AVON, Ohio – Lake Erie freshman pitchers
Logan Nordquist (Alliance, Ohio/Alliance) and
Adam Beach (Vermilion, Ohio/Vermilion) scattered
seven hits and got the help of some outstanding defense to lead the
Storm to a 2-1 win over Notre Dame (Ohio) at All-Pro Freight
Stadium on Wednesday (April 21) evening.
Nordquist, making his first career start, walked
the first batter he faced on four pitches, but settled down and
retired the next 11 batters in order in a dominating performance.
He struck out two in that stretch and only one ball left the
infield.
The Storm (15-23) manufactured a run in the
third inning to open the scoring. Cody Blood (Conneaut,
Ohio/Conneaut) singled to left and moved to third after a
sacrifice bunt by Matt Vanni (Willowick,
Ohio/Willowick) and a groundout to second by Matt
Toth (Lorain, Ohio/Admiral King). Ryan Rua
(Amherst, Ohio/Amherst) followed with an RBI single to
give the Storm a 1-0 lead.
Nordquist ran into his only trouble in the
bottom of the fifth as the Falcons started the inning with a pair
of singles, putting runners on the corners. But Nordquist stranded
both runners by retiring the next three hitters in
order.
The Storm offense backed up Nordquist with a run
in the sixth inning. Patrick Kilway (Tallmadge,
Ohio/Tallmadge) walked to start the inning and moved to
second on a single by Matt Lott (Newark, Ohio/Newark
Catholic). Kilway scored from second on a lined single to
center by Mike Morgan (Indian Lake, Ohio/Russells
Point).
The Falcons (26-15) got the run back in the
sixth as Jon Koepf singled off Nordquist to start the inning. Beach
came on in relief but would later allow an RBI single to Brett
Zientarski later in the inning to trim the lead to 2-1. But with
runners on second and third, Beach struck out Travis Brown to end
the inning.
Beach ran into a jam in the eighth inning as the
Falcons loaded the bases with one out on a pair of singles and a
walk. But the defense backed him up as Brown grounded to Morgan at
second to start a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning, sending the
Storm dugout into a frenzy.
The Storm offense failed to add insurance in the
ninth despite putting runners on the corners. Beach allowed a
leadoff single to Jesse Bartle, who moved to second on a sacrifice
bunt. With pinch-hitter Benji Jarabeck at the plate, Bartle bolted
for third, but Lake Erie catcher Nick Lovick (Mentor,
Ohio/Mentor) made a perfect throw to Blood at third for
the second out. Beach got Jarabeck looking on the next pitch to end
the game.
Nordquist (2-1) earned the win, surrendering
just three hits in five-plus innings with one walk and two
strikeouts. Beach picked up his first career save, tossing the
final four innings and surrendering a run on four hits with three
walks and three strikeouts.
Toth and Lott each had two hits apiece for the
Storm, while Zientarski was the only Falcon with two
hits.
Lake Erie is now just three wins away from
breaking the single-season wins mark (17) set in 2008. The Storm
has the opportunity to tie the mark on Thursday (April 22)
afternoon in a doubleheader at Painesville's Recreation Park at 2
p.m. against Salem International.
