Portage South Finishes as Runner up in Wood Bat Classic

Akron, OH - Portage South Black Squirrels played in the NEO Wood Bat Classic over this past weekend.  It started on Thursday with pool play on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  Thursday, PS would play the Kent Knights from the Akron Roy Hobbs League.  The Knights scored two runs in the third to take the lead 2-0.  Portage South would cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning.  Mike Price would single, steal second and advance to third on the throwing error by the catcher.  Price would score on a Jesse Michel sacrifice fly.  Mike Darrah and Mike Haney would start the fourth inning with a single each.  Darrah would score on a Jason Preising groundout to tie the game at 2-2.  The game would remained tied until the eighth inning when Haney would walk and score the winning run on a Robert Paradise single.  Eric Schaffer went the first 5 innings on the mound for PS allowing only 2 runs and 6 hits while striking out 4.  Price picked up the win with 3 scoreless innings of relief.  Haney was 2-2 with a double to lead the Black Squirrel attack.

Portage South would take on the Northern Ohio Hurricanes in the second game of pool play.  This game was a pitcher's duel between the Greater Akron AA League's top two finishers in the Pitcher of the Year award, Brian Lonjak and Nic Carucci.  With the game being tied 0-0 entering the seventh, PS would get a leadoff single by Jason Preising.  Mike Price would pinch run for Preising and steal second base.  Dylan Wartluft would double home Price to take the 1-0 lead.  Carucci would complete the shut out and pick up the win for PS.  He went all 7 innings allowing 4 hits and striking out 7.  Preising, Wartluft and Nick Dean each had 2 hits.

In the final game of pool play on Saturday morning, Portage South would match up with the Trumbull Merchants of the Warren AA League.  The offense got started a little earlier in this one for Portage South.  After the Merchants walked the bases loaded in the first, Mike Haney would drive home a run with a sacrifice fly.  In the second, the Black Squirrels would get singles from Robert Paradise and Eric Jones to start the inning.  Paradise would score on a Danny Campfield groundout, then Mike Darrah's single would score Jones.  Darrah was brought home on the Dylan Wartluft triple.  Wartluft scored on an overthrow from the outfield to make the score 5-0.  PS tacked on 2 more runs in the fourth on a 2-run double by Wartluft.  The Merchants scored a run in the fourth and fifth, but PS won 8-2.  Matt Uy went the distance on the mound striking out 4 while allowing only 3 hits.  Wartluft was 2-2 with a double, triple and 3 RBI.

With the 3-0 record, Portage South earned the top seed in the single elimination tournament.  They would face the #8 seed, Northern Ohio Hurricanes for the second time in the Classic.  The Hurricanes would get 2 runs in the first.  PS would get them back in the bottom half of the first.  The Black Squirrels would take the lead with a RBI single by Mike Darrah that score Jesse Michel.  Portage South opened up the lead in the sixth with three straight RBI singles by Jeff Speck, Eric Jones and Jason Preising and win 7-3.  Darrah threw 7 innings for PS allowing one earned run and striking out 10.  Jones was 2-2 to lead the offense.

Portage South would face the Trumbull Merchants in the Semifinals.  The Merchants would also score 2 runs in the first to take the lead.  PS would get a RBI double from Danny Campfield and he would score on the Dylan Wartluft single to tie the game.  The Black Squirrels would get four more runs in the second.  Campfield would drive in two with his second double and Mike Darrah had a sacrifice fly.  The Merchants would close the gap to 2 runs in the top of the third, but PS would tack on 4 more runs to open up a 10-4 lead.  Jeff Speck would double to start the inning.  He would score on the Kevin Haley single.  After a Robert Paradise single, Eric Jones doubled home both runners.  Jones would score on Jesse Michel's single.  Portage South would get three more runs and win 13-4 to advance to the Championship game.  Dan Hepler threw 6 innings to get the win.  Campfield and Haley had 4 hits each.

In the Championship game, PS would take on the Hudson Explorers for the Akron Roy Hobbs.  The Explorers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second.  Portage South scored in bottom of the second on a RBI single by Robert Paradise.  Hudson picked up 3 more runs in the fourth to lead 7-1, then a Dylan Wartluft homerun made it 7-2.  Down now 8-2 in the bottom of the fifth, PS posted 5 runs to make it a one run game at 8-7.  Phil Smith doubled home Mike Darrah, the he scored on a Wartluft double.  Jeff Speck also had a RBI single in the inning.  The Explorers would open the lead back to 5 at 12-7, but PS would mound another comeback.  The Black Squirrels got 2 runs on RBI singles by Wartluft and Speck in the sixth and a Phil Smith 2-run double in the seventh brought the score to 12-11.  Hudson would hold PS scoreless over the last two innings and won 12-11.  Wartluft was 3-4 with a 2B and HR.  Smith had 2 doubles.

