GARRETTSVILLE, OH- James A. Garfield High School was the site for the Division III / Region 9 Sectional Final between the #16 seed Wickliffe Blue Devils and the host #5 seed Garfield G-MEN. The Blue Devils were coming off a 13-1 Sectional Semifinal win on Monday over Liberty while the G-MEN were riding a three game winning streak heading into the tournament. Eric Geddes took the mound for the G-MEN opposed by the Blue Devils Brandon Henderson.
After a scoreless top of the 1st for Geddes on the mound, he helped his own cause with a solo homerun over the left field fence for a 1-0 G-MEN lead.
It would stay a 1-0 game until the bottom of the 3rd when Garfield added a pair of runs. Brandyn Bogucki started the inning off with a double down the right field line. Two batters later Geddes brought him home with a double of his own deep into the left center field gap. On the very next pitch Aiden Hill blasted one almost to the same spot into the gap scoring Geddes. Henderson was able to limit the damage to two runs. Garfield led 3-0 after three.
Eric Geddes with a 3rd inning RBI double for the G-MEN
AIden Hill follows up the Geddes RBI double with one of his own in the 3rd
Wickliffe was finally able to get to Geddes in the 4th. Henderson led off with a single for the Blue Devils first hit of the game. Cleanup hitter Liam Widemire then turned on a hanging breaking ball and deposited it over the left field fence for a 2-run homerun. Geddes struck out the next three batters to end the inning. Wickliffe closed the deficit to 3-2.
Geddes seemed to kick it into gear after allowing the homerun as he struck out 8 straight before allowing a walk in the top of the 6th with two outs.
It stayed a 3-2 game into the 7th inning. Wickliffe started to make some noise showing they were not going down without a fight. Nunzio Zivnoska drew a walk to begin the inning. He then stole 2nd base. Logan Ruscin then popped up a bunt that Geddes nearly caught on a dive attempt. Nobody was covering 1st base allowing Ruscin to reach on an infield single with Zivnoska remaining at 2nd. Geddes was able to strike out the next two batters before walking lead-off hitter Chase Bonadio to load the bases. He was able to get Frankie Bucar swinging on a 2-2 pitch to clinch the Sectional Title. The final 12 outs were all recorded via Geddes strikeouts. They advance to Districts after a 3-2 win over Wickliffe.
A compilation of some of the 16 strikeouts by G-MEN pitcher Eric Geddes
Geddes went the distance allowing 2 runs on 3 base hits. He walked 5 and struck out 16 throwing 123 pitches in the complete game. He was also 2/2 with a double, a homerun and 2 RBI at the plate. Liam Widemire led Wickliffe with a 2-run homerun and some solid work on the mound working 3 hitless innings.
Garfield advances to the Division III District semifinals to face the #18 seed Chagrin Falls Tigers who upset #2 seed Kirtland 5-3. The game will be played on Monday at Springfield High School in New Middletown.
Comments