By Dan Machovina                                                                                                                                 PBR Ohio Assistant Scouting Director

EUCLID, OH – In Division I Ohio baseball tournament action it was No. 16 Mentor receiving a gem of a performance on the mound from senior left-handed pitcher Evan Lovick threw a shutout as the Cardinals defeated Chardon, 3-0.

Pitchers from both teams went the distance. Striking out 13 Chardon hitters is enough evidence that Lovick was overpowering for most of the game. The lefty gave up just four hits and walked only one batter in the effort. Chardon was able to stay in the game due to the gritty performance from senior left-handed pitcher Drew Gittins. Gittins also threw a complete game against a formidable offensive Mentor team. He threw six innings, giving up three runs (one earned) scattering seven hits, walking two while striking out six. He was also a force offensively, getting three of his team’s four hits.

It was a scoreless ballgame until the bottom of the third inning rolled around for the Mentor Cardinals. A leadoff single from the senior nine-hole center-fielder Kyle Hagey got things started, and then a single to center field with one out from senior second-baseman Brandon Kasberg kept the inning going. Hagey would end up scoring from third on a passed ball, Kasberg would then get caught up in no man’s land taking a long turn at third base coming from second base. Gittin’s would attempt to try to throw him out, over throwing his third baseman and costing Chardon two unearned runs in one play. This would give Mentor a 2-0 lead after three innings.

The Cardinals would then add an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth inning. A leadoff double to left center field from senior left fielder Caleb Potter (West Virginia commit, ranked number 21 in Ohio) would get the inning started. Shortly after it was senior catcher Trevor Boslett, who would single to left field giving him an RBI and a 3-0 Mentor lead after four innings. The score would remain 3-0 in favor of Mentor.

Chardon’s biggest threat against Lovick came in the top of the fourth inning when the Hilltopper’s lead things off with a single courtesy of Gittins. Junior catcher Dillon Coughlin would then walk, with runners at first and second with nobody out freshmen short-stop Perry Bewley laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third with only one out. Finding himself in a bit of trouble for the first time during the game, Lovick would get tough and strike out the next two hitters to end the threat.

Leading hitters: (Chardon) – Drew Gittins 3 singles (Mentor) - Caleb Potter single, double, walk, stolen base, run scored.

To view scouting notes from this game, please visit the Ohio High School Scouting Blog. The blog gets updated throughout the week.

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