Injury Can’t Stop Lancers

By Bill Schneider '95 Gates Mills, OH-- The Gilmour Lancers overcame an injury and an early deficit to beat the Bay Village Rockets 4-2 Friday at Figgie Field at Sharnsky Stadium. Through the first two games of the season, Sean Pitrone has been crushing the ball, but had to sit out with a bone bruise on his right hand, forcing Freshman Rex Waggle into the starting lineup with five minutes before first pitch. Waggle started at second as Joey Salerno made his first start of the year on the mound. Salerno gave up two runs on three hits in the top half of the first, but settled down to blank Bay through the next four innings, putting himself in line for the victory. The Lancer lineup, in the absence of Pitrone's hot bat, leaned on his partner in crime Zac Titas, who has been equally hot in the early going of the season. After Brady Benisek walked and stole second, Titas drove a pitch to the right center gap for a double, cutting the Bay lead to one. The Lancers were able to mix in four walks in the second, and when Salerno took his base on balls, Brady Olsen trotted home to knot things up. In the fourth, Olsen walked and Titas reached on an error. Consecutive RBI singles by Salerno and Tyler Hall gave Gilmour a 4-2 lead. Bay threatened again in the fifth. Salerno gave up a single and a walk to put men on the corners and one out. Bay tried to execute a double steal, but Salerno alertly stepped off and threw to Titas at first, starting a rundown. Titas tossed to Santagata at second who, instead of waiting to tag the runner, pivoted and threw home where catcher Paul Fox applied the tag just in time to get the runner for the second out. Two pitches later, Salerno induced a ground ball to Tyler Pozsgai who threw to first for the third out. Aiden Anders came on in the sixth and set the Rockets down in order. After getting a ground out to start the 7th, Anders gave up a single and a walk . A passed ball put the tying runs in scoring position with one out. Anders buckled down and gave up a sinking line drive to center that Olsen played perfectly to record the second out. Anders then struck out the last Rocket hitter to end the game and get his first career save. Titas and Christian Kerner both had two hits on the day. Olsen had two runs and two stolen bases. Benisek and Kerner also had two steals each. The Lancers sit at 3-0 and host Mayfield tomorrow back at The House of Thrills.