Vermilion's Cory Fox has made it official. Fox signed his letter of intent to continue his baseball career at Lake Erie College.

Fox joined the Sailors' rotation his sophomore season and had exclusive time on the mound as a junior last season. He went 5-0 in seven starts and had a 1.07 ERA. He has 80 career strikeouts.

Last season opened up a lot of eyes, as his 86-88 mph fastball has earned him the scholarship to Lake Erie College.

Fox is Vermilion's No. 1 starter this season. Last season, he was behind Anthony Labondano and Cameron Zima, two of the area’s top arms.

Fox is also a good hitter and was the cleanup hitter last season as a junior. He hit .396 with 19 RBIs.

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Amherst’s Ryan Rua hit two home runs, including a grand slam, and drove in six runs for Lake Erie College in the first game of a doubleheader sweep on Saturday.

The Storm defeated Northwood University, 11-9 and 4-3 to take the rain-shortened series 3-1.

Rua led Lake Erie with three hits, while five teammates also had multiple hits in game one.

The Storm, which reached 10 conference wins for the second time in program history and are in fourth place in the conference standings, hosts third-place Ashland University on Wednesday for a GLIAC doubleheader at Classic Park in Eastlake.

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Perkins graduate Kyle Hallock earned his sixth win of the season in the first game of a doubleheader as Kent State sweeped Buffalo, 13-3 and 7-0.

The game Hallock won marked the 1,500th in program history for the Golden Flashes (26-12, 12-3 MAC), which also improved their home record to 11-1.

Hallock struck out seven in seven innings, improving to 6-4 on the season. He allowed one earned run on seven hits and two walks while sitting down the side in three innings.

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Avon Lake’s Christine Chiricosta has been named the Mid-American Conference’s Female Scholar-Athlete of the Week. The announcement was made by the conference office Friday. Chiricosta earned the award for the second time this season and the fifth time in her career.

Chiricosta helped Bowling Green post a pair of 4-3 victories in conference action last weekend. The Falcons downed Eastern Michigan on Friday and Toledo last Saturday at the Perrysburg Center.

Chiricosta went 2-0 at the top singles flight, losing a total of just five games in her four overall sets. She teamed with teammate Maddy Eccleston for a 1-1 doubles record at the top flight, with the lone loss coming by an 8-6 score.

That loss came in the EMU match, and Chiricosta then dropped the first game of her singles match. But, she then reeled off wins in 12 consecutive games for a 6-1, 6-0 win at the top singles flight.

Then, on Senior Day, BGSU’s lone senior won both of her matches in the Falcons’ victory over Toledo. She teamed with Eccleston for a win at the top doubles flight, then picked up a 6-4, 6-0 win at the number-one singles flight.

In the classroom, Chiricosta has a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade point average as an adolescent/young adult/secondary education major. The first student-athlete in BGSU women’s tennis history to be named an Academic All-American, she earned that honor as both a sophomore and a junior.

On the court, Chiricosta holds all three of BGSU’s career wins records, with 176 total victories (88 singles, 88 doubles).

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Avon Lake’s Alex Trzeciak and his teammate Brad Minrovic won, 8-1, to improve to 17-4 this season and Baldwin-Wallace won its second straight shutout in a win over Wilmington College, 9-0 on Friday at the Harpers Point Racquet Club. The victory left the Yellow Jackets one shy of 20 this season and was their 13th shutout.

Trzeciak also won at No.1 singles by the scores of 6-1 and 6-0 to improve to 19-5 this season.

B-W dominated this match by winning 96 of 110 total games, including 72 of 77 singles and 24 of 29 doubles games. With its win, B-W improved to 19-3 overall and 5-2 in the OAC. One more victory would give B-W 20 wins for the sixth time in the last nine years and improve its mark during the last nine seasons to an amazing 180-28 overall.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Edison’s Ashley Elber is having a stellar freshman season at Baldwin-Wallace, playing for the softball team.

Elber went 7-for-13, for a .538 batting average and the Yellow Jackets won all four games they played, extending their winning streak to five. She also scored six runs, had a double, two home runs and three RBIs to go with a stolen base.

