The GlenOak Golden Eagles will venture away from home to face off against the Boardman Spartans at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. GlenOak's pitching crew has only allowed 3.9 runs per game this season, so Boardman's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
GlenOak was handed a heart-breaking two-run loss in their last game, but they sure didn't let that happen against McKinley on Tuesday. The Golden Eagles were the clear victors by an 8-1 margin over the Bulldogs. Considering the Golden Eagles have won eight matchups by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Boardman, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Monday. They came out on top against Poland Seminary by a score of 7-2 on Tuesday. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last eight times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
Tyler Kirlik made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off nine hits (and only one walk). He also tossed a walk, which is notable because Boardman is 4-2 when he allows at most two walks, but 6-10 otherwise. Kirlik was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Boardman let Vince Butto and Sammy Moritz run wild. Butto went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, two doubles, and one RBI, while Moritz went 2-for-3 with three RBI, one run, and one double. Those three hits gave Butto a new career-high. Ricky Gozur was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs and one double.
Boardman kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
GlenOak has been performing well recently as they've won nine of their last 12 contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 17-8 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.1 runs on average over those games. As for Boardman, their record is now 10-12.
