by Frank Aceto

Associate Sports Editor

Hudson -- Some things are inevitable in life.

Warmer temperatures in April; bumper-to-bumper traffic at 5 p.m. during the work week; and Stow-Munroe Falls right-hander Alex Loftin dazzling the Hudson baseball team.

It's safe to say none of those things changed April 23. But there was one exception: The Explorers finally got the last laugh against Loftin.

Visiting Hudson salvaged a split with the Bulldogs after posting a 4-1 victory in Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division action. The Bulldogs, behind left-hander Alex Haines, earned a 4-2 win against the Explorers April 22 at The Ballpark at Hudson.

In round two between the two archrivals, Hudson (6-4, 1-1) had to face one of the most dominant pitchers in the area. And that same right-hander had owned the Explorers in the past.

Loftin was his usual rarefied self. He pitched into the seventh inning and allowed two earned runs. He also had 13 strikeouts, using a blazing fastball and a lethal curve.

But Loftin's last pitch proved to be a costly one.

Catcher Forrest Johnson, the Explorers' No. 9 batter, led off the top of the seventh with a double near the right-field line.

Stow right-hander Ryan Pasuit entered the game and promptly retired the next two batters. Pasuit, however, ran into trouble. He walked the next two batters to load the bases.

That set the stage for Hudson center fielder Ryan Pavlik, who smacked a 3-1 pitch to center for a two-run single. Prior to that at bat, Pavlik had three strikeouts in his previous three plate appearances. Right fielder Aaron Pack eventually touched home on a double steal to score the final run of the game later in the inning.

"This was a good team win," said Explorers head coach Chuck Schilling. "We hung in there against a quality pitcher. Ryan made an adjustment and hit it to center."

Pasuit made a quality pitch to Pavlik, according to Bulldogs head coach John Daymon.

"Ryan threw a nice pitch," he said. "He [Pavlik] went down and got it."

While Loftin dominated Hudson's offense, right-hander Isaac Charette stymied Stow (6-4, 1-1) with his ability to throw strikes.

Charette went the distance to improve to 1-1 on the season. He finished with four strikeouts and issued three walks in the complete-game three-hitter. Stow had runners on first and second in the last of the seventh, but Charette retired the next two batters to escape the jam.

"We needed to have that from Ike," Schilling said. "We knew we needed this one, so we challenged Ike. We wanted him to go seven and that's exactly what he did."

Charette threw 105 pitches, including 68 for strikes. The Bulldogs stranded six runners and had just two hits in 10 at bats with runners on base.

"That's the way it has been most of the year," Daymon said. "We're making contact; we're just hitting it right at people."

The Explorers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. Pack drove in the first run without taking the bat off his shoulder as Loftin hit him with the bases loaded. Loftin gave up two singles and issued a walk in the inning.

Stow tied the game in the bottom of the sixth when left fielder Jarrod Plazak scored on a fly ball that was dropped by the left fielder. Hudson, which committed three errors, had two miscues in the frame which led to an unearned run.

Johnson reached base three times with a walk and a single to go along with his double. Explorers' third baseman Chad Opalich reached base four times with a single and three walks, including one intentional pass. Hudson's leadoff hitter, shortstop Billy Rillero, added two singles.

Loftin threw 109 pitches, including 69 for strikes.

"We wanted to make Loftin pitch and see what happens," Schilling said.

That patience paid off even though the Explorers had only one hit in eight at bats with runners in scoring position.

In this case, a split is good for both teams as the first-ever Valley Division appears to be a wide-open race.

"This is the most competitive league I've seen in my 21 years," Schilling said. "Everyone in our league has a really good No. 1 and a good No. 2. The winner of this league might have three losses."

Haines baffles Hudson

In round one between the two teams, Haines pitched six strong innings to improve to 2-0. He finished with 11 strikeouts and may be the Bulldogs' No. 1A to Loftin's No. 1.

"Alex Haines has been phenomenal," Daymon said. "He deserves just as much credit if not more than Alex Loftin."

Loftin, on the other hand, provided the offensive heroics.

He had three hits, including a home run, and three runs batted in. K.J. Jovanovich also had three singles and Mike Burrowbridge had two singles.

Stow had 10 hits and two errors and Hudson had four hits and two errors.

The Bulldogs scored a run in the first and then the Explorers tied it at 1-1 in the second. Stow took a 2-1 lead with a run in the third and made it 4-1 in the fifth. Hudson added a run in the sixth.

Right-hander Sam Schilling (2-1) took the loss.

The Bulldogs were scheduled to host Warren Harding April 24 and Lakewood St. Edward for a doubleheader April 26. Results of those contests were not available at press time.

They are set to play a home-and-home with NOC Valley Division foe Cuyahoga Falls April 28 and 29. Both contests are scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.

E-mail: faceto@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3914