Elber is batting a team-leading .430 (40-for-93) with 26 runs scored, a team-high 40 hits, including 10 doubles, one triple, four home runs, 16 RBIs and five steals. In the field, Elber has a .909 fielding average with just three errors in 33 total attempts.
B-W is currently 21-8 overall.

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Keystone graduate Kara Dill is leading Kentucky in batting average with a .386 mark and has extended her career-long hitting streak to 11 games, which is the longest hitting streak on the team this season.

Primarily a slap hitter, Dill used her speed against the Colonels to beat out a throw for an infield single while adding a double. She also stole two bases on the evening to give her a team-high 17 stolen bases.

Dill hit .238 in 126 at-bats her freshman season as an infield utility player. The difference this year is she’s making contact at a higher rate and forcing more walks, the perfect recipe for a team that has a lot of big bats around her with the capability of batting her in (UK is four home runs away from breaking the 2007 school record).

“She’s the perfect yin to the rest of the team’s yang,” senior captain Megan Yocke said.

Through a dual-credit program at Keystone, Dill took college courses at Lorain County Community College and earned her associate’s degree upon graduation her senior year. Had it not been for some credits that didn’t transfer to Kentucky, she would actually be graduating college with a bachelor’s degree this spring.

Dill, of course, isn’t going anywhere over the next two years. While she pursues a master’s degree to become a strength and conditioning coach, she’ll complete her two years of athletic eligibility as a key cog in the softball program.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

New London's Corey Chaffins moved to third all-time in strikeouts on Eastern Michigan's strikeout list after a seven strikeout performance in a 14-7 loss to Akron last week.

Chaffins pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed six runs. He is now 4-3 in 11 appearances, which include six starts. He also has 48 strikeouts for the season.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Elyria’s Tess Sito continues to impress at Cleveland State, being selected the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week. The accolade is the third pitching honor for Sito in 2011.

Cleveland State split four games last week, dropping a doubleheader at Niagara before sweeping Loyola in League play. Sito appeared on the rubber in all four contests for the Vikings.

Sito was nearly perfect over the weekend, striking out 23 in 17 innings of work, walking just two batters as she carried Cleveland State to two 1-0 victories against Loyola. In the opening win of the doubleheader, Sito struck out a career-high 15 Ramblers, giving up just two hits. In the nightcap, the sophomore came back with eight more strikeouts, carrying a no-hitter into the 10th inning of the eventual victory. On the week, Sito went 2-1 with a 1.21 ERA, totaling 39 strikeouts in 29 innings.

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Perkins graduate Kyle Hallock struck out seven batters in seven masterful innings to help Kent State bounce back against Central Michigan with a win, 9-3, in a Mid-American Conference game at Theunissen Stadium on Saturday.

Despite battling poor weather conditions, Hallock fanned seven, walked one, allowed one earned run on eight hits to tie for the Kent State (23-11, 9-2 MAC) lead with his fifth victory of the season.

"Kyle Hallock was the difference," seventh-year Kent State head coach Scott Stricklin said. "He really performed well in tough surroundings. The wind was really blowing, and it was raining. The conditions were not favorable for baseball today, and I thought our players played really well through that."

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Western Reserve’s Andrew Chafin, a redshirt sophomore left-handed starting pitcher at Kent State, struck out 13 batters and dominated Central Michigan for eight innings, but it wasn’t enough, as Central Michigan rallied with runs in the eighth and ninth inning to beat the Golden Flashes, 2-1 in a Mid-American Conference game at Theunissen Stadium.

The loss ended Kent State’s season-long 11-game winning streak (22-11, 8-2) as the Flashes also suffered their first defeat in the month of April.

"It was a tough game to lose," said seventh-year Kent State head coach Scott Stricklin. "Andrew Chafin certainly deserved to win, and we had our opportunities. We just didn’t execute."

Chafin kept the Chippewas off balance all afternoon, pitching eight innings of four-hit ball while compiling 13 strikeouts with no walks.

"We thought he’d pile up some strikeouts because they’re a very aggressive team, and he did," Stricklin said. "It was a tough day to pitch with the wind blowing all over the place. It says a lot about him and how tough he is."

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Four more student athletes joined a list of more than a dozen Avon Lake seniors that have committed to play collegiate athletics.