PS Wins League Tournament Opener

Suffield, OH - Portage South played the #5 seed, Team Diesel at Field High School Monday night in their first round game.  Team Diesel broke the scoreless tie in the third with a RBI single by Willie Brechun that scored Tommy Hradek to make it 1-0.  The score would remain the same until the top of the sixth inning.  In the sixth, Jimmy Jamieson doubled off the left field fence to open the frame.  Mike Darrah then reached on a bunt and stole second.  Phil Smith lined a single to left center that scored both runners.  Smith would score on a RBI single by Jesse Michel.  PS would push three more runs across in the top of the seventh.  After Nick Dean singled to start the inning and stole second, Jamieson would score him with a single.  Darrah would then hit a 2-run homerun to make the score 6-1 and that is how it would finish.  Darrah threw all 7 innings, allowing 5 hits and striking out 10.  Jamieson was 3-4 with a double.  Dean, Darrah and Smith had 2 hits apiece.  The Black Squirrels will face the Northern Ohio Hurricanes on Thursday at Hudson High School with a 9:00pm start time scheduled.

Portage South Finished Regular Season With Win

Atwater, OH - Portage South finished the regular season on a high note with a win over the Randolph Reds.  PS got on the board right away with 3 runs in the top of the first.  Danny Campfield singled and scored on a Jimmy Jamieson double.  Jamieson scored on a RBI single by Greg Boyd.  Spencer Payne scored the final run of the first inning on a single by Eric Schaffer.  Randolph came right back with 2 runs in the bottom half of the inning, but the Black Squirrels would push the lead back out to 2 runs when Robert Paradise scored on a sacrifice fly by Phil Smith in the fourth.  Randolph would close to within one run again heading into the sixth when PS would break the game wide open.  Portage South would send 17 batters to the plate and score 11 runs.  Marc Korogi pinch hit in the sixth for his first at bat since 2001 and got a RBI single.  Jamieson was 5-5 with 3 RBI to lead the way for the Black Squirrels.  Boyd and Campfield each had 3 hits for PS.  Mike Price threw 6 innings allowing 3 runs and striking out 4 for his 5th win of the season.

Portage South and Sharon Center Split Doubleheader

Kent, OH - Portage South remained .500 on the season with a split of a doubleheader against Sharon Center Cox Painting.  In game one, Sharon scored the game's first run in the second inning.  They opened the game up in the fourth with a five run frame.  Former Black Squirrel, Mike Haney hit a 2-run homerun and Sam Crea had an RBI triple in the inning.  PS scored in the bottom of the fourth on a RBI single from Greg Boyd that scored Rob Gipson.  Sharon got another run in fifth and 3 more in the seventh to take a 10-1 lead.  In the bottom of the seventh, Portage South got a Colby Kehres single, then a Danny Campfield RBI double.  Jimmy Jamieson singled to score Campfield, but they would only get one more run. PS lost 10-4.

In game two, the Black Squirrels scored 3 runs in the first inning.  Nick Dean led off with a single and advanced to third on a Jimmy Jamieson single.  Dean scored on a double steal.  Jamieson was batted home on a Rob Gipson triple.  Gipson would be plated by a Colby Kehres single.  PS would tack on two more runs in the second.  Dean singled, stole second and scored on a Danny Campfield single.  Phil Smith's RBI single supplied the other run of the inning.  Sharon would score 2 in the fourth and 2 in the fifth, but Portage South would hold on for a 5-4 win.  Mike Darrah threw 5 innings allowing 4 runs and striking out 6 for the win.  Mike Price threw the final two innings to pick up the save.  Dean, Gipson and Smith had 2 hits each to lead the Black Squirrels.

Black Squirrels Shine In All Star Game

Hudson, OH - The Suburban and Metro Division All Stars met at the Ball Park in Hudson for the Greater Akron AA League All Star Game.  The Suburban Divison scored first on a RBI groundout by Tyler Thomas that scored Tallmadge's Jason Corzine in the second inning.  The Metro Division got 2 runs in the bottom of the second on a couple of errors and a RBI single by Sharon's Rodd Lane.  In the third, the Suburban All Stars got a RBI double by Alliance White PT's Jarrod Abbott and a 2-run single by Danny Campfield to take a 4-2 lead.  Metro got another run in the third on a bases loaded balk.  The Suburban Division got another run in the sixth and 2 more runs in the eighth on a 2-run double by Jimmy Jamieson.  Campfield and Jamieson each had 2 hits.  Kevin Haley and Thomas had a single apiece.  Campfield was named co-MVP of the game along with Todd Blackmon of Alliance.  Blackmon threw 2 scoreless innings and picked up the win.

