The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Mentor captures district crown
Cardinals top Mayfield for third year in a row, next face GCC foe Brunswick
Mentor’s Division I Euclid District titles represented the Cardinals’ different identities the past two seasons.
Mentor defeated Mayfield in five innings by run-rule two years ago, then won a game in which the teams combined for a run last year.
The Cardinals and Wildcats met again at Euclid on May 23 for the third consecutive season, where Mentor left with its third straight district championship after a 9-3 victory over Mayfield.
What appeared to be an offensive onslaught was compiled through 11 singles, two hit batsmen, aggressive baserunning and eight walks — three with the bases loaded.
“That’s our team in a nutshell,” coach Jeff Haase said. “There is no superstar, there is no Division I prospect, really. It’s just a bunch of guys who love playing together who go out and play every day.”
Mentor improved to 19-5. The Cardinals advanced to a Louisville Regional semifinal against Brunswick May 30.
Penn State commit Chad Rogers made the most consequential start of his high school career.
The junior right-hander pitched in the postseason for the first time and held Mayfield scoreless for five innings.
Rogers (3-1) allowed three hits, struck out six and walked three.
“It’s definitely the biggest stage I’ve pitched on in a Mentor uniform,” Rogers said. “Hopefully it’s not the last one.”
Haase was impressed as Rogers navigated early traffic while the Cardinals’ bats staked him to a 5-0 lead in the second inning.
Mayfield put runners at second and third with one out in the first inning before Rogers struck the next two batters out. The Wildcats drew a pair of one-out walks in the third and Rogers answered with a strikeout, then induced a ground ball to third baseman Matt Sabin.
Behind Rogers, shortstop Andrew Witte and center fielder Noah Gladish each made plays to turn likely hits into outs.
Mentor sent 11 batters to the plate in the second and scored five runs. Zach Mezget fisted an inside fastball through the right side to score Kyle Beller as the game’s first run. Howie Cavell scored from third when Mayfield’s catcher threw to first on a dropped third strike, Gladish added a RBI single, Hal Walker Jr. drew a bases-loaded walk and Beller drove in a run with a single in his second at-bat of the inning.
Witte drew a basesloaded walk in the fifth to extend Mentor’s lead to 6-0.
Mayfield responded with three runs in the sixth. Pinch-hitter Jake Crouch doubled to right-center to put the Wildcats on the board before Dom Piunno plated two runs with a single. Mayfield’s rally ended when Anthony DiTomas was ruled out on his ground ball to first, as he appeared to reach the base simultaneously as Mentor’s pitcher covered the bag.
The Cardinals matched Mayfield’s offense in the home sixth. Pinch-hitter Alex Ehinger walked with the bases loaded, then Eric Coode landed the knockout blow with a two-run single to center.
“Timely hitting when you need it scores runs,” Coode said, “gets the job done.”
Mayfield concluded the season 20-8. Pitt commit Cole Zak provided 3 2/3 solid innings of relief to afford the Wildcats a chance to work their way back into the game.
Zak and fellow junior Sebastian Alexander return to next year’s team after the pair led Mayfield in most offensive categories. Coach DJ Rapposelli also counts Piunno, Crouch, Gannon Rose and Joey Suchy among returning starters.
After the Wildcats’ season resulted in the same outcome as the previous two years, Rapposelli is eager for 2020.
“We’re going to be dangerous next year,” Rapposelli said. “We’re going to get past this hump next year, I’m almost guaranteeing it. We’re going to have another 20-win season, we’re going to win the damn conference and we’re going to get past Mentor.”