Sterling, Va. — With his team playing their third game in four days, Dominion High School head coach Jeff Berg turned to sophomore starter Mario Canestraro to take the mound for the championship game of the 2018 Titan-Raider Classic on March 27 in Sterling.
The sturdy sophomore did not disappoint, as he scattered just five hits over 6.1 innings, while striking out seven, as the Titans defeated the Broad Run Spartans, 6-1.
[adrotate banner=”19″]Dominion senior Matt Roth got the scoring started for the Titans in the bottom of the first inning, as he caught Broad Run off guard with a perfectly executed safety squeeze to make the score 1-0.
Broad Run junior starter Anthony Puma was able to escape further trouble as the Titans threatened, but did not score in the second or third innings.
The Spartans got their first real chance in the fourth when juniors Luke Lindenfelder and Ryan Gorey reached base on a single and a walk, respectively. Puma then sacrificed both over and Broad Run looked to be in business.
Canestraro had other ideas, however, as he struck out the next two Spartans, both looking at nasty curveballs.
It looked like Puma would also be able to avoid trouble in the bottom of the fourth, as he retired the first two hitters, but a slow roller was misplayed and after a couple of clutch two-out hits, the Titans ran their lead to 3-0.
Despite Broad Run putting a run on the board in the sixth, the Titans were able to put things out of reach in the bottom half of the inning by way of a leadoff walk, Roth double and Canestraro sacrifice fly.
The young Spartans (0-0, 2-2) begin their Potomac District schedule on April 4 when they take on the defending state champs from Briar Woods High School.
The Titans (0-0, 6-0) remain undefeated and will begin their Dulles District schedule on April 3 when they face the Raiders of Loudoun County High School.
