Shoremen Hit the Big Time at Progressive Field

First the Indians got rocked, then mother nature knocked. But in between at Progressive Field on Wednesday, aseball team got a taste of the big leagues against cross-county rival Amherst May 25.

It ended in a draw, as the Shoremen and Comets tied 8-8 in the annual Cleveland Indians Charities Hardball Classic. Mother Nature came away with the win, as severe storms pounded the area once again.

Still is was a night to remember, as the Shoremen overcame an early deficit, rallying not once, but twice to tie things up, before the game was called due to inclement weather.

"It was a good way to end my four years, at Progressive Field," catcher Tyler Beck said. "It was a good way to go out our senior year, and couldn't have ended on a better note."

Fellow senior, first baseman/pitcher Nick Brady echoed those sentiments.

"It was my third year going down to Progressive, and its just so special every year," Brady said. "It was great playing with all the senior guys in our last game together."

Avon Lake, which finished the regular SWC season in second place behind Brecksville, looked to be in a pitchers dual the first couple of innings with the Comets as neither team could cross the plate.

Amherst, though would jump out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third. All season long, resiliency has been the middle name of the Shoremen, and Amherst putting up runs,  seemed to spark the Shoremen as they bounced right back, in the top half of the fourth inning compliments Brady.

Brady knocked a ball deep into right field. It was misplayed, then dropped and the error by Amherst, allowed Ryan Rodgers, Conner Delong and Brandon Harris to score.

"It was a fastball outside, and I took it the other way, which was one of first times I had done that all year," Brady said. "It just kept going, and I thought it was going out, but it fell and the three runs came in.”

The biggest rally of the night for the Shoremen came when they needed it the most, in what would be the last inning of play, the seventh.

Jon Spirnak's single started things off, and that was followed by Matt Morrisette being hit by a pitch.  The next batter, catcher Tyler Beck singled loading the bases for the Shoremen.

"When you first get down to Progressive Field, you are kind of nervous, but as the game went on you try to have fun," Beck said. "So that last at bat, I wasn't as nervous as I was the beginning of the game, and I got a hit."

Jimmy Hessell was unintentionally walked, and that scored Spirnak. The Shoremen got two runs on ground out, and then the tying run was scored by Hessell when he was sent home on a balk. 

Matt Kohler, who had a hit, also made a tremendous defensive play in the seventh inning to halt any thoughts Amherst had of coming away with a win.

"When I saw it off the bat, I thought it was going to be more of a line drive," Kohler said. "I was hoping to get a double play, but when I saw that it dropped, I went for the smart play and got one."

Like Beck and Brady, Kohler said it was an amazing feeling.

"I've been down there my sophomore and junior year, but this year I was so nervous. I had the jitters." Kohler said. " We played at Crushers Stadium a week ago, but Progressive Field, how well manicured it was after the Indians played was just breathtaking."

Although it was not done by a Shoremen player, the monster home run crushed by Kyle Hagerich of Amherst was a sight to see, especially in a high school contest. Hagerich clobbered a pitch onto the "Homerun Porch," an estimated 400 feet.