Current PS Squad Wins the Inaugural Alumni Game

Suffield, OH - The 2009 Portage South Black Squirrels took on former PS players on Saturday.  The Alumni Team got on the board first when Jason Gorham walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch.  Eric Jones then singled and an outfield error allowed Gorham to score from second.  Jones would score on a Dannon Svab groundout to make it 2-0.  The current team would match the alumni with 2 runs in the bottom of the second.  They then scored 2 more in the second and 3 in the third to take a 7-2 lead after 3 innings.  PS would tack on 2 more runs in the fourth and 4 in the fifth to take a commanding lead at 13-2.  The alumni would score three in the seventh inning.  Scott Hindel and Jones would start the inning with back-to-back singles.  Hindel scored on a wild pitch and Jones scored on another Svab groundout.  Brandon Fedor would double and score on a Rob Gipson single.  The final score:  2009 PS 13, Alumni 5.  Eric Schaffer pitched a scoreless fourth inning for the win and also went 1-2 at the plate.  Kevin Haley led the current team with 3 hits and 2 RBI.  Tyler Thomas, Colby Kehres and Danny Campfield each had 2 hits.  Hindel, Jones and Gipson had 2 hits apiece for the Alumni Team.  This game marked John Stack's 100th game with PS.

Portage South Takes One From Little Chicago Bistro

Canton, OH - Portage South evened their record against Canton Class A teams with a 5-2 victory over Little Chicago Bistro.  PS scored 3 runs in the top of the second inning.  Tyler Thomas doubled to start the second and scored on a Spencer Payne groundout.  Danny Campfield hit a 2-run triple to score Jesse Michel and Mike Darrah.  The Bistro came right back with 2 runs in the bottom half of the inning.  The Black Squirrels would score another run in the fourth.  After back-to-back singles by Kevin Haley and Payne, Darrah would drive home Haley with a sacrifice fly.  PS would get their final run of the game as Campfield singled to start the fifth and was batted home on a Jimmy Jamieson double.  Michel would go the distance on the mound for the win, striking out 8 batters.  Campfield, Jamieson and Haley would all collect 2 hits apiece.

Portage South and Northern Ohio Hurricanes Split a Doubleheader

Medina, OH - Portage South and Northern Ohio Hurricanes traded shutouts at Highland High School on Sunday.  In game one, Brian Lonjak was the story as he struck out 16 batters in a 4-0 win for the Hurricanes.  Jimmy Jamieson and Danny Campfield each had a hit for Portage South.  Jason Preising also added a pinch hit single for PS.

In game two, Portage South broke the 0-0 tie with 2 runs in the fourth inning.  Danny Campfield and Jimmy Jamieson started the inning with back-to-back singles.  Campfield would score on a Phil Smith single.  Jamieson scored on a fielder's choice by Dan Herbert.  PS would break the game open with 5 runs in the fifth inning.  Herbert and Jesse Michel had RBI doubles and Smith added a 2-run single in the inning.  Jamieson and Rob Gipson each drove in a run in the sixth to cap the Black Squirrel scoring.  PS would win 9-0.  Ryan Adams threw 5 innings for the win, allowing 3 hits and striking out 6.  Smith and Jamieson had 3 hits each to pace the Portage South attack.  Michel, Campfield and Herbert also added 2 hits apiece.

Team Diesel Takes the Season Series with 4-1 Victory

Akron, OH - Portage South traveled to Ellet High School for the rubber game of the 3-game season series against Team Diesel.  Diesel got on the board in the third inning and increased their lead to 3-0 in the fifth.  Jesse Michel opened the sixth inning for Portage South with a double.  He was advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Danny Campfield and scored on a Mike Darrah sac fly.  Diesel would tack on another run in the bottom of the sixth to win 4-1.  Michel, Darrah, Phil Smith and Kevin Haley each a hit for PS.

