When the Columbiana Clippers and the United Golden Eagles baseball teams collide in Hanoverton, it’s a race to one. Back-to-back seasons, the Clippers have prevailed 1-0 in the away version of this ever-meaningful EOAC series. Last season, it was now-senior Alex Eusebio who tossed the shutout for the Clips. This year, it was senior Devin Daugherty who locked things down for the red and white.
And lock things down, he did. The Golden Eagles certainly had opportunities to capitalize, but Devin, with his tremendous defense behind him, shut them down every time. In four of the seven innings, there was a runner on third base; and in three of those four, there was a runner on second paired with those runners that were just ninety feet away from winning that race to one. Daugherty would get himself out of two of those four situations with strikeouts, and he would trust his defense for the other two. In the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings, the outfield of the Clippers was elite. In the former, United had the bases loaded with just one out. A fly ball was hit to freshman center fielder Avery Young, who made the catch then fired a one hop seed to home where senior catcher Colin Keleman made a beautiful catch and tag to nail the potential winning run. And, in the sixth, it was junior right fielder Reese Roush who made a great running/diving catch to preserve hope for the Clippers.
Offensively, there was really not much to speak of for the Clippers until the top of the seventh. Prior to the inning, we had only gotten one baserunner into scoring position. With one out in the top of the seventh, it would be last year’s offensive hero who came through again for Columbiana, in Colin Keleman. Colin got things going with a single down the left field line. And, after another out was recorded, things were not looking great for the good guys; with just a man on first with two outs. However, with Alex Eusebio at the plate, a pitch would go to the backstop, allowing Keleman to advance to second. Junior Eli Masters would come on to pinch run. Alex hit a chopper to the shortstop, and beat out the infield single; but, more importantly, he forced an errant throw from the shortstop that got by the first baseman, which allowed Masters to go home for the game’s only run.
Daugherty, now with the lead, would go on to get the Golden Eagles to go 1-2-3 in the bottom of seventh to earn the complete game shutout victory. Two of Devin’s nine strikeouts came in that final frame. He allowed just three hits in his seven innings of work, and he handled adversity very well all night long!
As mentioned, the defense behind Devin was phenomenal. Senior shortstop Ian Less had four assists to lead the infield. And, the plays made by Young and Roush in the outfield were game-savers. Hitting-wise, we logged just four hits (all singles). Juniors Roush and Max Conway each had one for the Clippers, but it was the singles of seniors Keleman and Eusebio, in the seventh, that would be the difference.
The Clippers will welcome the Golden Eagles to Firestone Park today for the, for all intents and purposes, EOAC Championship Game. Senior Alex Eusebio will take the ball for Columbiana.
Columbiana Clippers 
When the Columbiana Clippers and the United Golden Eagles baseball teams collide in Hanoverton, it’s a race to one. Back-to-back seasons, the Clippers have prevailed 1-0 in the away version of this ever-meaningful EOAC series. Last season, it was now-senior Alex Eusebio who tossed the shutout for the Clips. This year, it was senior Devin Daugherty who locked things down for the red and white.
And lock things down, he did. The Golden Eagles certainly had opportunities to capitalize, but Devin, with his tremendous defense behind him, shut them down every time. In four of the seven innings, there was a runner on third base; and in three of those four, there was a runner on second paired with those runners that were just ninety feet away from winning that race to one. Daugherty would get himself out of two of those four situations with strikeouts, and he would trust his defense for the other two. In the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings, the outfield of the Clippers was elite. In the former, United had the bases loaded with just one out. A fly ball was hit to freshman center fielder Avery Young, who made the catch then fired a one hop seed to home where senior catcher Colin Keleman made a beautiful catch and tag to nail the potential winning run. And, in the sixth, it was junior right fielder Reese Roush who made a great running/diving catch to preserve hope for the Clippers.
Offensively, there was really not much to speak of for the Clippers until the top of the seventh. Prior to the inning, we had only gotten one baserunner into scoring position. With one out in the top of the seventh, it would be last year’s offensive hero who came through again for Columbiana, in Colin Keleman. Colin got things going with a single down the left field line. And, after another out was recorded, things were not looking great for the good guys; with just a man on first with two outs. However, with Alex Eusebio at the plate, a pitch would go to the backstop, allowing Keleman to advance to second. Junior Eli Masters would come on to pinch run. Alex hit a chopper to the shortstop, and beat out the infield single; but, more importantly, he forced an errant throw from the shortstop that got by the first baseman, which allowed Masters to go home for the game’s only run.
Daugherty, now with the lead, would go on to get the Golden Eagles to go 1-2-3 in the bottom of seventh to earn the complete game shutout victory. Two of Devin’s nine strikeouts came in that final frame. He allowed just three hits in his seven innings of work, and he handled adversity very well all night long!
As mentioned, the defense behind Devin was phenomenal. Senior shortstop Ian Less had four assists to lead the infield. And, the plays made by Young and Roush in the outfield were game-savers. Hitting-wise, we logged just four hits (all singles). Juniors Roush and Max Conway each had one for the Clippers, but it was the singles of seniors Keleman and Eusebio, in the seventh, that would be the difference.
The Clippers will welcome the Golden Eagles to Firestone Park today for the, for all intents and purposes, EOAC Championship Game. Senior Alex Eusebio will take the ball for Columbiana.
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