By Dan Machovina
PBR Ohio Assistant Scouting Director

MENTOR, OH – With the wind blowing straight out, two Division I teams squared off as the Strongsville Mustangs (2-1) visited the Mentor Cardinals (1-1) (Ranked No. 7 Division I) for the second time in as many days for a key Northeast Ohio Conference matchup. After losing game one on Tuesday between the two teams, the Mustangs would come away victorious with a 10-3 win over Mentor.

It was a good pitching matchup coming in, with both teams sending their aces to toe the rubber. Mentor would send their big right handed throwing senior, Kade McClure (Louisville commit, ranked number 8 in Ohio) while Strongsville would call on their ace, right-handed pitcher junior, Alex Barnes (pictured right) (Ranked number 36 in Ohio’s 2015 class). 

Strongsville only managed to combine for three hits in the game on Wednesday against Mentor. The Mustangs came out offensively minded as they struck first on the scoreboard.

In the top of the first McClure would set down the first two Mustangs on strikeouts. Three hole hitter junior catcher, Jake Bokar (Ranked number 115 in Ohio’s 2015 class) sent an 88 mph fastball over the left-fielder’s head for a two-out double. Cleanup hitter first-base sophomore prospect, Caleb Thomas would work a walk. Sophomore prospect second-baseman, Zach Kahn then hit a clutch two-out two-RBI double over the left-fielder’s head to give the Mustang’s a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the first, Mentor recorded a leadoff single from senior short-stop Brandon Kasberg, then a ground rule double from designated hitter junior, Evan Lovick. With no outs and runners on second and third, senior left-fielder Caleb Potter (West Virginia commit, ranked number 21 in Ohio) grounded out to the pitcher, and Strongsville would get out of the inning due to two base running miscues by the Cardinals.  This was a key inning that would then dictate the rest of the game.

Going into top of the third inning the score still stuck at 2-0 in favor of the Mustangs. Jake Bokar worked a walk, Caleb Thomas then singled to right-field, and it was again Zach Kahn coming up with a big hit. This time Kahn smoked two-RBI triple over the center-fielder, who then air mailed the third base-man trying to get Kahn sliding into third-base which ultimately sent Kahn home to score making it a 5-0 Strongsville lead.

In the bottom of the third with only one out Mentor would load the bases for cleanup hitter senior catcher, Trevor Boslett. The Mustang defense would show off some leather as they induced Boslett into an inning ending 6-4-3 double play.

With Strongsville up 10-1 going into the bottom of the seventh, Mentor wasn’t ready to go down easy against Mustang reliever junior right-hand pitcher Warren Spragg. With two Mentor runners on base Evan Lovick would again deliver with a double to right field, giving him two more RBI’s on the day. 

The score would ended at 10-3 in Strongsville’s favor.

To view scouting notes about games across Ohio, please visit the Ohio High School Scouting Blog. The blog gets updated throughout the week.

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