Tomcats can only keep game tight

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AURORA -- What a difference a couple days made for East Aurora.

After getting handled 13-0 by Waubonsie two days earlier, the Tomcats played solid defense and got good pitching by Dan Okapal to stay tight with the Warriors in a rematch played at Waubonsie Valley. But the Warriors' Adam LeRoy handcuffed East, surrendering only two hits in a 3-0 masterpiece.

In fanning 13 batters, LeRoy struck out the side in the fourth and seventh innings. He wasn't overpowering, but he got the vast majority of his outs with pitches on the outside part of, or just off, the plate. LeRoy wasn't bad with a bat in his hands either.

As a result of four LeRoy walks, East Aurora had runners in scoring position in four innings, but couldn't deliver the big hit off the senior lefthander.

Okapal's complete-game effort was just about as good as LeRoy's. The junior was around the plate the whole way with a mixture of heat and biting curves, and he didn't reach a three-ball count until the fifth inning.

"Okapal beat us last year," said Waubonsie Valley head coach Dan Fezzuoglio. "He is very competitive, so this is a good sign for us (to beat Okapal), especially coming after prom last night. Getting to see good pitchers just before the tournament is huge. And I can't say enough about Adam LeRoy."

The Warriors (11-14 overall, 8-9 Upstate Eight Conference) got the only run they needed in the third inning when Brad Custer followed up a Dan Walker bloop double with an opposite-field single.

In the fifth inning, Custer reached on an infield hit, went to third on another bloop double by Jonny Strauss, and scored on a wild pitch. Strauss crossed the plate on a single by LeRoy, who had three hits to lead his team offensively.

East Aurora (1-20 overall, 0-15 conference) got excellent defensive plays in the outfield by Richard Jiminez and Fernando Salinas, and at third base by Noel Rivera in an errorless performance. Okapal and Emilio Ortiz (double) had the only hits for the young Tomcats, whose only senior is Rafael Rodriguez. Baseball: Waubonsie Valley 3, East Aurora 0