STARPOINT OPENS THE 2008 SEASON WITH A WIN April 5, 2008 --
The 2008 baseball season stareted off on the right foot as the visiting Starpoint Spartans beat the Medina Mustangs 9-1 at Medina's Veterans Memorial Field. Starter Kevin Hughes got the win on the bump as he struck out six in three innings of work, including four in a row. Senior Timmy Szalkowski pitched an impressive two innings striking out six. Super soph Andy Boyce pitched the final two innings striking out three. All combined Spartan pitchers gave up only 4 hits.
At the plate the Spartans were led by juniors Ben Ruppert and Garrett Britton. Ruppert was 2 for 4 with two RBI's while Britton hit a bomb in the sixth that led to an RBI triple. Szalkowski plated the game winning RBI in the third as he laced a 3-0 pitch into right-centerfield for a double that plated Joe Delelio and Boyce. Boyce finished the day going 1 for 3 with three runs scored and two stolen bases. Newcomers Jared Prosser and Kyle Schwab collected their first hits as varsity baseball players, Schwab eventually scored in the top of the seventh.
Starpoint next game could be Monday vs. Lew-Port at Washuata Park at 4:00.
STARPOINT MANAGES ONLY ONE HIT..LOSES TO LEW-PORT 5-0 April 7, 2008 --
The varsity baseball team lost to Lew-Port 5-0 Monday afternoon at Washuta Park. Starpoint's lone hit was a single by junior Garrett Britton in the second inning. Andy Boyce pitched four strong innings giving up one run on three hits, striking out six. Ryan Austin and Jon Corbi pitched well in their varsity debut.
ROUGH 1ST INNING COSTS THE SPARTANS
A walk, two hits, a sacrifice fly and a passed ball is all it took to give Tonawanda the two runs they needed to win the ball game on Wednesday. Starpoint managed to score a run in the fourth inning as Garrett Britton scored on Matt Ruppert single. Starpoint started off good as Ryan Gregg took the third pitch off the game into left field. He then stole second and eventually was gunned out at third as he attempted to steal the base. Britton and Kevin Hughes were the only other Spartans that mangaged hits as Starpoint struck out twelve times in the contest.
WHEATFIELD HITTERS ROUGH UP YOUNG SPARTAN PITCHERS April 11, 2008 --
SPARTAN BATS COME ALIVE, BEAT LACKAWANNA 20-0 April 16, 2008 --
HUGHES PITCHES A GEM 4-HIITER, LOSES 4-0 TO GI April 17, 2008 --
GI RALLIES LATE AND BEATS THE SPARTANS 8-3 April 19, 2008 --
SZALKOWSKI HURLS A 4-HITTER, LOSE 3-2 TO PIONEER April 21, 2008 --
STARPOINT SUFFERS ITS WORST DEFEAT IN OVER 20 YEARS, LOSE TO MARYVALE 18-0 April 23, 2008 --
STARPOINT BATS COME ALIVE, CORBI WINS FIRST VARSITY GAME April 25, 2008 --
The Starpoint Spartans bats came alive yesterday as they beat the Depew Wildcats 16-5 in ECIC Division III play. Sophomore Jon Corbi who found out he was going to start on the mound late in the game, pitched a great game to earn his first varsity win. Jon went six innings gave up 4 hits, one walk and struck out 7.
At the plate the Spartans pounded out 15 hits and with the help of six Depew errors were able to plate a run in every inning but the sixth. Joe Delelio led the way with two singles and four RBI's. Garrett Britton was four for six including a double with four runs scored.
STARPOINT WINS A THRILLER OVER CHEEKTOWAGA 6-5 IN 8 INNINGS April 30, 2008 --
Senior captain Kevin Hughes was the hero yesterday for the varsity baseball team as he drove in Jon Corbi for the winning run in the bottom of the 8th inning to beat Cheektowaga 6-5. Hughes finished the day going two for four with 2 RBI's. Tim Szalkowski added a triple and Andy Boyce picked up the win on the mound pitching the final three innings. Boyce was also two for three at the plate. Starpoint takes on Amherst today at Thomas J. Sarkovics Field.
