Coaches never know how their team will bounce back following a loss, especially a tough one.
Adam Vincenzo learned a lot about his young St. Clairsville squad Monday night.
One day after suffering a 6-3 setback at Barton, the host Titans (10-3) came out swinging in a 12-3 pasting of visiting Maynard in Steele and Cook Insurance Ohio Valley Baseball League action on the Memorial Park diamond.
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ST. CLAIRSVILLE’S Jordan Meyer (5) trots towards home plate as Maynard catcher Matt McCain waves the throw off during Monday night’s Steele and Cook Insurance Ohio Valley Baseball League game in St. Clairsville. The Titans prevailed, 12-3.
The contest was called due to darkness with two outs in the bottom of the fifth.
St. Clairsville tallied half-a-dozen runs in the bottom of the first after Maynard (7-6) had plated two in its first at-bat.
"This was a good bounce back win for us," St. Clairsville manager Adam Vincenzo said. "We got the bats out early and we hit the ball real well."
Jared Clovis doubled down the left field line leading off and Myron Jellison walked on four pitches. Jordan Meyer's fly ball to deep left dropped for a run-scoring double and winning pitcher Mackenzie Koehler's single to right knocked in two runs, making it 3-0.
Anthony Pierro continued the hit parade with a single up the middle and T.J. Sliva's bunt single loaded the bases. Dom Garay ripped a shot to right that scored a pair and Sam Vincenzo's groundout plated Sliva with the sixth tally.
"Our defense has been our weak point of late," Maynard manager Laney Simone said. "There was at least one ball that should've been caught that wasn't."
Maynard sliced the deficit in half at 6-3 with a run in the third. Chris Leasure drew a leadoff walk and eventually raced home on a wild pitch with two outs.
However, that would be as close as the visitors would get as Koehler, who wasn't at his sharpest, shut the door.
The former St. Clairsville High product and current Marietta University hurler struck out five and scattered four hits, three in Maynard's two-run first inning. However, he issued seven free passes, but continually worked his way out of jams.
"Mac didn't have his best stuff, but he hung in there like the bulldog that he is," Vincenzo noted.
The Titans scored once in the third, twice in the fourth and three times in the fifth before the game was halted with a storm approaching.
Koehler helped himself at the plate with two singles and a double that accounted for two runs. Batterymate Garay, a Steubenville product, drove in three runs with a pair of base raps, while Sliva knocked in two with two singles. Meyer singled and doubled, as did Clovis. Meyer collected a run batted in.
Kotopka had a pair of singles and an RBI for Maynard. Jarvie doubled in a teammate.
Michael Androsko suffered the loss as he struck out two and walked two in two-plus innings of work. He yielded seven hits and was charged with a like number of runs. Justin Curry relieved in the third. He fanned four and walked one while giving up six hits.
St. Clairsville, which is percentage points behind defending champion Weirton, will travel to Bowman Field Friday for a clash with the Red Dons.
Maynard 201 00 - 3 4 4
St. Clairsville 601 23 - 12 13 0
Batteries: Androsko, Curry (3) and McCain. Koehler and Garay.
North can be reached at knorth@timesleaderonline.com
