Shoremen ride big first inning to victory THE SCORE

Avon Lake picked up its second win in as many days, overcoming frigid temperatures and some late-game rain to beat Bay, 3-2, in a nonconference game at home on April 14.

The Shoremen scored three runs in the first off a pair of RBI singles from the heart of the order — No. 3 hitter Jacob Krukowski and No. 4 Mike Sacco — after back-to-back walks put two runners on for Krukowski, who had a multihit day for the second game in a row.

An error allowed a third run to score and the Rockets were forced to go to the bullpen as Avon Lake batted nine in the first.

Reliever Dillon Barry went the rest of the way, but the Shoremen continued to build on their early lead despite a solid outing from Barry.

“I thought the first couple innings went real well. We AVON LAKE 3, BAY 2

had some real good at-bats,” Avon Lake coach Kevin Marlow said. “That second pitcher (Bay) brought in handled us pretty good. But we got pretty good performances, considering the elements, so you can’t complain.”

Bay finally plated a run in the third inning, thanks to none other than Barry.

The senior ripped a double to the right field fence to set up the Rockets’ best offensive inning that included two runs off three hits. But Avon Lake came up with some insurance runs over the next few innings and let its defense do the rest, tagging out a couple of Rockets at the plate to maintain the lead.

“Both sides had a chance to do some things and (Avon Lake was) able to put across a few more runs than we were,” Bay coach Ben Boka said.

“The pitching held its own a little bit. It kept us in the ball game close enough to maybe try to make a comeback on it, but it was tough weather, that’s for sure.”

Sacco led Avon Lake (62) with two hits and three RBI. Krukowski added two hits, two runs and an RBI and Jacob Caraballo and Connor Koncelik each added a hit.

Bryce Jackson was the only Rocket with multiple hits. The senior walked his first time at bat, then went 2-for-2 while Thomas Koss, Logan LaMere and Aidan Bozak each had a hit and an RBI for Bay (4-2).

“The kids, they know going in Northeast Ohio, it’s going to be not ideal conditions and they got out there and got it done,” Marlow said. “It’s always a big game. We try to schedule Bay every year.

“They’re right next door to us, a real nice program, a great, great staff there and we always try to get one in with them and it’s never easy no matter what the situation is and it showed today.”