On Wednesday afternoon, senior Nick Brady, Kelly Bruce, Collin Holmes and Matt Marron were honored in front of friends and family for their college choices.

Representatives from across the Avon Lake school district all spoke about how all four were students first and represented the community well.

"Avon Lake is very proud to send out such good scholar athletes," Superintendent Bob Scott said.

Brady will continue his education and baseball career at Marietta College.

"It was a great atmosphere," Brady said. "The coaches are great guys and they had the programs that I wanted."

Brady is still split on his choice of study.

"I am undecided between either Accounting to follow my dad and (could) work in the FBI after college or I may enter their new sports business program as well."

Bruce suffered a devastating knee injury before her senior season of basketball. She thought it might be the end of her athletic career.

"My first thought was not to play in college but luckily they gave me the chance to do that so I am very thankful."

Bruce will study Exercise Science to become a Physical Therapist at Mount Union where she will play basketball under Susie Venet.

"I like the way they use everyone on the bench," Bruce said. "It is very fast paced and it should be a good fit."

Her head coach Frank Coughlin was impressed by her dedication to return after the injury.

"It is a testament to how hard she worked to rehab," he said.

Holmes was a senior leader on only the second Avon Lake golf team to qualify for state. He will continue his golf career at Point Park University in Pittsburgh.

"The coach called me and we really hit if off," Holmes said. "I liked the kids and the campus."

Holmes has found memories of his senior season and qualifying for the state tournament.

"It was great," he said. "The atmosphere was amazing. Winning district by one stroke was a lot of fun."

His head coach Amy Manco is happy with his decision.

"He was a leader that helped us get to Columbus, Manco said. "I’m glad he has chosen to continue with college golf. I think he will love the experience."

Marron will run cross-country and track at Mount Union. He went on several college visits but knew when he got home from Mount Union; it was where he wanted to spend the next four years.

"It was amazing, " he said. "When I got back from Mount Union there was nothing I could nit-pick. I loved the coaches, the team, everything."

Marron has a lot of respect for his Cross Country head coach Rob Juergens.

"Coach has had a big impact on my running career," Marron said. "I don’t know what I will do without him. He has given me mental toughness."

Juergens is proud of Marron.

"It was a pleasure to work with an athlete like Matt," he said. "I think he has made a good choice and it is a good fit."

Courtesy of ZACHARY DZURICK

Perkins graduate Amy Schlessman, whose in her sophomore year at Kenyon, made it through her singles and doubles matches unblemished on Monday. Schlessman didn’t drop a game against Wooster and the tennis team followed suit in a 9-0 rout of their North Coast Athletic Conference rival.

Schlessman and Prita Kidder hung Wooster’s first goose egg on the scoreboard in the top flight.

To earn her fourth-straight triumph at No. 2 singles, Schlessman won in straight sets by identical 6-0 margins. Her two blankings were among five 6-0 set victories the Ladies posted in singles competition.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

New London’s Justina Wise, a freshman pitcher for Baldwin-Wallace, was named the Ohio Athletic Conference Softball Pitcher of the Week.

Wise helped led the Yellow Jackets to a 4-1 record last week, making four appearances, going 3-0 with wins over Hiram College, John Carroll University and Kenyon College. Wise gave up just three earned runs for a 1.31 earned run average (ERA) in 20 2/3 innings. In addition, she struck out 13 batters while allowing just two walks.

For the season, Wise has a record of 8-2 and is second on the team with a 1.97 ERA. She has appeared in 11 games with 10 starts and has allowed 15 earned runs, 50 hits while striking out 41. She has allowed just four walks in 53 1/3 innings.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

New London’s Corey Chaffins faced a familiar opponent in Perkins’ Kyle Hallock as the Kent State-Eastern Michigan featured a pitcher’s duel at Schoonover Stadium on Saturday.

Chaffins pitched 7 2/3 innings, allowing just one run and eight hits, but was the hard-luck loser in a 1-0 Kent State win.

Hallock pitched seven innings, allowing just five hits, while striking out four to pick up his fourth win of the season.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

St. Mary’s Jessica Thomas continues to impress in her outdoor track season at Notre Dame College, notching a gold medal on Saturday in the Washington & Jefferson Invitational.

