Senecas claim SBC River title outright in 10-1 win

Not sharing a league title this season is one item to check off the list.The Division VII No. 1 ranked Calvert Senecas don't have to share the Sandusky Bay Conference River Division title with anyone this year as they won it outright.With five runs in the second inning, five more runs between the fourth and fifth innings, and only allowing Old Fort one run the entire night, the Senecas took down the Stockaders 10-1 at Zip Zalar Field on a rainy Monday in SBC River play."Obviously, that's the goal at the end of the season," Calvert coach Matt Coleman said. "We don't get too caught up in results, but obviously, not having to share it feels good."He credits the team for coming together after the first inning for the success they had.The only run that Old Fort (6-12, 3-10 SBC River) got was from Ryan Adelsperger. That run came on a Harry King ground ball that went past third base. "It's all about being consistent," Stockaders coach Bryce Mendoza said. "Positive attitude brings positive outcomes. We started kicking the ball around and squashing it. They are a very good team and they are top three for a reason. We have to go out swinging, no matter what happens."For Blake Coleman, senior night was bittersweet. He is the lone senior Seneca on the team."It's kind of weird being the only senior," Blake Coleman said. "We have a great group of guys on the team and it's been a great season so far and I can't wait to see what's ahead."The Senecas pulled together quickly and made sure that the Stockaders couldn't have a chance. The bottom of the order is credited for getting things going.First though, Cameron Moyer got the crowd excited, and tied the game 1-1 after hitting his second home run of the season on a fly ball out to centerfield."I got behind in the count a little bit," Moyer said. "He (Ryan Adelsperger) was throwing high fastballs. I had to protect anything close so I waited until I could hit the ball."From there, Cash Lee found the opening in center field and tattooed the ball out past King. Following behind was Jacob Kidwell who smacked a fly out to center. After two strikes and a ball, Lee and Kidwell each advanced a base on a wild pitch. Logan Ritzler got a two-run single after hitting a ground ball out past first base. Lee and Kidwell both scored, and Ritzler was on second base.Ritzler advanced to third on a passed ball while Blake Coleman came up to bat. Coleman got an RBI as Ritzler ran for home on the single ground ball.Vinny Lyons came up to bat and earned himself an RBI as Blake Coleman scored a run on Lyons' sacrifice fly that hit in the center field gap.Later, Ritzler smoked a double when his line drive went right past the right fielder, and made it to second base on the error. Ritzler ran to third base on a passed ball before scoring on a Blake Coleman ground out.Lyons whacked the ball, and due to an error was able to make it to second base. AJ Shoemaker got an RBI on the night as the ball sailed into right field and Lyons ran for home.The final three runs came in the bottom fifth. Gabe Badik, a pinch runner, scored on an error. After a Kidwell walk, Ritzler singled on a fly ball out to the gap in center, allowing Kidwell to score, and Blake Coleman hit a double out to right field that gave Ritzler just enough time to slide into home."Any time you can get insurance runs," Coleman said, "it allows you to be more aggressive on the offensive side. Once you are able to put distance between us, we were able to be more aggressive."The mistakes mounted for Old Fort and there was no coming back from them. They left too many on the bases, and at times, their baserunners hesitated on making moves."Biggest thing we preach is LOB, left on base," Mendoza said. "We had a lot tonight. The bottom of the lineup, we just need them to do whatever they can to put the ball in play to give us a chance. We had a couple of swing and misses and they were full count."Both teams changed out pitchers a total of three times. Old Fort had Adelsperger to start, but then changed pitchers in the fifth inning to Derek Skeel before deciding in the sixth inning to switch over to Andrew Tackett.For Calvert, it had Blake Coleman to start, and fighting through adversity, made it to the fifth inning before tapping in Charlie Palm, and then in the sixth inning, called in Kidwell.