SPARTANS HOLD ON TO BEAT AMHERST 8-7 May 2, 2008 --
Ryan Gregg drove in Matt Ruppert with what proved to be the winning run in the fifth inning as the Spartans evened their ECIC III record at 3-3. Kevin Hughes got out of a jam in the top of the seventh, striking out the final batter with the tying run on third base. The senior went the distance, fanning six and scattering seven hits.
Joe Delelio had three hits and scored three times, while Ruppert had a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Kyle Schwab’s bases-clearing double started the Spartans off while Tim Szalkowski added a two-run RBI triple to get the Spartans out to a 5-0 lead.
James Gould 2-2 had two runs scored for Amherst (4-3).
STARPOINT HOLDS OFF THE RAIN THEN THE WARRIORS May 3, 2008 --
Starpoint 5, Tonawanda 1
Sophomore Jon Corbi went the distance on the hill, striking out six and allowing only four hits as the Spartans picked up a key ECIC III win. It was their fourth consecutive league victory. Andy Boyce was 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored, while Matt Ruppert and Ryan Gregg each added two hits. Kyle Schwab chipped in with what proved to be the game-winning RBI single in the second inning for Starpoint (6-7 overall, 4-3 ECIC III).
Alex Pickel had an RBI double to bring around Jesse Zellner for Tonawanda’s lone run. THS falls to 3-4 in the league.
SZALKOWSKI 3 HITS MAYVALE, LOSES 4-0 May 5, 2008 --
STARPOINT LOSES 2ND CONSECUTIVE 3-HITTER BY A SPARTAN PITCHER May 7, 2008 --
Pioneer 3 Starpoint 2 (8)
Kevin Hughes went eight innings, allowing only three hits and striking out 13, but the Spartans fell in ECIC III action at Thomas J. Sarkovics Field. Tim Szalkowski’s home run over the center field fence tied the game for Starpoint and sent the game to extras, where Bill Asquith hit an RBI double to drive in the game-winning run for Pioneer (6-3 ECIC III). Hughes also had an RBI for Starpoint (6-9 overall, 4-5 ECIC III).
SZALKOWSKI CONTROLS THE WILDCATS FOR A MUCH NEEDED WIN May 12, 2008 --
Starpoint 8, Depew 2
Canisius College signee Tim Szalkowski threw a complete game, allowing only five hits and striking out six as the Spartans picked up an ECIC III win. Szalkowski was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI for Starpoint (7-9 overall, 5-5 ECIC III). Also for the Spartans, Kevin Hughes had two RBIs, Garrett Britton had two hits and an RBI, Jared Prosser ripped an RBI double and Andy Boyce scored twice.
SPARTANS RALLY TO BEAT SWEET HOME 7-4 Starpoint 7, Sweet Home 4
Kevin Hughes pitched a complete game with nine strikeouts as the Spartans pulled out a come-from-behind non-league victory. Hughes had two doubles and three runs scored while Tim Szalkowski tied the game in the fifth with an RBI double, then knocked in two more runs. Ryan Gregg scored the go-ahead run after doubling, coming home on a passed ball.
Sophomore Jon Corbi added two doubles for Starpoint (8-11 overall), which finished in fifth place in ECIC III. Cody Stonish had a two-run homer in the first inning for Sweet Home.
STARPOINT LOSES BIG TO DEFENDING SECTION 6 CLASS AA CHAMP CLARENCE May 22, 2008 --
Clarence 18, Starpoint 3
Tim Szalkowski was 4-for-4 and Joe Delelio was 2-for-3 with two RBIs for the Spartans in the non-league loss. Kevin Hughes also scored for Starpoint (8-12 overall). No information was available for the Red Devils.
SZALKOWSKI GOES YARD...LITERALLY SPARTANS WIN 12-2 May 23, 2008 --
Tim Szalkowski led the offensive barrage for Starpoint and Andy Boyce pitched a complete game in a 12-2 ECIC inter-division baseball victory over Williamsville South on Thursday.
