Indian Creek’s Logan Wedlake launches a hit with his swing during Saturday’s district title game. - Andrew Grimm

Powered by some timely hits and a strong performance on the mound from Sal Barcalow, Creek won it’s second-straight East District championship Saturday afternoon, pulling away from Claymont for an 11-1 run-rule victory at Buckeye Trail.

The Redskins won both rounds of the Division IV East 2 District tournament by the run rule, scoring a combined 33 runs in the two victories. Creek won the Division II East District title a year ago under the old four division format, the program’s first district title, on the same field.

“It feels great,” Indian Creek head coach Mike Cottis said. “It’s almost surreal. These guys play so hard, they fight so hard, they worked so hard during the offseason. The experience these guys have is huge, our seniors are great leaders. Tbeg got a taste of it last year and they want it again.

“Going back-to-back is great, it’s a special feeling. These boys are a special group.

Indian Creek pitcher Sal Barcalow delivers a pitch on Saturday. - Andrew Grimm

“This is step one of more steps we want to accomplish.”

Barcalow fired all six innings on Saturday, striking out five, walking just one and scattering four hits – three singles and a solo homer.

Behind him, the Creek fielders played errorless ball, cutting down a run at the plate early in the game and turning a key double play in the fourth inning.

“Sal did what Sal does,” Cottis said of his pitcher. “He kept them off balance and we played some great defense behind him. He’s a gamer, he did a great job.

“We took advantage of the base runners we had, but in the end it was pitching and defense that won us that game. We took advantage of a couple of opportunities to have a big inning, and we made some great plays behind Sal.”

Indian Creek third baseman Dom DeGruttola makes a throw for an out after fielding a ground ball Saturday. - Andrew Grimm

Caleb Bodo had a pair of base knocks and three RBIs, while Ian Starkey had two hits and two RBIs and Dom DeGruttola drove in a pair of runs and Hunter Rusnak had a pair of hits as the Creek bats pounded out 11 hits. Creek was also patient at the plate again, drawing 10 free passes for a second-straight game of drawing double-digit walks.

The top-seeded Redskins (21-6) took an early lead on Gavin Pownall’s two-out RBI double in the bottom of the first.

They left the bases loaded to end the first and a man on in the second, leaving the lead at just one before breaking things open in the third.

In the bottom of the third, Creek again loaded the bases, and this time got the runs in. DeGruttola made it 2-0 with a sac fly, then Bodo brought two runs in with two outs on a swinging bunt for a single. Ian Starkey then brought home another run with an infield single, making it a 5-0 Creek lead.

Claymont (12-17) got on the board with a Connor Hilyer solo homer in the top of the sixth, but a big response in the bottom half brought things to an early end.

MAKING A PLAY — Indian Creek outfielder Caleb Bodo fires the ball in afrer tracking it down. - Andrew Grimm

Barcalow got the run back with an RBI single, then DeGruttola singled in a run for a 7-1 lead. Logan Wedlake drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 8-1, then Bodo, Starkey and Ty Householder hit back-to-back-to-back RBI singles to enact the run rule, starting the celebration.

UP NEXT

Creek will look to go for a second-straight regional title this week as the quest to return to Akron continues. The Redskins will take on East 1 District champion Carrollton in the Region 15 semifinals Tuesday at Harrison Central. Carrollton edged West Holmes 2-1 in their district title game on Saturday.

The Redskins and Warriors, ranked No. 6 and No. 8 respecively in Division IV in the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association poll, met twice this season, splitting a home-and-home set in a pair of close games, 3-1 and 3-2, each winning on their home field.

The winner of Tuesday’s game will advance to take on the winner of Unioto and London on Thursday at Ohio University’s Bob Wren Stadium.

LIFTED UP — Indian Creek players hoist the district championship trophy after winning the title on Saturday. - Andrew Grimm

OHSAA Divison IV Tournament

East 2 District Championship

at Buckeye Trail High School

No. 1 Indian Creek 11, No. 8 Claymont 1

C 0-0-0 0-0-1 – 1 4 2

DISTRICT CHAMPS — The Indian Creek baseball team celebrates after winning the Division IV, East 2 District Championship on Saturday. - Andrew Grimm

IC 1-0-4 0-0-6 – 11 11 0

CLAYMONT (12-17): Fox (LP, 2 1/3IP, 4R, 4ER, 2H, 1K, 5BB, 1HBP), McMorrow (2 2/3IP, 4R, 4ER, 5H, 1K, 3BB), Jinks (1/3IP, 3R, 3ER, 4H, 0K, 2BB) and Fair. Hilyer HR, S, RBI; Jinks S; Fair S.

INDIAN CREEK (21-6): Barcalow (WP, CG, 1R, 1ER, 4H, 5K, 1BB, 1HBP) and Rusnak. Pownall D, RBI; Barcalow D, S, RBI; Householder S, RBI; Rusnak 2S,; DeGruttola S, 2RBIs; Wedlake RBI; Bodo 2S, 3RBIs; Starkey 2S, 2RBIs.