The baseball postseason is quickly approaching, and Saturday’s three-team showcase between Hawken baseball, North baseball, and Chagrin Falls baseball provided all three programs with a playoff-style test.
The teams each finished 1-1 on the day, with Chagrin Falls opening with a win over Hawken, North edging Chagrin Falls in a pitchers’ duel, and Hawken closing the day by slipping past North in a tightly contested finale.
Chagrin Falls Uses Big Innings to Beat Hawken
Chagrin Falls opened the tournament with a 9-1 victory over Hawken behind a pair of four-run innings.
“We’ve been struggling to get the big hit all year,” said Chagrin Falls head coach Mike Sweeney. “So anytime we can get it, I always tell the guys, it’s kind of contagious when that happens.”
Henry Cimperman scored the game’s first run after reaching on an error in the opening inning, while Will Murray added an RBI single in the fourth before Ash Martin ripped a bases-clearing triple to extend the Tigers’ advantage to 5-0.
Hawken answered with an RBI double from Kevin Oster, but Chagrin Falls broke the game open in the seventh. Eric Nemunaitis drew a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded before Murray delivered a three-run double to seal the victory.
The Tigers continued a strong week after sweeping Kirtland earlier in the week to move into the top spot in the CVC Valley Division race.
“We’re a team that always kind of comes together at the end,” Sweeney said. “We always play our best baseball at the end of the year.”
Murray finished the day 3-for-8 with two runs and four RBI, while Martin drove in three runs. Joey Tenebria scored twice, and Nemunaitis added two hits and an RBI.
Jack Watson earned the complete-game win, allowing one run on eight hits with seven strikeouts.
North Rallies Past Chagrin Falls
North followed with a 3-1 win over Chagrin Falls behind strong pitching and situational baseball.
The Tigers grabbed a quick 1-0 lead in the first after Murray singled and later scored on a passed ball, but North answered in the third on Drew Morbeto‘s RBI single.
Vince Latini pushed the Rangers ahead with an RBI single in the fourth before Brady Pennza added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
“We like crooked numbers,” said North head coach Mike Duncan. “We didn’t get any, but what we did get was outstanding pitching that kept us in the ball game.”
Duncan credited the Rangers’ ability to manufacture runs through bunts and moving runners while relying on strong defense throughout the game.
Pennza starred offensively throughout the day, finishing 4-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Morbeto added three hits and an RBI, while Latini and Ethan Grinstead combined for six hits, three runs, and three RBI. Billy Murphy chipped in two hits and two RBI.
Collin Hutson earned the win in game one, allowing one run over four innings with four strikeouts.
Twardokus Powers Hawken Past North
Hawken closed the day with a 7-6 win over North behind a monster performance from Cole Twardokus, who drove in five runs.
“Cole has been one of our guys all year,” said Hawken head coach Aaron Brandt. “He really is a leader in our lineup.”
North jumped ahead 2-0 in the opening inning on a Pennza RBI single and a Murphy RBI play, but Hawken responded immediately when Twardokus blasted a three-run inside-the-park home run to give the Hawks a 3-2 lead.
Twardokus added RBI singles in the second and fourth innings as Hawken built a 6-3 advantage. Pennza kept North close with an inside-the-park homer, while Murphy later delivered a two-run triple to trim the deficit to 6-5.
Ethan Gipson sparked Hawken again in the fifth with a leadoff double before Graham Shaheen plated him with an RBI single for what proved to be the deciding run.
Latini added another RBI single for North late, but Hawken held on to secure the win.
“All three teams are very competitive,” Brandt said. “We all respect each other and our programs.”
Twardokus finished 3-for-7 with five RBI and a home run on the day, while Patrick Murphy went 4-for-7 with a run scored and an RBI. Gipson added two hits, and Oster contributed an RBI.
Tanner Brandt earned the win in relief for Hawken, throwing 4 1/3 innings while allowing two runs with three strikeouts.
Hawken hosts Kirtland on Monday, North visits Chardon on Tuesday, and Chagrin Falls travels to Kenston on Monday.
Top Players
- Cole Twardokus (Hawken): 3-for-7, HR, 5 RBI
- Will Murray (Chagrin Falls): 3-for-8, 2 R, 4 RBI
- Brady Pennza (North): 4-for-4, HR, 3 RBI
- Billy Murphy (North): 2 H, 2 RBI, 2-run triple
- Ash Martin (Chagrin Falls): 3 RBI, bases-clearing triple
- Patrick Murphy (Hawken): 4-for-7, RBI
