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PBR Spotlight Game: #9 Cleveland St. Ignatius vs North Royalton

May 21, 2015

By Chris Check
PBR Ohio NE Regional Scout

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PBR Spotlight Game: #9 Cleveland St. Ignatius vs North Royalton

North Royalton was an out away from advancing to its second straight District title game when infield errors cost them the lead in the seventh inning and #9 St. Ignatius capitalized on its second chances, winning the game in the bottom of the eighth to advance.

The Bears of North Royalton were quiet until the third inning, when two walks and a passed ball put runners on second and third base. 

Shortstop Alex Sir Louis then got Royalton’s first hit of the game and it was a big RBI single to right scoring 1B Nick Palmateer and 2B Tyler Pencak. Third baseman then followed with a bunt single before senior RHP MJ Nara induced a sharp inning ending 4-6-3 double play. 

The Bears got two hits and a walk the following inning but couldn’t push a run across as another double play thwarted what seemed to be the beginnings of a big inning. 

Dave Steward, Royalton’s sophomore RHP was cruising along giving up only four hits thru the first five innings.

Steward started to tire in the fifth and the Wildcats took advantage. Pinch-hitter James Zajaczkowski led off the inning with a walk then came around to score after a wild pitch and a two-out RBI single by sophomore LF Ryan Jacobs. Sir Louis came in to get the last out of the inning. 

Sir Louis gave up a single to 2B Mullen Socha to start the seventh but quickly put the Bears an out away from victory after a ground out and a strikeout. 

Pinch-hitter George Asadorian then fouled off many pitches before hitting a routine grounder which hand-cuffed Royalton’s 2B allowing Socha to move to third base. 

A passed ball allowed the tying run to score. Sir Louis then walked the next batter and got a bases loaded fielder’s choice to end the Inning.

Ignatius reliever RHP Murphy O’Brien got the Bears to go down in order in the top of the eighth to set-up the Wildcat winning rally. 

Speedy senior CF Sam Fuller got a one out single up the middle; then promptly stole second. An infield pop-up put Royalton an out away from surviving the inning, before 1B Dennis Grosel lined a single off the third baseman’s glove allowing Fuller to wheel around third and score the dramatic winning run.

St. Ignatius plays Berea-Midpark Wednesday in the District Championship Game.

Box Score

North Royalton


Steward, 5.2 IP, 5H, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 K, 2 BB

Sir Louis (L), 2.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 K, 1 BB

St. Ignatius


Nara, 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 K, 4 BB

O’Brien (W), 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 K, 0 BB

North Royalton


Sir Louis, 2-4, 2 RBIs

Campbell, 2-2, HBP

St. Ignatius


Socha, 3-4, R, SB, Sac

Jacobs, 2-4, RBI

Smolen, 2-4         

Fuller, 1-4, R, SB, BB

Grosel, 1-4, RBI

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