MASSILLON — Lakeview managed to stifle many of Northeast 8 Conference rival Poland’s early offensive efforts in their Division V regional semifinal Wednesday at Massillon Washington High School.
However, Poland, buoyed by starting pitcher Grady Pitzulo, broke through and broke open the game in the fifth inning, scoring three runs to take a lead before scoring another four the following frame en route to an 8-1 win.
“Obviously, just not the outcome we were looking for,” Lakeview coach Cam Carson said. “We’ve been playing really confident, really good baseball, and today just wasn’t our day.”
Neither Poland nor Lakeview’s batters had much success early on Wednesday, but Lakeview’s did enough to strike first.
Eli Gough led off the bottom of the second inning with a single to left field, and shortly thereafter, Nicolas Aho drove in Gough with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Despite its go-ahead run, the two hits in the inning — Gough’s and one by Isaiah Lantz — would remain the only hits of the game for Lakeview. From there, Pitzulo kept the Lakeview batters at bay, allowing just four more baserunners.
“I couldn’t find the zone early, but I think I definitely started to feel more confident. I started hitting my spots better,” Pitzulo said.
Meanwhile, Poland finally found a groove at the plate in the fifth inning.
Having been limited to two hits through the first four frames by Lakeview starter Jacob Shaker, Poland began the fifth with an Owen McKenzie walk, which was followed by a sacrifice bunt and a single up the middle to put runners on the corners. Then, Kelly Memo put Poland on the scoreboard with a single through the left side of the infield.
Carmine Tukalo kept things rolling with a two-run double to give Poland a 3-1 lead before Zach Marantis made it 4-1 with a two-out RBI single.
Picking up where it left off, Poland expanded its advantage in the sixth inning, during which McKenzie, following a leadoff walk and a single, hit a two-run triple and got to jog home due to a defensive error. The play gave Poland a 7-1 lead, which grew to 8-1 in the top of the seventh when Pitzulo hit an RBI single to score Marantis.
“It was a little scary there. We weren’t really getting too good of at-bats there until the fifth inning, and then they sprung it together like we have all year,” Poland head coach Rich Murray said.
Down to its last three outs, Lakeview proved unable to summon some season-saving magic, as Pitzulo retired the side in order.
For the day, Pitzulo allowed a pair of hits, one run, six walks and struck out four batters.
“He’s done that all year,” Murray said. “I mean, he’s 8-0 right now. He throws strikes. He doesn’t let the situation get to him too much. He can have guys on base, and it’s like nobody’s on him. He just goes back to work.”
Lakeview’s trio of pitchers — Shaker and relievers Blake Swinning and Nathan Paolucci — combined to surrender 11 hits, eight runs, three walks and had six strikeouts between them.
“I’m proud of my guys and how they did,” Carson said. “They competed. That’s all we ask from them every time they go out. Some days, the ball doesn’t go how you want it to, and that was today.”
The loss ended the season for Lakeview, which finished 20-8, with three losses coming against Poland.
“[This season was a] huge success, tied for the best season in school history,” Carson said. “Just super proud. I have seven seniors that just made such an impact on this program and that really left a mark on their way out the door. And we’re just really proud of what they were able to accomplish in their four years here. I can’t really say enough good things about that group. They have really set the tone. They play hard. They play the right way. They set an example for the younger guys. So just really happy with how they went out in their senior year and the impact they’re going to leave going forward.”
Poland (19-6) is set to return to Massillon Washington today for a 5 p.m. regional title game vs. top-seeded Waynedale, which beat 11th-seeded Chagrin Falls 2-0 on Wednesday.
“Just keep doing what we’ve been doing,” Pitzulo said of the key to the game. “Just pitching the ball, fielding the ball, hitting. If we do all that and we play our game, I think we’re good.”
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