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By Jake Budyka
PBR Ohio NE Scout/Intern

We look to bring the Buckeye state top-notch high school coverage throughout the entire state.

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Ohio Spotlight Game: #1 Massillon Jackson vs #8 St. Ignatius

BEREA - A pitching duel at Baldwin Wallace University between two of the top pitcher’s in the state and two of the top teams leads to a 10 inning game, 31 total strikeouts, and a combined 7 hits. Top ranked Massillon Jackson looked to stay undefeated against a hot St. Ignatius team that was moving up the rankings.

For the home team, the St. Igantius Wildcat’s started lefty Connor Adams (Louisville commit, #27 ranked in 2017 class). Massillon Jackson started Kyle Nicolas (Ball State commit, #31 ranked in 2017 class). The match-up did not disappoint.

Both of the starters went 6 innings, giving up 2 hits a piece, while having double digit strikeouts.

Connor Adams was pulled after 6 complete innings, striking out 11 and walking just 1 batter. Kyle Nicolas pitched into the seventh, giving up his second hit of the game to the leadoff hitter, turning the ball over to the bullpen to try to keep the game scoreless.

Connor Adams ran into some early trouble, hitting Ohio State commit Dillon Dingler and walking Jake Mottice in the first to put runners at first and second with just one out. Adams then got cleanup hitter Stone King to lineout to the second baseman, then in a pitcher battle, striking out Kyle Nicolas to get out of first inning trouble.

Through the second and sixth innings, Adams struck out a total of 10 batters, retiring 12 in a row, allowing his first hit in the fifth inning.

Nicolas matched Adam’s effort throughout the entire six innings, sitting down the first 6 batters he faced via strikeout.

St. Ignatius’ first hit of Nicolas was to leadoff the third inning with a sharp single to right field by Mark Geraci. Nicolas then retired the next 12 hitters in a row, not allowing a baserunner or a hit until pinch hitter Jeff Chonko led off the seventh with a single down the left field line.

Massillon Jackson turned the ball over to Ben Warren (Uncommitted senior, #341 ranked in 2017 class) who struck out the first batter he faced, then gave up a hit to Ignatius relief pitcher, Jack Eyink. With runners on first and second in a scoreless game in the bottom of the seventh, Warren took Jackson under his wing, striking out the next two to end the inning to send the game into extras.

Massillon Jackson was able to get a runner into scoring position without a hit in the eighth and ninth inning but came up empty. Jack White drew a walk with one out in the eighth and moved into scoring position on a dirtball that was scooped by catcher Drew Asadorian (#119 ranked in 2018 class), but without hesitation, White was off and slid into second ahead of the tag. Eyink got the batter to strikeout for the second out of the inning. Ignatius then opted to intentionally walk Dingler. Eyink was then able to get Jake Mottice (Uncommitted senior) to fly out to end the inning.

The ninth inning looked almost identically to the previous, this time Stone King drawing a leadoff walk and pinch runner Nick Harrison advancing to second on a wild pitch with one out, again striking out the opposing hitter for the second out. To go to a righty-righty match-up, Ignatius intentionally walked Trey Wright (#37 ranked in 2019 class). Massillon Jackson went to the bench for a pinch hitter, Hunter Biros, who Eyink got to groundout to end the threat.

To start the home half of the ninth, Dan Adler sent a long fly ball to the right center that had double written all over it. Centerfielder Jake Mottice used his speed to track down the fly ball, making a sensational diving catch, that saved a for sure double, maybe a triple if it got by a diving Mottice.

Jack Eyink (#66 ranked) started the tenth inning, but was pulled and relieved by Evan Steigerwald after just two pitches, both being balls. Steigerwald walked the leadoff hitter Jack Dear to start the inning. Leadoff hitter Cade Mottice hit a sharp groundball that snuck inside the third base line, resulting in a double and putting runners at second and third with no outs. For the second straight plate appearance, Ignatius intentionally walked Dingler to get to 3-hole hitter, Drew Mottice. The game’s first run came on a bases loaded, tenth inning walk to Mottice. Nick Harrsion was the next batter, hitting for Kyle Burke who replaced Stone King at first base in the early innings, and tried laying down a safety squeeze, which was bunted in between the plate and the mound. Steigerwald came off the mound and fired to home to get the speedy Cade Mottice trying to score, and keeping it a 1-0 game. Steigerwald then recorded a strikeout for the second out of the inning, still having the bases loaded.

Dan Adler came into to try and get the final out, keeping it a one run ball game. Davis Graham worked the count to a full count and brought in the game’s second run with an RBI walk. Adler then got out of the inning with no further damage with a fly out to end the frame.

Ignatius was able to get a runner to third base on a double by Chistion Ramos, and pinch runner Matt Bobinski advanced on a wild pitch. Warren recorded his fifth strikeout for the second out, and induced a groundout to strand the runner at third and end the game.

Top Performers on the Day:

• St. Ignatius LHP Connor Adams: Went 6 innings, striking out 11, giving up just 2 hits and walking 1
• Massillon Jackson RHP Kyle Nicolas: Went 6+ innings, striking out 10, giving up 2 hits and walking none
• ssillon Jackson INF Cade Mottice: Went 1-4 with double down left field line to set up go ahead run in the 10th inning
• St. Ignatius RHP Jack Eyink: Went 3 innings, striking out 4, giving up 0 hits, and walking 4 (2 by intentional walk)
• Massillon Jackson RHP Ben Warren: Earned the win in 4 innings of relief, striking out 5, allowing just 2 hits, walking 1.

Linescore

Massillon Jackson       000 000 000 2 -  2 3 0
St. Ignatius                   000 000 000 0 -  0 4 0

Records: Massillon Jackson 6-0, St. Ignatius 2-4

A Look Back At 2016 Preseason Articles:

To view the 2016 Team Previews, click here.
To view the 2016 Preseason All-State Teams, click below.

• Division I
• Division II
• Division III
• Division IV

A Look Back At 2015 Preseason Articles:

To view the 2015 Team Previews, click here.
To view the 2015 Preseason All-State Teams, click below.

• Division I
• Division II
• Division III
• Division IV