Portage South Splits in Warren

Warren, OH - Portage South traveled to Warren for a double header, facing the Champion Marlins in game one and P.I. & I. Express in game two.  In game one, Mike Darrah singled to start the game and stole second base.  He scored on a Kevin Haley RBI single.  PS got two more runs in the third when Darrah again singled and stole second.  This time he scored on a Tyler Thomas single.  Thomas would score on a Spencer Payne RBI single.  The Marlins scored two in the bottom of the inning to make it 3-2.  PS tacked on a run in the fifth then blew the game open with a four run sixth inning.  Darrah's 2-run double started the scoring, followed by a Danny Campfield RBI single and Thomas' RBI double.  The Marlins scored 3 in the bottom of the sixth, but PS held on to win 8-5.

In game two, PS would face P.I. & I. Express.  The Express would score 3 runs in the first inning and 3 more in the third to open a 6-1 lead.  PS had three players ejected, but still managed to score a run in four consecutive innings.  The Black Squirrels would lose 6-4.  Payne, Phil Smith, Greg Boyd and Jason Preising had 2 hits each for Portage South. 

Portage South Drop Two to the Lasiks

Stow, OH - Portage South traveled to Stow High School for a doubleheader with the Greater Akron AA League Defending Champion, Akron Lasiks.  In Game 1, the story was definitely Lasiks pitcher, Nick Jones.  Jones threw 6 innings, allowing 2 hits and striking out 11.  Nick Dean got the first hit of the game for Portage South with a fifth inning single.  Kevin Haley recorded the other hit for PS in the sixth.  Akron Lasiks won the game 6-0.

In Game 2, PS got on the board in the first inning with 2 runs.  After a Nick Dean bunt single, Kevin Haley was hit by a pitch and Jimmy Jamieson's sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position.  Tyler Thomas' groundout scored Dean from third.  Haley would then score on a wild pitch.  The Black Squirrels picked up another run in the second on a single by Jeff Speck and a RBI single by Spencer Payne.  Trailing 3-0 in the second, the Akron Lasiks would score one run an inning for the next four innings to take the lead in the fifth.  PS was unable to push across another run over the final 5 innings and lost the second game, 4-3.

Portage South Earns Win #6 in 2009

Suffield, OH - Portage South notched their sixth win of the season with the 9-0 victory over the Tallmadge Blaze.  PS scored 3 in the first on a 2-run single by Jimmy Jamieson and he scored on the Tyler Thomas sacrifice fly.  The Black Squirrels blew the game open with a four run third inning.  Jamieson started the inning with a single, Thomas followed with a RBI double.  Danny Campfield's single scored Thomas.  Phil Smith scored on a RBI groundout by Jason Preising and Campfield was plated by an Andy Johns single.  Campfield and Preising each drove in a run in the fourth to round out the PS scoring.  Kyle Stewart threw four scoreless innings for the win.  He struck out 8 and allowed just 2 hits.  Eric Schaffer gave up just 2 hits and no runs in relief.  Campfield led the offense with 3 hits and 2 RBIs.  Thomas and Jamieson also had 2 hits apiece.

Phil Smith's Blast Leads to a Win for Portage South

Suffield, OH - Portage South Black Squirrels hosted Alliance White PT in a Suburban Division matchup on Thursday night.  PS would go ahead 1-0 in the second inning with Jeff Speck scoring after a stolen base and errand throw by the catcher.  The Black Squirrels would score again in the third on a 2-out single by Jimmy Jamieson followed by a double by Tyler Thomas to make it 2-0.  Alliance would get on the board in the top of the fifth inning when three straight singles loaded the bases.  A wild pitch and a throw that got by the pitcher allowed the first two runners to score.  A RBI single by Brandon Phelps plated the go ahead run.  Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth, Thomas would single with two outs, then Phil Smith would hammer a 2-run homerun to left field and PS was up 4-3.  Ryan Adams threw a scoreless 6th and 7th innings to preserve the win.  Matt Uy pitched into the fifth inning, allowing just 5 hits and 1 earned run.  Adams picked up his second victory of the season in relief of Uy.

Price Throws Complete Game in Portage South Win

Suffield, OH - Portage South and Randolph moved their game from Waterloo High School to Field High School due to the weather.  Randolph struck first on an RBI single by Mark Reifsnyder that scored Tyler Rost in the bottom of the first inning.  Phil Smith led off the second with a solo blast to left to tie the game at 1-1.  Nick Dean would also add a 2 run single in the inning to give PS the lead.  Danny Campfield hit a RBI double in the sixth and scored on an error to push the lead to 5-1 after six innings.  The Black Squirrels would score two more insurance runs in the seventh on a RBI double by Kevin Haley and RBI single by Jimmy Jamieson.  Mike Price went the distance on the mound for his second victory of the season.  He allowed only 1 run on 6 hits while striking out 5 batters.  Smith led Portage South with a homerun and a single.  Haley added a double and single for PS.

