday night at 7 at the Ballpark at Hudson.
It’s hard to say what a win over Massillon might have done for Copley’s baseball season.
The Indians (3-9) came close twice on Saturday at the Tigers’ “Ducky” Schroeder Field, losing a 15-14 heartbreaker and then a 4-3 contest in the nightcap.
Everything is clicking for undefeated Massillon (13-0) and its coach Joe Gilhousen, approaching 600 career wins.
Trailing 14-10, the Tigers erupted for five runs in the bottom of the seventh to shock Copley in the opener.
“There’s no consolation for ever getting swept, but after losing game one as tough as we did, it would have been easy to fold up shop for game two,” Copley coach Michael Chuppa said. “Instead, we battled and played hard and gave ourselves an opportunity to win the second ballgame.”
In that game, the Indians forced Gilhousen to go to his junior ace Robbie Plants to shut the door in the sixth and seventh innings.
Copley senior center fielder Zach Hays had a 5-for-9 day at the dish with three doubles.
The Indians’ quarterback during football season, junior Lou Gigliotti is the team’s No. 2 starting pitcher and demonstrated some impressive arm strength at shortstop.
Illegal bat
During a 4-3 loss to Keystone last Thursday, Black River shortstop Todd Gentile saw a bat being used by Keystone hitter Michael Cordy that looked all too familiar.
A story published by the Medina County Gazette said Gentile recognized the illegal bat because he has the same in his collection. He knew it was on the list of banned bats and said as much to the umpires.
Cordy was declared out in the top of the seventh without taking a swing.
University of Northwestern Ohio
Green senior pitcher-third baseman Seth Curtis has signed with the University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima.
Curtis is batting .519 (14-for-27) for the Bulldogs with three home runs. He also has pitched 18 innings (1-2) and carries a 3.50 ERA.
Mercy
In an 11-0 win over St. Vincent-St. Mary last Thursday, Firestone junior outfielder Phil McIntyre belted a 3-run homer and a 2-run shot for five RBI.
The Falcons return 12 lettermen (nine seniors, five All-City players) from last season’s 16-13 squad. Brad Lightfoot is the ninth-year coach of the Falcons.
In a 13-11 loss to Archbishop Hoban on Saturday, the Falcons hit five home runs, including a grand slam off the bat of senior Lance Dokes. The Knights hit three homers. Senior Kerrigan Cain had a single, two doubles, a home run, three RBI and scored three runs.
Cancer Awareness Weekend
Hudson (8-3) hosts its annual event to support cancer research and the Explorers meet Highland on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Ballpark at Hudson.
Senior power is doing it for Hudson. Outfielder Matt Ramsay is batting .464 (13-for-28) with seven RBI. Shortstop Nate Shaw is hitting .370 with five stolen bases, while senior second baseman-pitcher Jimmy Benchek has a .346 BA to go along with a 4-0 mark on the hill, a 1.81 ERA (27 innings pitched) and 18 strikeouts against just six walks.