Big Innings Lift Shaker Heights Over Beachwood Baseball 11-7

Beachwood baseball jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but Shaker Heights piled on nine runs in the fourth and fifth innings en route to an 11-7 decision on Friday.

The Bison struck first in the third inning, Zach Smith ripped a single to right field and Matt Levine scored on an overthrow to third. Beachwood then piled on four more runs ignited by Jeff Murtaugh’s solo home run.

Max Siegel got hit by a pitch and Jake Weiss followed up with a single. Levine brought Siegel home with an RBI double and Ryan Moss cleared the bases with a two-RBI single.

Beachwood starter Todd Goldberg got through the first three innings with relative ease, tallying three strikeouts and allowing only two hits. However, the Red Raiders made an adjustment the second time around. After walking Alec Caughlin, Spencer Byers hammered a two-run shot to deep right field.

“It’s no secret we don’t hit left-handed pitching very well,” Shaker Heights head coach Mike Babinec said. “After the first time, through, we adjusted to his curve ball and got to him.”

Goldberg walked the next batter, Sam Clellen, who advanced to third on Connor Siwik’s single. Weiss relieved Goldberg and the next batter, Michael Blatchford’s, grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Clellen. Zach Findling scored Blatchford on a ground rule double.

“We walked a couple of guys and got behind in the count,” Beachwood head coach Ben Singer said. “When that happens, the hitters are expecting fastballs and they just sat on them.”

Shaker continued to pour on the runs in the fifth. After waking Mark Lewandowski, Levine relieved Weiss. Caughlin reached on a single and advanced to second on a passed ball. Byers struck again, plating two more RBIs and advancing third due to a fielding error. Clellen reached first on an error and Siwik brought both runners home with a single.

“We lost a little focus and things started to snowball,” Singer said.

The Bison scored five of their seven runs against Shaker’s Siwik, who made his first start of the season. Findling had 3.1 strong innings in relief, allowing two runs off of three hits.

“We need to learn that when things get close we’ve got to relax and play good baseball,” Singer said. “We just have to put everything together.”

Beachwood travels to Aurora next Wednesday, April 20. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m. They return home on April 21 for a 4:30 p.m. game against Valley Forge.