2024 Game Recaps

Black Squirrels Ride Game One Comeback to Doubleheader Sweep

The Portage South Black Squirrels would face the Akron Rays on Sunday at Roosevelt Park in a doubleheader.  In game one, the Rays would jump out to the early lead with 4 runs in the first inning and added 2 more in the third, making the score 6-0.  PS would finally get the bats going in the bottom half of the third.  Josh Simmons would walk to start the inning.  Chad Harper walked and moved Simmons to second.  Charlie Drumm then doubled home Simmons.  Justin Nelson walked to load the bases and a wild pitch would score Harper and move all runners up one base.  Matt Dile would earn a walk to reload the bases and Ryan Schromm followed with a single to left, scoring Drumm and Nelson.  Simmons would bat again in the inning and deliver a 2-run single to center to tie the game at 6-6.  The Black Squirrels would take the lead with a run in the fourth inning.  Drumm singled to center and would advance to second on a groudout by Josh Salinas.  A Nelson line drive single to center scored Drumm for a 7-6 lead.  After a tough start, Kevin Haley shut down the Rays offense over the final 4 innings for the win.  Drumm and Nelson lead the Portage South offense with 2 hits each.

The Black Squirrels would carry the momentum in the second game, grabbing the early lead in this one with a 4-run first inning.  Chad Harper lead off the game with a double and Charlie Drumm followed with a double to score Harper.  Matt Dile singles to right field, scoring Drumm.  Justin Nelson walked to make it first and second, then Ryan Schromm singled to right to score Dile and advance Nelson to third.  A RBI groundout by Zach Lewis would plate Nelson and give PS the 4-0 lead.  The Rays would cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first with 2 runs, but Portage South got a run back in the top of the second.  Harper would double to left field to start the inning and advance to third on an error.  Drumm would bring home Harper on a sacrifice fly for the 5-2 lead.  PS added 3 more runs in the fifth inning.  Lewis walked and Mike Haney III followed with a single.  Lucius Ivory walked to load the bases and Harper would collect his 3rd double of the game, scoring all 3 runners.  The Black Squirrels opened the lead to 11-2 with a 3-run seventh inning, as well.  Harper walked with two outs and stole second, then advanced to third on an error.  Drumm singled to center to score Harper.  Dile walked to put runners at first and second, then Nelson's double to center would score Drumm and Dile.  The Akron Rays scored 3 runs in the bottom of the seventh, but Portage South held on to win 11-5.  Eric Schaffer went 6 innings for the win.  Harper and Drumm, each had 3 hits and 3 RBI to lead the Black Squirrel offense. 

Black Squirrels Sweep Split Twinbill

The Portage South Black Squirrels faced two different opponents on Sunday in a split doubleheader at Roosevelt Park.  In game one, PS would play the Fairlawn Flying Squirrels.  The Black Squirrels were able to score first with a run in the first inning.  Lucius Ivory was hit by a pitch and stole second.  Jesse Michel walked, making it first and second.  Ryan Schromm would single to right with two outs, scoring Ivory.  It would remain 1-0 until the fifth inning when Portage South would push another run across.  Chad Harper would double to right center field and come home on a single by Michel.  Fairlawn would cut it to 2-1 with a run in the sixth, but PS would come right back in the top of the seventh with a run.  Harper singled and Ivory followed with a triple down the right field line to score Harper.  Jonathan Kountis went 7 strong innings on the mound for the win, striking out 15 for the second consecutive game.  Harper led the offense with 2 hits and scored 2 runs.

In game two, Portage South hosted the Akron Stingers.  PS again was able to score a run in the first inning.  Chad Harper led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Kevin Haley.  Jesse Michel would score Harper on a RBI groundout.  The Black Squirrels broke the game open with a 4-run inning in the second.  Ryan Schromm, Jason Preising and Zach Lewis all reached on walks to load the bases.  With 2 outs Harper would hit a grand slam to right field, making it 5-0.  The Stingers would get 2 runs back in the fourth to cut into the lead, but Portage South would come back with a run in the fifth and 2 more in the sixth to make the score 8-2.  In the fifth, Michel doubled to left center and advanced to third on a wild pitch.  Schromm would score Michel on a sacrifice fly to center.  Mike Haney III singled in the sixth, then Lucius Ivory was hit by a pitch and Harper singled to load the bases.  Haney III would score on a wild pitch and Lyndon Rainey drove a ball deep to left to score Ivory on a sacrifice fly.  Eric Schaffer went 6 innings for the win, allowing just the 2 runs and striking out four.  Haley threw a scoreless 7th to seal the victory.  Harper was 3-4 with a 2B, HR and 4 RBI to lead the Black Squirrels. 