Szalkowski went 4-for-4 with two doubles and a home run clearing the fence in right-center field and bouncing off a neighbor backyard tree. He also scored three runs and knocked in two more. Nick Vasiliou had two hits and two runs scored for Starpoint (9-12 overall), while Garrett Britton, Kevin Hughes, Matt Ruppert and Ryan Gregg all had a pair of RBIs. Boyce gave up four hits and struck out six.
Ryan Austin went the distance on the mound, allowing only five hits and striking out eight as the Spartans improved to 10-12 after the non-league win. Austin also had two RBIs in the win.
Canisius signee Tim Szalkowski had his third consecutive 4-for-4 game with a home run, triple, two RBIs and three runs scored. Kyle Schwab was 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI and Garrett Britton had two hits and an RBI.
STARPOINT WINS THE BACKYARD BRAWL 5-1 May 26, 2008 --
DAN CAPPELLAZZO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Sanborn - Starpoint pitcher Kevin Hughes pitches in sixth inning action at Niagara Wheatfield High. By Nate Beutel
SANBORN —Starpoint was running out of arms, legs and fumes Saturday after playing its fifth game in as many days.
But after senior hurler Kevin Hughes scattered six hits and struck out 10 in a 5-1 non-league win over Niagara-Wheatfield, the Spartans (11-12 overall) were already beginning to feel re-charged as they boarded the bus for the short drive back to Pendleton.
“Kevin pitched a heck of a game,” said Starpoint coach Tim Racey, an N-W graduate. “We didn’t really have anybody else available and in typical captain form, Kevin went out there and led by example.”
Hughes successfully worked out of jams in the second, fifth and sixth innings before finally surrendering a run in the seventh as N-W’s Chris Gruarin hit a sacrifice fly. The right-hander had good command and mixed in several off-speed pitches during the outing.
“I tried to keep them off balance,” Hughes said.
N-W (12-9) threw three different pitchers in the first four innings and kept the Spartans off the scoreboard. In the fifth, though, Starpoint would push across three runs with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kyle Schwab, an RBI single from Jared Prosser and an error in the outfield.
The Spartans would add two more runs in the sixth when Joe Delelio scored on a wild pitch and Matt Ruppert brought in Garrett Britton, who had doubled earlier in the frame.
That would be plenty of support for Hughes, who struck out the side in the sixth and then finished the game with a strikeout.
“Their kid threw a great game, so give him all the credit,” N-W coach Jim Hagerty said. “I threw five different kids and tried to get everyone in for at least half the game … but (Racey) has done a nice job with his team. They’re a lot better team than the first time we played them this year.”
Hughes hopes this is a sign of things to come for the Spartans.
“Hopefully this will carry over into sectionals and we can get on a roll,” he said.
• DIAMOND NOTES: Veteran local broadcasters Howard Simon and Duke McGuire called the game for Time Warner Cable Channel 13. The game will be replayed at 12:30 p.m. today and 7:30 p.m. Monday. … After doubling in the first inning, Starpoint senior Tim Szalkowski had his 15 at-bat hit streak snapped when he was called out on a close play at first base. The Canisius signee had been 4-for-4 for the three previous games. … Anthony Schiro safety squeezed in Nick Lotempio in the bottom of the seventh inning to give N-W a 3-2 win over the Spartans in junior varsity action. Evan Kaminski and Junior Perez each had two hits for the Falcons.
DAN CAPPELLAZZO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Sanborn - Starpoints Andy Boyce slides into home plate in fifth inning action as Niagara Wheatfield catcher Mike Hardy blocks the plate for the tag. Hardy droped the ball and Boyce scored Starpoints third run at Niagara Wheatfield High.