Portage South Earns a Split in First League Doubleheader

Suffield, OH - Portage South lost game one of the doubleheader with Team Diesel, 6-4 in 9 innings, but rebounded to capture a 9-2 victory in game two.  After allowing 3 runs in the first, Portage South put a four spot on the board in the bottom of the second inning.  Danny Campfield, Kyle Stewart and Jesse Michel drove in the runs for the Black Squirrels.  Ryan Adams would settle down on the mound after the three run first to hold Team Diesel scoreless over the next three innings, striking out 7.  Diesel was able to push across a run in the fifth on back-to-back doubles to tie the game at 4-4.  It would remain tied until the 9th inning when Team Diesel would score two runs on three hits off reliever, Matt Uy.  PS was unable to push a run across in the bottom of the inning and lost 6-4.  Jimmy Jamieson had 3 hits to lead the Black Squirrels.  Michel, Stewart, Jeff Speck and Tyler Thomas all had 2 hits apiece.

In game two, Portage South found themselves again trailing after the first inning only to explode for 7 runs in the second.  Danny Campfield started the inning with a single.  After a Greg Boyd walk, Robert Paradise singled home Campfield to tie the game.  Jesse Michel would hit a 1-out triple to plate two more runs.  The Michel triple would push him into a 3-way tie for most triples in a career with Nick Dean and Ryan Border.  Kevin Haley followed the triple with a single that scored Michel.  Tyler Thomas, Jeff Speck and Campfield would all drive in a run in the inning to end the second with a 7-1 lead.  The Black Squirrels would push across a run in the fifth and sixth innings to round out the scoring.  Campfield went 3-3 with a double for PS.  Michel and Haley also had 2 hits each for the Black Squirrels.  Mike Darrah went 4 innings on the mound for the win, allowing 3 hits and striking out 7.  Kyle Stewart threw 2 scoreless innings in relief for Portage South.

Black Squirrels Split Doubleheader with Warren AA League

Warren, OH - Portage traveled to Warren to play the first of three doubleheaders with the Warren AA League.  In game one, PS played the Trumbull Merchants.  The Black Squirrels got on the board first when Matt Johnson singled, stole second and scored on an Andy Johns single in the third inning.  The Merchants tied the game in the bottom half of the inning on a Cedric Haynes solo homerun.  PS again grabbed the lead on a 2-run single by Tyler Thomas in the top of the fourth.  Trumbull pulled within one in the fifth with 2 RBI singles.  The Merchants pushed one across in the sixth and one in the seventh for the win, 5-4.  Thomas led Portage South with 2 hits and 2 runs batted in.  Jesse Michel threw 5 innings, allowing 3 runs and striking out 3 in a no decision.  This appearance tied Michel with Luke Kehres for the most career appearances in Black Squirrel history.

Game 2 matched PS against Leon's Brewers.  The Black Squirrels jumped out to the early 2-0 lead on RBIs by Tyler Thomas and Phil Smith.  Kevin Haley led off the third with a double and scored on the Jimmy Jamieson single.  Jamieson would score on a throwing error and Thomas, who reached on a hit by pitch, was batted home by Jeff Speck to make it 5-0 after 3.  PS would blow the game open with a 10-run fourth inning, capped by a Nick Dean bases clearing triple.  Dean's triple moved him into a tie for most career triples in Portage South history.  Haley and Jesse Michel led the way for PS with 3 hits apiece.  Thomas and Dean also added a pair of hits each.  Newcomer, Ryan Adams threw three innings of no hit baseball, striking out 3 for the win.

Portage South Victorious in Season Opener

Suffield, OH - The Portage South Black Squirrels opened the 2009 season at home against the Canton Crew with a 13-1 victory.  PS jumped out to an early lead on a 2-run single by Tyler Thomas that scored Jesse Michel and Jimmy Jamieson.  Danny Campfield had a 2-run double and Greg Boyd added a RBI single in the 5 run first inning.  The Black Squirrels scored four more runs in the second on a couple of errors, a Thomas bases loaded walk and Phil Smith's 2-run single to bring the score to 9-0 after two.  Portage South tacked on four runs in the fourth inning on four hits, including a RBI single by Jason Preising.  The Crew got on the board after a throwing error and three straight singles in the top of the fifth.

Campfield led the Black Squirrel attack with 3 hits and 2 RBI.  Smith had 2 hits and 2 RBI as well.  Mike Price went the distance on the mound, allowing 5 hits and 0 earned runs while striking out 6.