Portage South’s 7th-Inning Rally Comes Up Short

Portage South Black Squirrels would host Steve's Sports on Thursday night at Roosevelt Park.  Steve's took the early lead with 2 runs in the second inning.  In the bottom of the second, PS cut the lead in half with a run to make it 2-1.  Justin Nelson walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch.  Jason Preising singled up the middle to drive home Nelson.  The Black Squirrels would tie the game in the third inning.  Ty Moorhead singled with 2 outs and moved to second on a Jesse Michel single.  Nelson followed with a double that scored Moorhead.  Steve's Sports got a run in the fifth to go back ahead 3-2.  In the seventh, Portage South put themselves in place to tie the game with 1 out.  Michael Briggs singled down the third base line then Lucius Ivory was hit by a pitch to make it first and second.  Moorhead hit a ball to right that looked to get down, but a questionable diving catch and an umpire calling out a runner for not tagging up ended the rally.  Kevin Haley threw well in the loss, going all seven innings and striking out eight.  Michel and Nelson led the offense with 2 hits each. 

Mike Haney III Walks It Off While Kountis Flirts with Perfection

Portage South Black Squirrels would face the Akron Stingers on Thursday night at Roosevelt Park.  This game was a pitchers duel with hits at a premium.  Ty Moorhead would double in the first with 2-outs, but PS was not able to get him home.  Neither team had a player with a hit until the fourth inning, when Justin Nelson singled up the middle.  The Black Squirrels threatened in the sixth with Chad Harper leading off the sixth inning with a triple, but PS could not push him across and it remained scoreless.  The Stingers got their first base runner in the top of the seventh when the leadoff hitter hit a double to right field, but was stranded there.  In the bottom of the seventh, Charlie Drumm would walk with one out then steal second.  Zach Lewis drew a walk to make it first and second with one out.  With a 1-1 count, Mike Haney III would double to left and score Drumm for the walk off win.  Jonathan Kountis went the distance on the mound, allowing just 1 hit and striking out 15.  The 15 strikeouts ties a PS single game record, which was accomplished last by Kountis in 2020.

Black Squirrels Take 2 from the Pirates

The Portage South Black Squirrels would face the Cleveland Pirates at Roosevelt Park for a doubleheader on Sunday.  Portage South was able to get on the board first with 3 runs in the third inning.  Lucius Ivory would walk to leadoff the inning, followed by Chad Harper being hit by a pitch.  Charlie Drumm would move both runners with a sacrifice bunt.  Ivory would score on a wild pitch just before Matt Dile walked, with Harper advancing to third.  Justin Nelson drove in Harper with a RBI groundout and Jesse Michel would single to left to score Dile to make it 3-0.  The Pirates came back in the fourth with 2 runs, cutting the lead to 3-2.  PS would get another run in the top of the fifth when Harper reached after being hit by a pitch, stealing second and eventually scoring on a wild pitch.  The Black Squirrels broke the game open in the sixth with a 6-run frame.  Portage South got 3 runs on wild pitches, then Nelson drew a bases loaded walk and Ryan Schromm drove in 2 runs with a single up the middle.  PS put the game away with 4 more runs in the seventh to make it 14-2.  Zach Lewis would single to right, followed by Harper walking and Lyndon Rainey being hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Dile scored Lewis on a groundout and then Nelson followed with a 3-run homerun to left field.  Kevin Haley when the distance on the mound for his second victory of the season, striking out five.  Nelson led the way at the plate, going 2-4 with a HR and 5 RBI.  Schromm also had 2 hits in his Black Squirrel debut.

In game two, Portage South picked up where they left off in game one with 2 runs in the first.  Charlie Drumm walked and advanced to second on a pickoff throw that got away from the first baseman.  Jesse Michel would single home Drumm.  Justin Nelson would follow with a single to right that was bobbled by the rightfielder and allowed Michel to score.  PS added 3 more runs in the fifth inning.  Lucius Ivory walked to start the inning and Chad Harper followed with a single to right.  After both players steal a base, Michel would walk to load the bases.  Nelson walked to score Ivory, then Matt Dile would earn a bases loaded walk to score Harper.  Logan Poole singled to left scoring Zach Lewis, who was running for Michel, and make the score 5-0.  The Black Squirrels added an insurance run in the sixth.  Harper and Kevin Haley, each singled and Lewis would double to left center, scoring Harper.  The Pirates would get a run in the seventh, but Portage South would win 6-1.  Jonathan Kountis went 5 innings on the mound for the win, striking out eight.  Eric Schaffer threw 2 innings in relief.  Harper and Poole each had 2 hits to lead the Black Squirrel offense.