STARPOINT CRUSHES MCKINLEY 11-0 IN PREQUARTER FINAL ACTION May 30, 2008 --
18-Starpoint 11, 2-McKinley 0
Tim Szalkowski and Andy Boyce combined to pitch a three-hitter with 11 strikeouts in the Starpoint rout. Szalkowski was 3-for-3 with two RBIs and Garrett Britton had a pair of hits with two runs scored for Starpoint (13-12). Andy Boyce, Ryan Gregg and Kyle Schwab each knocked in a pair of runs, with Gregg and Schwab going for triples. Starpoint plays at No. 7 Iroquois Monday. Brendon Reinhart also had his first hit as a varsity baseball player.
STARPOINT OUTLASTS SPRINGVILLE 12-10 May 30, 2008 --
Kevin Hughes throws CG in Starpoint win
Jon Corbi’s two-run single in the top seventh to score Matt Ruppert and Kyle Schwab helped put the clamps on the win as18th-seeded Starpoint topped 15th-seeded Springville in a Class A baseball qualifier on Thursday.
Kevin Hughes, who went the distance, was tested in the bottom half of the inning but induced a ground out to end the game with the potential game-tying run on base. Hughes allowed only seven hits and struck out seven, while most of Springville’s runs were unearned according to Starpoint coach Tim Racey.
Garrett Britton was 4-for-4 with a home run, double and two RBIs to lead the offense for Starpoint (12-12 overall). Hughes also went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Tim Szalkowski was 2-for-5 with a double and Joe Delelio added two hits and two runs scored in the win.
Starpoint advances to today’s pre-quarterfinals against No. 2 McKinley at 4:15 p.m. at Delaware Park Diamond No. 2.
SPARTANS SEASON ENDS WITH LOSS TO IROQUOIS June 2, 2008 --
Jiminez, Chiefs stymie Starpoint in ‘A’ quarterfinal By John D’Onofrio E-mail John Lockport Union-Sun & Journal
ELMA —Starpoint made the most of Matt Jiminez’s “only bad pitch” on Monday, but it was far from enough in the Spartans’ 16-1 Section VI Class A baseball quarterfinal loss to Iroquois under bright, sunny skies.
Starpoint catcher Garrett Britton drilled a fourth inning Jiminez fastball 375 feet over the centerfield fence, but that was almost all the offense visiting Starpoint could muster against the highly-recruited Chiefs senior right-hander.
“As far as I’m concerned, Matt’s the best pitcher in Western New York,” said Chiefs head coach Marv Matteson, the former Kenmore East skipper.
“He’s lost maybe two games in the last two years. He’s the real deal.”
With the win, No. 7 seed Iroquois (16-9) advances to play No. 6 Lewiston-Porter at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Washuta Park. The Lancers are coached by Lockport native Mark Waple.
Jiminez, who announced after the game he will attend Mercyhurst College this fall on a baseball scholarship, struck out 10 and scattered four hits in a dominating complete-game display.
“They couldn’t touch my fastball, so I stuck with it the whole day,” said the 6-foot, 2-inch Jiminez, who helped his own cause at the plate with an RBI single and a sacrifice fly that plated another run.
“I threw one bad pitch and that kid clobbered it,” he added.
Britton, a junior, said he guessed Jiminez’s first two pitches to him with two outs and nobody aboard in the top of the fourth.
“His first pitch was a curve ball and I watched that because I knew it was coming. The second one was a fastball and I knew that was coming. It was just right there. It was a little inside and I just turned on it.”
The game’s losing pitcher, senior right-hander Kevin Hughes (three strikeouts), smacked a double for the Spartans. Other Starpoint hits came off the bats of senior southpaw reliever Tim Szalkowski (three strikeouts) and senior Matt Ruppert.
Chiefs shortstop Tom Kufel smacked four hits and drove in four runs. Other Iroquois players with three hits or more were Jason Schafer (double), Calvin Sluberski and Pat Flatley (four RBIs). Six of the Chiefs’ 16 runs were unearned.
Tim Racey’s No. 8 Spartans finished the season 13-13.
“I thought we had a very good season. We didn’t meet all the goals that we had set before the start of the season, but I had a great group of kids,” Racey said.
“I wish the departing seniors a lot of luck and hope they come back and support the program like so many Starpoint alumni did today.”
