Defending Division IV state champion No. 10 Lake Catholic baseball will hit the road Tuesday for a district semifinal matchup against No. 6 Perry baseball.
The Cougars enter at 17-10 after winning four straight games, including a tournament victory over Trinity. Perry enters at 22-6 after putting together one of the area’s most productive regular seasons and rolling through the Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division at 10-0.
Lake Catholic enters batting .305 as a team with a .410 on-base percentage, a .393 slugging percentage, and a .914 fielding percentage. Perry counters with one of the area’s most aggressive lineups, batting .319 with a .449 on-base percentage, a .392 slugging percentage, and 157 stolen bases.
The winner advances to the Division IV Region 13 championship game at Don Shula Stadium in University Heights on Thursday as two experienced programs collide in a postseason matchup featuring deep lineups, frontline pitching, and significant tournament experience.
Cougars’ Lineup Looks to Challenge Perry’s Deep Pitching Staff
Lake Catholic has been at its best when it strings together quality at-bats and forces opponents to defend for seven innings.
Patrick Martin leads the Cougars with a .409 batting average, while Tristan Negrelli is batting .400 and leads the team with a .514 on-base percentage. Quinn Stayer gives Lake Catholic another key bat with a .397 average, 27 hits, and a .471 slugging percentage.
The Cougars also get production from Tyler Hribar, who has 27 hits, nine stolen bases, two home runs, and a team-best .521 slugging percentage. Brayden Mann has driven in a team-high 17 runs and has 10 doubles, while Pete Malchesky leads Lake Catholic with 16 stolen bases and has scored 22 runs.
That group will be tested by a Perry pitching staff that has been one of the Pirates’ biggest strengths.
Nolan Andrejack has been one of Perry’s most reliable arms, entering with a 3-0 record, four saves, a 1.22 ERA, and 31 strikeouts in 34.1 innings. Carter Hopkins has added a 3-2 record with a 1.94 ERA in 21.2 innings, while Connor D’Astolfo is 6-0 with a 2.48 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 36.2 innings.
The Pirates also have depth behind them, including Sheamus Matson, who is 7-0 with 27 strikeouts in 33 innings, and Clay French, who is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 12.1 innings.
Pirates’ Offense Faces Lake Catholic’s Postseason-Tested Arms
Perry’s offense has produced throughout the season and enters Tuesday averaging more than nine runs per game.
Brody Petruccelli leads the Pirates with a .431 batting average, .618 on-base percentage, 22 hits, 33 runs, and 28 stolen bases. Justin Costello is batting .397 with a .547 on-base percentage, 25 hits, 14 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases, while Chase Sivon enters at .386 with 32 hits, 38 runs, 17 RBIs, and 35 stolen bases.
The Pirates also get production from Carter Hopkins, who is batting .360 with 27 hits, 21 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases, and Matson, who is batting .347 with 17 hits and 14 RBIs. Trent Taylor adds 25 hits, 29 RBIs, 29 runs, and 10 stolen bases.
That lineup will be challenged by a Lake Catholic pitching staff with significant postseason experience.
Stayer leads the Cougars with a 1.91 ERA, while Hribar enters with a 2.71 ERA, and Josh Howman carries a 3.03 ERA. Nate Luzier also gives Lake Catholic another postseason option after helping lead the Cougars past Trinity in tournament play.
Keys to Victory
For Lake Catholic, the key will be turning postseason experience into early pressure.
The Cougars know what tournament baseball feels like after last year’s state championship run, and they have already shown they can win close games this spring. If Lake Catholic can get traffic on the bases early, use its speed and force Perry to use multiple arms, the Cougars can put themselves in position to pull off the road win.
For Perry, pitching depth and offensive pressure will be critical.
The Pirates have several arms capable of keeping games under control and a lineup that can create pressure in several ways. If Perry limits free baserunners and continues to use its speed to force mistakes, the Pirates can protect their home field and advance.
With a district championship berth on the line, Tuesday’s matchup brings together Lake Catholic’s championship pedigree and Perry’s complete regular-season profile.
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