Otto-Eldred bounced back from Wednesday’s loss and Bradford continued their late-season woes on Thursday.
Otto-Eldred (13-4) jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead after two innings, and then added three more in the fifth inning to secure an 8-0 win, but of the eight Terror runs, only one was earned, as the Owls (4-11) committed seven errors in the field on the day.
That sluggish defensive performance by the Owls was matched by a paltry one-hit performance on offense.
“If there was a way to make an error, we did,” Bradford coach Andy Carlson said. “It was a game we didn’t play well, offensively or defensively.”
The Terrors, meanwhile, picked up a huge game all around from Jacob Merry. Merry pitched a complete game one-hitter for O-E, and added a 3-for-5 day at the plate that included three RBI and a double.
Chase Sebastian added a 2-for-3 day with a double and two walks, and Jacob Bell went 2-for-4.
Bradford, meanwhile, picked up its one hit from a Peyton Manion single.
If there was a highlight from the game, though, it was certainly the pitching performances of a pair of freshmen, Michael Gow and Nolan Ruolo.
Gow started the game and went two innings. He gave up five runs, but only one was earned, on five hits. He fanned one batter and walked just one.
Carlson was particularly impressed with the efforts of Ruolo, who lasted four innings and gave up no earned runs and just four hits. He struck two out and walked six.
“Nolan gave us a chance to climb back into it,” Carlson said.
Otto-Eldred, which snapped a two-game losing streak with the win, hosts Smethport today. Bradford will look to snap a four-game skid Monday at Elk County Catholic.
“You just have to move past (today). The best thing for us is we play again soon on Monday, and we’ll try and win that game,” Carlson said.
R H E
Otto-Eldred 410 030 0 8 9 0
Bradford 000 000 0 0 1 7
Jacob Merry (5 SO, 5 BB) and Chris Connelly
Michael Gow (1 SO, 1 BB), Nolan Ruolo (3) (2 SO, 6 BB) and Caleb Nuzzo
Oswayo Valley 6, Friendship 1
FRIENDSHIP, N.Y. — Each team had only three hits, but Oswayo Valley also took advantage of eight walks.
Sawyer Prince (11 strikeouts) and Noah Wichert (2) combined for 13 punch-outs, and Gunner Bean had all of the hits for the Green Wave (3-10), going 3-for-4.
Micah Hosley was 1-for-3 with an RBI for Friendship (3-13).
Elk Catholic 10, Johnsonburg 0, 5 innings
ST. MARYS — The Crusaders took advantage of five Jburg errors and had six players with at least one RBI to top the Rams.
The Crusaders, winners of their last seven contests, put up seven runs in the third inning to pull away from the Rams.
Hunter Cashmer had a double, a triple and three RBI for ECC while teammate Taylor Boland went 2-for-2 with two RBI.
Boland also threw all five shutout innings on the bump for the Crusaders, allowing just two hits and three walks.
ECC (11-5) avenged a 9-2 loss at the hands of Johnsonburg from mid-April.
AT ST. MARYS
R H E
Jburg 000 00X X 0 2 5
ECC 007 21X X 10 8 3
Gabe Watts (4 SO, 2 BB), Austin Green (3), Dalton Stahli (3) (1 SO, 4 BB), Zack Zameroski (5) (1 SO), and
Taylor Boland (1 SO, 3 BB), and
