Maple baseball splits wild games with Tarblooders

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by Devan Matthews

Correspondent

Led by pitcher Abdul Ismael, the Maple Heights High School baseball team won one of three games it played last week.

That game was the second contest of a doubleheader against Cleveland Glenville at home on Saturday.

The Mustangs beat the Tarblooders by the score of 6-2. Ismael went the distance on the mound, allowing just six hits and walking one batter.

"He's a great pitcher," said Maple Heights head coach Dan Kovalak. "He's done an amazing job for us this season."

With the victory, Ismael improved his overall record on the season to 5-3.

Darius Carr led Maple Heights offensively. He was 2-for-3 at the plate, raising his average to a scintillating .442.

"He's a junior, and as a sophomore, he played mostly JV," said Kovalak of Carr. "He hit about .120, so what he's doing this season is unbelievable."

In addition to Carr's performance, Clay Miller slapped a pair of singles and Aaron Russell contributed a single and double.

The first game of the doubleheader against Glenville was a marathon contest, lasting three and a half hours. The Tarblooders eventually won by the score of 24-11.

"Errors were the story of that game," said Kovalak. "We had 11 errors, and we walked 10 batters, too. That certainly didn't help. We did hit the ball a little bit, though."

Once again, Carr was at the forefront of the Mustangs' attack, going 3-for-5. In addition, Ismael was 2-for-3 at the plate.

On May 6, Maple Heights traveled to Lake Erie League Erie Division foe Cleveland Heights.

The Tigers took full advantage of the Mustangs' pitching woes, battering Maple Heights by the score of 25-2 in five innings.

"We had no pitching," said Kovalak. "It wasn't a good situation."

Cleveland Heights scored eight runs in the second inning and 11 more in the third frame.

"Offensively, we didn't do much of anything," said Kovalak. "Aaron Russell had two hits for us, which was a bright spot."

As a result of that three-game stretch, the Mustangs' overall record now stands at 6-12. They're also 4-7 in the Erie Division of the LEL.

Maple Heights is scheduled to open the playoffs May 15 with a sectional semifinal contest against Valley Forge. If the Mustangs are able to beat the Patriots, then they'll advance to play Cleveland St. Ignatius for a sectional championship May 16.

Maple Heights is also slated to play a doubleheader against Beachwood May 17.

E-mail: stowsports@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3113