Thomas helped lead the women’s team to a ninth-place finish in a field of 17 teams, after finishing 13th last season. Thomas earned her first-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles, hitting the wire in a meet-record 15.05 seconds.

Thomas, who graduated in 2008 from St. Mary, was a five-time state qualifier. At St. Mary, she earned four letters in track and 10 overall. Her senior season, she placed 8th at state in the 100m Hurdles. She also played basketball and tennis and was captain of each squad in her senior year.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Chafin pitches solid in Kent State win

Western Reserve’s Andrew Chafin pitched seven solid innings for Kent State in a 3-2 extra-innings win over Western Michigan on Friday. Chafin, who didn’t get the win, started on the hill for the Flashes and scattered seven hits and fanned seven over 7 2/3 innings of work while allowing one earned run and three walks.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Hallock named MAC's Pitcher of the Week

Perkins’ Kyle Hallock, a senior left-handed starting pitcher on the Kent State baseball team, was named the Mid-American Conference East Division Pitcher of the Week. It is the first honor for the senior this season, and the second consecutive pitcher of the week for the Golden Flashes.

Hallock tossed game one of Kent State’s doubleheader at Western Michigan. He matched his career high by throwing eight innings to help push the Golden Flashes to a 4-1 win. Hallock allowed just one earned run on six hits and struck out five while walking three.

For the year, Hallock owns a 3-4 record with a 2.86 ERA in seven appearances. In 44 innings of work, Hallock has 32 strikeouts to just 14 walks.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Monday, April 4, 2011

Sito named Horizon League Pitcher of the Week

Elyria’s Tess Sito was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week. The accolades is her second honor of the year. Sito went 4-1 with a 0.68 ERA in 31 innings and struck out 37, while walking just five. She struck out a career-high 12 and allowed just one earned run, then came back the following day and pitched 11 of 12 innings in a sweep of Toledo. Against the Rockets, Sito did not allow a run, while pitching a four-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts. On Sunday, Sito threw 13 innings, giving up just two earned runs against Green Bay as the Vikings and Phoenix split the doubleheader.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Brua celebrates birthday with fourth save of season

In the first game of a doubleheader, Oberlin rallied from an early deficit and got solid relief pitching out of the bullpen to preserve a 5-4 win over Wittenberg.

Avon’s Phil Brua celebrated his birthday by earning a four-out save for his fourth save of the season.

After the rocky first inning Western Reserve graduate Brandon Cantrill (2-1) settled down as he got through 4 1/3 innings to earn his second win of the season. Following the first inning, the Tigers managed just three hits off of the senior.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Chiricosta breaks another record, sets school mark for career doubles wins

Avon Lake’s Christine Chiricosta continues to break records in her senior season at Bowling Gree. Chiricosta and teammate Maddy Eccleston each won at both singles and doubles vs. Ball State, leading the Falcons to a 6-1 win over Ball State University Saturday afternoon at the Perrysburg Tennis Center.

Chiricosta, who already held the BGSU career records for singles wins and combined wins, teamed up with Eccleston for an 8-3 victory at the top doubles flight, moving into sole possession of first place on the doubles list as well. Chiricosta now has 85 career doubles wins, breaking the mark of 84 originally set by Jenny Cheung (1995-98).

Chiricosta made quick work of Georgina Thomson at the top singles flight, increasing her career totals to 85 singles wins and 170 overall victories at BGSU. The senior co-captain did not lose a single game in her sweep of Thomson.

Christine now has 21 singles wins and 21 doubles wins this season to date ... in her career, she has 85 singles victories and 85 doubles wins.

Eccleston and freshmen Nikki Chiricosta (Christine’s sister) and Emily Reuland each won their respective singles matches in two sets.

In third-flight action, Hill and Nikki also won by an 8-4 score, topping Ball State’s Sarah Hebble and Lauren Pickrel.

With the victory, the Falcons improved to 11-5 overall and 2-2 in MAC matches on the season. The Cardinals dropped to 6-12 and 0-4, respectively.

While Christine has broken all three BGSU career wins records, Nikki currently tops the Falcons in wins this season, combining for 44 wins in just her freshman season. That total ties her for seventh on the school’s records list.

swalker@MorningJournal.com