Albert Grindle
The Gazette
STRONGSVILLE — The margin of error continues to be slim in the Greater Cleveland Conference.
Ian Hennessey was masterful in throwing a 96-pitch two-hitter Friday as the Strongsville baseball team edged Medina 1-0 on an unearned run, making Bees ace John Curtis (1-2) a hard-luck loser despite allowing only four hits in a complete game.
There is no rest for the weary, either, as Medina (7-4, 3-1) hosts traditional Northeast Ohio powers Willoughby South and St. Edward in a home non-league doubleheader today.
“We better gear up for (today). We’ve got two more,” Bees coach Nick Kaplack said. “Every game we play is top heavyweight fighters.”
Medina fell out of first place in the GCC and a half-game behind Solon (6-0, 3-0) with the loss to the Mustangs (4-3, 2-2). The Bees’ only hits against Hennessey (3-0) were an infield single by Jordan Fultz and a shot up the middle by Trace Peterson.
Hennessey had a lot to do with the offensive struggles. The right-hander didn’t throw smoke but pounded the outside corner and was particularly effective using a two-seam fastball that tailed back over the black.
While Medina only struck out three times, Hennessey kept batters off-balance, induced 12 ground ball outs and faced the minimum after allowing the leadoff single to Peterson in the third inning.
The Bees also left runners in scoring position in the second and third and had a runner thrown out at second base with no outs in the seventh.
“We’ve got to hit better,” said Kaplack, whose team was shut out for the second time in three games. “We have to work on our pitch selection. We’re going to do that (today), and we’ve got two games to force it. That’s what we’re going to do. You’ve got to work the counts a little better.”
The right-handed Curtis did all he could to keep Medina in the game.
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound junior’s approach contrasted Hennessey, as he consistently challenged batters inside. Curtis also made huge pitches in huge spots, getting a double-play ball with runners on first and second in the second inning and stranding a runner on second base in the third.
The only run came in the fourth, as first baseman Ryan Robertson (2-for-2) smacked a two-out double to left. Catcher Noah Trizzino swung at the next pitch, but the routine fly ball to right field was dropped and Robertson scored.
Curtis then was perfect over the next 2⅓ innings, moving the Bees’ team ERA below 1.00 for the season.
“He’s just tough,” Kaplack said of Curtis. “John has a winner’s mentality. You’ll see when he’s in tough situations, he’ll take a walk, he’ll clear his head and throw magnificent pitches.
“By the way, it should be 0-0 right now and this game could have gone 15 innings.”
Contact Albert Grindle at (330) 721-4043 or agrindle@medina-gazette.com.
Strongsville 1, Medina 0
MEDINA 000 000 0 — 0 2 2
STRONGSVILLE 000 100 x — 1 4 1
WP — Ian Hennessey (3-0) 7 innings, 0 walks, 3 strikeouts. LP — John Curtis (1-2) 6 innings, 0 earned runs, walk, 3 strikeouts. Medina (7-4, 3-1). Strongsville (4-3, 2-2) — Ryan Robertson single, double.