By Chris Check                                                                                                                              NE Regional Scout

CANTON, OH- Massillon Jackson played an all-around game in defeating a quality Mentor team 3-2 at Thurman Munson Stadium yesterday in the Division I Regional Semi-final.

Mentor jumped out front in the bottom of the second inning when senior catcher Trevor Boslett singled up the middle off Jackson sophomore starter Sam Miller. Boslett scored after a sacrifice and a ground ball moved him to third base and senior centerfielder Kyle Hagey knocked him in with a single up the middle.

Jackson responded with a run of their own in the top of the third. Senior second baseman got a one out bunt single, moved to second on a walk to senior center fielder Tim Turner and scored on a two out RBI single by senior DH Seth Vellucci. 

Jackson then took the lead in the fourth inning when back-to-back one out singles and stolen bases by seniors Jake Sima and Brennan Dingler put both runners in scoring position. Unsigned senior Kyle Mottice got a big two out RBI hit on a high chopper over the mound which he legged out for a single despite a great effort by Mentor senior shortstop Corey Plavcan. Dingler then scored what proved to be the winning run on a balk the following batter.

Mentor battle back in the bottom of the inning to inch a run closer, senior left fielder Caleb Potter and Boslett led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Senior starting left-handed pitcher Evan Lovick then laid down his second straight sacrifice bunt to allow the runners to move up to second and third. Senior Nick Fillar then got an RBI when he grounded out to sophomore shortstop Jake Pallota who was playing back conceding the run. Miler then got the last batter to fly out to end the inning.

Senior right hander, Cade McClure, came into the game in the sixth for Mentor with a runner on second base and one out. He got the next two batters quickly and retired the side in order in the top of the seventh inning. In all, McClure struck out three of the five batters he faced.

Mentor threatened again in the bottom of the seventh inning, when Fillar reached on an error was sacrificed to second by Hagey and moved to third on a mishandled grounder of junior third baseman Tyler Thompson’s groundball. 

This set the stage for the climactic play of the game as Mentor trying to manufacture the tying run, tried a first and third steal of home. 

Senior lefty Tim Turner, who came in from his center field position to close the game, calmly stepped off the rubber and throw a strike to the catcher, senior AJ Kloehn, who applied the tag for the out. Turner then got a ground ball to second base to end the game.

Mentor finishes the season at 18-6, while Jackson moves on to tonight’s championship game against Hudson with a record of 23-5.

LINESCORE

Massillon Jackson 001  200  0  -  3  9  3

Mentor                  010  100  0  -  2  6  0