Howland tops Poland behind Massucci’s big game
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POLAND -- It's never been a matter of skill for Howland, says head coach Zach Byler. It's just a matter of mindset and confidence.
On Saturday, he got what he was looking for, as the Tigers took advantage of Poland mistakes in a 7-1 nonconference victory. The win was Howland's third in its last four games.
"Just that mental side," Byler said. "We're saying it when we break (team huddles). We've been going one at a time, just really focusing on being tough one inning at a time."
After taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the Tigers (5-6) blew the game open in the second, thanks to some fielding errors by Poland (7-7).
After a pair of runners reached base in the frame, Anthony Massucci launched a double into the gap to drive them in, which gave Howland a 4-0 advantage at the time.
Massucci finished 3-for-4 and plated three RBIs in the win. Brendan Ray also doubled and drove in a pair of runs, and Howland racked up eight hits as a team.
During the aforementioned four-game stretch, Howland has scored at least seven runs in each of its wins.
"We've been working on our approach -- just the mental approach," said Howland coach Zach Byler. "It's never been the skills for our guys; it's just their mental approach at the plate and getting the job done."
Howland starter Evan McBane did well in scattering hits and minimizing damage as it came. He finished with four innings of work and gave up four hits and a walk, and Poland's only run was unearned in the fourth.
In that frame, the Bulldogs got runners on the corners with no outs, but McBane managed a double play to get out of the jam with just the one run scored.
Mason Bayus picked up where McBane left off, throwing two shutout innings and giving up one hit, and then Braden Gebhardt slammed the door with a hitless seventh that included a pair of strikeouts.
"We had all three senior pitches, and they just came out and showed a lot of maturity and threw a lot of strikes," Byler said. "We had great fielding from everybody, but especially our second baseman (Ryan Hooper), who made some really tough plays. It was just a good senior performance."
Poland starter Michael Nittoli went five innings, giving up five runs -- just two earned -- on five hits and no walks. He struck out one. Matt Paparodis finished the game, giving up a pair of earned runs on three hits and a walk in two innings.
Chris Denney had a pair of hits for Poland, including a double, while three other Bulldogs each singled once. Poland only drew one walk in the loss.
"I think we had a bunch of bad at-bats," Poland coach Rich Murray said. "I think we only hit the ball hard five times all day, so you're not going to win when you do that and put yourself in the hole 4-0."
It was a mistake-filled afternoon for the Bulldogs, which committed six errors and never truly mounted any serious rallies.
"We were expecting a good game out of Howland, and in the second inning we just made some bad plays in the field and got behind early," Murray said. "We didn't hit the ball real well, and their kid pitched well."
Howland faces Austintown Fitch on Monday. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, will look to get back on track against Girard that day.
jwhetzel@tribtoday.com