Huskies are 6-3 after two weeks of play

By DJ Watson Harrison News-Herald Sports Writer

CADIZ — The Harrison Central baseball team has worked their way through the first two weeks of the 2023 season.

On March 31, the Huskies hit the road for the first time this season, traveling to Columbiana County for a big win against the East Liverpool Potters (1-5).

Senior Treston Nemeth, a University of Dayton commit, showed all in attendance why he is considered one of the top players across the entire state of Ohio.

Nemeth bombed two home runs, one in the top of the first to give his team a 1-0 lead, and another in the top of the fifth to clear the bases for a grand-slam. With the help of Nemeth’s bat, the Huskies cruised to a 13-1 victory in five innings. The Potters were playing catch-up all evening, as the visiting Huskies tacked on four more runs in the top half of the second. Starting pitcher

Kaden Jurosko picked up the “W” from the hill, and his arm was never really challenged. He had plenty of help, as the Huskies led the Potters 6-0 after four full innings. Jurosko fanned four, and only surrendered one hit through four innings of work.

Seven different Harrison batters put the ball in play, for a total of 11 team hits. Jace Madzia, Tucker Snyder, and Jurosko all joined Nemeth in posting a multiple hit outing from the batter’s box. One of Madzia’s hits came via the longball as well. Next to Nemeth’s five RBIs, Jurosko’s stick accounted for three runs crossing the plate.

The offensive output was a welcoming development for Head Coach Mike Valesko, as the Huskies had been looking for more offense throughout the opening week of play.

The Indian Valley Braves paid visit to Mazeroski Field in Cadiz back on Monday, April 3. After jumping out to an early 2-1 lead after one, and then a 5-3 advantage following the second frame, the Huskies slowly fell victim in the small-ball affair that witnessed the Braves post a run in each of the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to take the lead for good.

The Huskies pushed Kayden Dunkle to third in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn’t get him the final 90 feet to cross the dish and tie the game. Tucker Snyder got the start on the mound, laboring through five innings with three strikeouts. Jurosko worked the final two innings in relief, striking out five Braves in the short-lived appearance.

Offensively, Nemeth once again topped the card. The D-1 standout finished 2/2 with two singles and an RBI, he was walked on balls in two other at-bats. Leland Lopez and Snyder filled out the box score with a single each. Jurosko and Dunkle were both credited with one RBI.

While the Huskies only mustered four hits, there was still plenty of action on the basepaths. Cabot Arbaugh, Anthony Pelegreen, Lopez, Dunkle, and Snyder all made the full trip to post runs for Valesko and the Huskies. The Braves struggled to find the umpire’s target, issuing eight free passes on the evening. It was a friendly trend for Harrison fans, as the struggle on the mound kept the Huskies within striking distance down to the very last out.

Harrison Central picked up a trio of victories last week in impressive fashion. East Liverpool visited Mazeroski Field Monday, and the Huskies sent them home with a 10-0 setback in five innings. The Huskies outscored the Potters 23-1 in the season series.

The home-and-home sweep was followed up by another shortened affair with a Columbiana County school. The Beaver Local Beavers came to Cadiz April 5, and in similar fashion, were sent home disappointed. The Huskies outmanned the Beavers to the tune of a 21-4 five-inning ousting.

The very next night, the Huskies hosted Steubenville Big Red in a televised matchup on WTOV9. Harrison scored five runs in the sixth inning to take a 7-3 lead, but Big Red posted five runs of their own in the top of the seventh to regain control. However, the opportunistic Huskies answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame to walk-off the Div. II mainstay with a thrilling 9-8 victory.

Last Saturday, the Huskies competed in the Prep Baseball Report “Spring Classic” held at the Red Knight Complex in Toronto. Heading into the seventh inning, the Huskies were firmly in control with a 5-2 advantage over the Carrollton Warriors. But, the Warriors would snap the winning streak, scoring six runs in the top of the final inning to put an unwelcoming exclamation point on an otherwise very productive week of baseball.

When the initial OVAC 4A standings are released, the anticipation is that the Huskies will be comfortably found inside the top four championship-qualifying spots. Harrison Central and Indian Creek will meet twice this week, matchups that most certainly will impact the Buckeye Eight North Division race.