Published: May 08, 2008 10:52 pm            

HS BASEBALL: Late rally fells Lockport

Daggett 3-run HR leads Lancers past Lions, 7-6, Thursday, at Outwater Park.

LOCKPORT — It was deja vu all over again at Outwater Park on Thursday as a late rally proved to be the difference in Lockport’s 7-6 loss to Lewiston-Porter at Outwater Park.

For the second straight night, the Lions led their Niagara Frontier League baseball contest late. On Wednesday, they gave up three runs in the seventh, losing 5-4 to Niagara-Wheatfield. Against the Lancers, they surrendered four runs in the sixth inning to lose by a run, falling to 2-7 in the NFL.

“Once again, crucial defensive plays costs us,” said Lions skipper Steve Styrzo. “Hitting-wise, our big guns just aren’t coming through for us. We’re not aggressive enough at the plate, which is something I’ve been stressing all season.”

Both teams got strong performances out of their starting pitchers. Recently back after recovering from an emergency appendectomy, Lew-Port’s Mike Ziobrowski hurled six innings for the win. He fanned eight and walked five. Fellow right-hander sophomore Chris Sharkey of the Lions tossed 5 2/3 innings and finished with six strikeouts and five walks.

“Sharkey’s a got a bright future. He pitched a great game,” said Lancers shortstop Rob Daggett, who smacked a three-run home run in the third inning and finished with two runs scored.

“We couldn’t seem to get a hit off of him early, but we came back late. Everyone’s been hitting,” he added.

Daggett’s dinger erased a 1-0 Lions lead as junior outfielder Ryan Tinkham (2-for-3, double, two runs scored) doubled in the second and later scored on a Lew-Port infield error.

Trailing 3-1, Lockport bounced back with one in the third and three in the fourth. Steady-hitting senior Dan Greco (2-for-3, double, two RBIs, one run) singled in the third, stole second and scored on junior Colton Fago’s base hit.

An inning later, Tinkham reached base on an error and scored on Beau Payne’s single to right. Jake Chenez followed that with a base hit. Payne later scored on an infield groundout and Chenez scored on a passed ball in which he was beaned in the back during a run down.

Leading 5-3, the seams came apart for the blue and gold in the sixth as Josh Sorenson, Bob Morreale, Tyler Magliazzo (2-for-3, two runs) and Danny Sharpe (double, two RBIs) all smacked base hits for Lew-Port (5-3 NFL).

Lions reliever Chris Fuerschbach came in to stop the bleeding. Equally impressive in relief was Lancers righty Jeremy Willard, normally a starter, who got the Lions out 1-2-3 in the seventh to end the close game quietly.

The Lions had cut the Lancers’ lead to 7-6 in the sixth on an RBI double from Greco, plating Chenez.

“I’d like to see us clean up a little defensively,” said Lancers skipper Mark Waple of Lockport.

“Offensively we’ve been coming alive lately. Different kids are emerging each game with big hits, which also gives us a lot of confidence.”

• GAME NOTES: The umpire for Thursday’s game was Charlie Webb. ... The day’s priceless moment came when Kyle Waple, son of the Lancers head coach, came running by in his crisp new Lockport Little League uniform. Decked out from head to toe in Dodger blue, Waple was asked what his favorite team was. “The Boston Red Sox,” he said matter-of-factly. ... Also in attendance was former Lions great John Adams. In attendance at Wednesday’s LHS game were former Lions James Fago and Andy Godfrey

        

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