SPORTS

Juniors split, face must-win

Sam Blackburn
Reporter
  • The Juniors need a win on Sunday to win its first AAABA regional tournament since 1973.
  • Pitcher Dallas Allen took a line drive off the face in Game 1, sending him to a Columbus hospital.
  • Brandon Bush pitched three scoreless innings of relief in Game 2 to help force a third game.

ZANESVILLE – With the Junior Pioneers needing a win to stay alive at the Tom Checkush AAABA regional tournament, the offense finally emerged from its malaise on Saturday.

After managing only three hits in a 2-0 loss to Cleveland in the first game at Gant Municipal Stadium, the Juniors pounded out 11 hits and scored five times in the third inning to pull away for a 10-6 win.

The Juniors (31-4) forced a third game against Cleveland at 1 p.m. today to determine the Zanesville representative in the national tournament at Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The Juniors are bidding for their first regional title since 1973.

Maysville graduate Brandon Bush twirled three innings of scoreless, one-hit relief to earn a save after Joe Shumar’s two-run single gave the Juniors a 7-6 lead in the fourth.

Michael Pagano doubled with three singles and drove in two runs during the third, while A.J. Kazmierczak added a key two-run single in the sixth that gave the Juniors key breathing room.

Bush’s efforts were critical, given multiple relievers were used in Game 1.

“He’s been throwing great,” Juniors manager David Balo said. “I’m really impressed by him.”

Crooksville grad Chris Sparks pitched four innings to get the win.

The Juniors managed only three hits in the first game, but that was only part of the bad news.

Trailing 1-0 in the fourth, pitcher Dallas Allen, of Muskingum, took a line drive off the face and was rushed to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.

“Honestly, he’s lucky he’s still alive,” Balo said. “It was the most God-awful thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Allen, from Grove City, also serves as the team’s second baseman. He and shortstop Michael Lynn, his Muskie teammate from Zanesville, form what Balo called the best middle infield combination he has ever coached.

“Losing Dallas, that’s a big loss,” Balo said. “We’re going to need some guys to step up.”

Balo said his team has struggled since winning 27 straight games in the regular season. Even the normally reliable defense hit a snag on Saturday.

He hopes his team recaptures its mojo.

“The bottom line is in a seven-inning game the teams that makes the fewest amount of mistakes is going to win,” Balo said. “That’s been our calling card all year, but the last couple weeks we haven’t played well.”

sblackburn@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com

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Twitter: @SamBlackburnTR