The Eastlake North baseball team wasted little time taking control on Sunday, scoring nine runs in the first three innings to defeat rival Willoughby South baseball 9-3.
The Rangers answered South’s first-inning run with a four-run bottom of the first, added two more in the second, and stretched the lead to 9-1 in the third behind an aggressive approach at the plate and timely hitting throughout the lineup.
Ethan Grinstead led the offense by going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, an RBI, and a double, while Drew Morbeto added two hits, two runs, and an RBI. Braylon Rolf also collected two hits and scored twice for North, which improved to 11-12 on the season. South dropped to 6-14.
“Our confidence is high, and our mindset is right, so we don’t get too ahead of ourselves, and so we can play the way we should,” Joey Andolina said.
South grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first after Ethan Christopher reached on an error and later scored. Nick Barrus added a single before the Rangers escaped further trouble with a 6-4-3 double play.
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North responded immediately.
Rolf was hit by a pitch to open the inning before Morbeto and Grinstead followed with singles to load the bases. Brady Pennza forced in a run after being hit by a pitch, and Andolina delivered an RBI single. Vinny Marsico followed with a two-run single to cap the four-run inning.
The Rangers kept rolling in the second.
After Rolf singled to lead off the inning, Grinstead drove home Morbeto with an RBI double. Later in the inning, an error allowed Grinstead to score and extend the lead to 6-1.
North added three more runs in the third inning. Colin Hutson walked and later scored on a single from Brent Reichard. Rolf followed with another single and stole second before Morbeto brought him home with an RBI hit. Grinstead later drove in another run with a groundout.
On the mound, Andolina gave the Rangers six solid innings, allowing five hits and three runs, two earned, while striking out two.
“I kept my confidence and energy high and just kept feeding off of the energy from them to keep pushing through,” Andolina said.
South threatened in the fifth when Tyler Hace singled and Sam Leskiewicz doubled, but the Rangers cut down Hace at the plate to keep the momentum on their side.
The Rebels added two runs in the sixth after Christopher worked a leadoff walk and Luke Jensen singled. Barrus was then hit by a pitch to load the bases before Max Domenico and Mason Gumto each delivered sacrifice flies.
Barrus finished 2-for-2 for South, while Leskiewicz went 2-for-3 with a double.
North and South will meet again on Monday at South.
“Playing clean baseball to have the pitchers back and staying aggressive at the plate,” Andolina said of the keys for the rematch.
Top Players
- Ethan Grinstead (North): 3-for-4, 2R, 1RBI, 2B
- Drew Morbeto (North): 2-for-3, 2R, 1RBI
- Joey Andolina (North): RBI, winning pitcher (6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER)
- Nick Barrus (South): 2-for-2
- Sam Leskiewicz (South): 2-for-3, 2B
