St. Paul shuts down SJCC ahead of big week

NORWALK — Three pitchers combined to allow three hits and an unearned run as the state-ranked St. Paul baseball team defeated Fremont St. Joseph, 6-1, in a non-league game on Saturday at Norwalk Area Contractors Park. River Couch had a two-run single in the bottom of the second inning for the Flyers (9-1), who were ranked No. 15 in the latest OHBCA Division VII state poll. Leading 2-1 after the Crimson Streaks scored an unearned run in the top of the fifth, the Flyers got a double from Izaac Snyder and a two-run single from Isaac Kalizewski to extend the lead to 4-1. In the sixth, Alex Marsh hit an RBI double and scored on a double-steal from third base for two more runs. Casey Fries started and went 2 2/3 innings. He struck out six of the eight outs recorded and allowed just two hits with no walks. Nate Griffin then went 3 1/3 innings and allowed an unearned run on one hit with four strikeouts and no walks. Kalizewski pitched a scoreless seventh with one walk. St. Paul (4-0 FC) starts a huge week in Firelands Conference play with four games in five days against South Central (3-5, 3-1) and Plymouth (5-5, 3-1) on Monday and Tuesday, followed by Thursday and Friday. The Flyers lead both teams by one game in the loss column as the season nears the midway point. F. SJCC 000 010 0 — 1 3 4 St. Paul 020 022 x — 6 5 2 WP: C. Fries; LP: Gil 2B: (SP) I. Snyder; Marsh New London 12, Wellington 0 WELLINGTON — The Wildcats rolled up 10 runs in the first two innings of a Game 1 win by run-rule over the host Dukes on Saturday. Landon Harrison pitched five scoreless innings for New London. He allowed three hits and also struck out three and walked three. At the plate, Kade Detterman singled with two RBIs, while Brody Sword, Gabe Ellis, and Shane Speicher each had a base hit and an RBI. Jarrett Mencl added three RBIs. N. London 460 02 — 12 5 0 Wellington 000 00 — 0 3 2 WP: L. Harrison; LP: Milks New London 20, Wellington 13 WELLINGTON — The Wildcats improved to 6-4 after 10 games with Saturday's high-scoring affair to win Game 2 and sweep a doubleheader with the host Dukes. The game was tied at 12-12 after six innings before NL scored eight runs in the top of the seventh. Henry Thomas was 3 for 5 with two doubles and two RBIs and earned the pitching win with a pair of strikeouts over 2 2/3 innings. Mencl was 4 for 5 with an RBI, while Oliver Harrison was 3 for 6 with a double and four RBIs. Logan Sword was 2 for 3 with three RBIs, followed by Brody Sword with a double and two RBIs, Sane Dobias with two hits and an RBI, and Detterman with a single and two RBIs. New London has Crestview and Western Reserve in its four FC games in the week ahead starting Monday. N. London 144 120 8 — 20 17 4 Wellington 010 506 1 — 13 14 4 WP: Thomas; LP: 2B: (NL) Thomas 2, B. Sword, O. Harrison Shelby 13, Plymouth 0 SHELBY — The Whippets scored seven times in the bottom of the first to top the Big Red in a non-league game on Saturday. Plymouth (6-5) got a pair of hits, including a double, from Lincoln Distl, while Isaiah Miller also had a double, and Keegan Beverly singled. The Big Red face Mapleton on Monday and Tuesday before the two games against the Flyers. Plymouth 000 00 — 0 4 2 Shelby 703 3x — 13 10 0 WP: Stairs; LP: Grose 2B: (S) Albert, Gray; (PL) Distl, Miller SOFTBALL St. Paul 18, Fremont SJCC 3 NORWALK — The Flyers got back above the .500 mark at 7-6 with Saturday's dominant win over the visiting Crimson Streaks. Ella Kalizewski finished 2 for 2 with a double, a two-run home run, and five RBIs. Ryleigh-Mansfield Bush also homered with two RBIs, while Bella Guerra was 2 for 2 with an RBI. Allyson Takacs also had two hits and scored twice, while Taegan Mansfield Bush singled with two RBIs. Guerra went four innings for the win. She allowed three earned runs on four hits with a pair of strikeouts. St. Paul will visit South Central on Monday and host the Trojans on Tuesday. Fre. SJCC 200 10 — 3 5 4 St. Paul 251(10)x — 18 9 1 WP: Guerra; LP: S. Foos 2B: (SJ) I. Foos, A. Harrison; (SP) Kalizewski; 3B: (SJ) S. Foos; HR: (SP) Kalizewski, R. Mansfield-Bush