Bruisers summer baseball teams show growth this season
Jul. 14—The Bruisers summer baseball teams have completed, or are in the process of finishing, the 2023 season.
The 18U, 14U and 10U squads recently closed their seasons.
The 16U team still has four games remaining.
"I'm proud of all these coaches," 18U coach Steve Kray said. "There's a great group of core guys. The growth you see is awesome. That 10 group had a lot of fun and showed growth."
18U
This team finished the season at 10-9-1.
They went 4-3 and placed fourth out of nine teams in their pool during the Beast of the East tournament in Wheeling, West Virginia earlier this month.
The 18U squad closed out the season by going 2-2 during the Summer Sizzler Tournament last weekend, playing at Hiram and Oberlin colleges.
"We had a good summer," Kray said. "The guys continued what they did during the high school season in the spring."
Aidan Hernandez, of Edgewood, led the team with a .371 batting average. He was also hit by pitch nine times and registered a on-base percentage of .600 this summer.
Conneaut's Bryce Spurlin and JR Hutchison were solid in hitting at .290 and pitching with a 2.80 ERA, respectively.
Logan Kray, Alex Sperduto and Tony Hall, all of Edgewood, hit around .300.
Kray also recorded team highs with 11 RBIs and 13 runs. Sperduto and Ethan Detrick, of Edgewood, both clubbed four doubles.
Kray also recorded a 1.90 ERA and Detrick checked in at 3.20 on the mound.
"This group has been together since they've been 12," Kray said. "They didn't miss a beat and grew as a group. They have life-long friendships and baseball memories."
16U
Coach Chris Sperduto's team is 9-11-2. They are scheduled to play two games today and one on Sunday in the North Ridgeville Tournament, before playing NP Select at 6 p.m. on Thursday at Edgewood.
Alex Sperduto leads the Bruisers with .542 batting average and .639 on-base percentage. Matt Wagner, of Lakeside, and Christian Braat and Blake Vegh, both of Edgewood, check in with above .300 averages.
Geno Measel, of Edgewood, and Gage Tome and Zion Thomas, both of Lakeside, are leading the pitching unit.
"Pitching this summer was very strong," Chris Sperduto said. "All of our guys kept us in every game, which is all we can ask for.
"This was a fun team to coach and be part of. Positive energy and attitudes all summer, mixed with highly competitive young men, made for an entertaining summer of ball."
14U
Under the guidance of coach Andy Clutter, the team played 34 games this summer.
Carlo Fasano, of Saint John, led the squad with a .431 batting average and 12 doubles.
Paul Siler, of Lakeside, hit .328 with seven doubles and Chase Clutter, of Lakeside, checked in at .317 and 26 hits.
John Miller, of Saint John, paced the team with 35 steals, while Clutter and Brady Wright, of Geneva, had 22 apiece.
In pitching, Tristan Westerfield, of Lakeside, went 47 innings with 58 strike-outs; Clutter, 45.2 innings and 53 strikeouts and Julianna Mokri, of Edgewood, 46.1 innings and 40 strikeouts.
"Being it was our first year, we learned a lot," Andy Clutter said. "We will continue to grow and get better."
10U
Herbie Kelly, of Conneaut, led this team with a .559 batting average, 30 RBIs and 30 runs.
Maddox Soltese, of Jefferson, registered a .542 average, followed by Drew Eaton, of Conneaut, at .473, Lucas Wilson, Edgewood, .444 and AJ Pasanen, Conneaut, .358.
Soltese collected 18 RBIs, followed by Cooper Compan, of Pymatuning Valley, and Pasanen with 13 each and Eaton at 12.
Pasanen tallied 26 runs, Eaton had 25, Vinny Todaro, Conneaut, contributed 16, and Soltese and Wilson added 15 apiece.
"It was a very successful first season for the boys," 10U coach Tony Pasanen said. "They learned how to play real baseball. They played by high school rules.
"I was super impressed with how much they learned and improved. It also taught us what we need to do to get better for next season."
