Euclid Post 343 American Legion Baseball Team  AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL           2004 Team picture here         [Euclid High School Summer Team - Pathers]

Sunday July 11, 2004 Euclid Post 343 beats Jefferson Post to win our Region Series -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------State American Legion Tournament

*************From  http://www.mariettatimes.com/sports/

• Monday 8/2/04 9:30 a.m Euclid Post 343 (20-7) vs. Grove City Post 164 (31-12) at Dalton Field.  A first-round game between Grove City and Euclid ended on a disheartening note for Post 343. With the score tied at 15-15, Grove City's Trevor Andrews led off the bottom of the 13th inning with a walk. Andrews stole second and third, and scored on a two-out single by Warren Wright.

*************From http://www.angelfire.com/comics/palkofamily/

• Tuesday 8/3/04 9:00 PM: Euclid Post 343 defeated Piqua 3-2 in 10 innings. Pat Pavicic, Ben Perpar, and Nick Mavar combined on the mound. Jim Palko played first base and went 2-4. Mike Palko played third base and went 3-4.
• Wednesday 8/4/04 8:00 PM: Euclid Post 343 lost to Lima 9-3. Mike Ross started and gave up 2 dingers. Jim Palko threw 3 2/3 innings of relief giving up 2 runs. He also went 3 for 4. Mike Palko played third base and went 0-3. Euclid ends the season at 18-9.
• This is the first Euclid team to get to the state tournament since 1987. It is also the first Legion team from this district to win a game in the tournament since 1987. I hope the accomplishments of this group of young men isnt lost in the disappointment of losing yesterday.
• Congratulations go to Ben Perpar, Ryan Renbarger, Mike Ross, Tim Krofcheck, Jim Martin, Matt Desico, D. J. Grida, Nick Mandic, Doug Burkhart, Mike Palko, Matt Scaparotti, Jim Palko, John Novak, Patrick Pavicic, and Nick Mavar. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Continental Amateur Baseball Association - High School World Series                                                     July 17th - July 27th, 2004 at Euclid Memorial Park #1

*************From http://www.angelfire.com/comics/palkofamily/

Wednesday 7/21/04 9:00 PM: Euclid had an unusually early exit from the CABA High School World Series this year.

Day 1

• Columbus Big Kats 7 Euclid 2. Euclid pitcher Jim Palko doesnt give up a hit after the third inning. Unfortunately neither did Columbus.
• Brooklyn 8 Euclid 2. Brooklyn starter flew in from Texas for game. Throws 93 mph.

Day 2

• Euclid 13 Cincinnati Panel Barn 3. Euclid breaks out against team that made 6 errors.
• Puerto Rico 10 Euclid 2. Doug Burkhart gave up 4 runs through 4th inning, but Nick Mavar didnt retire a batter in the 5th.

Day 3

• Schnectant 12 Euclid 4. Euclid Starter Mike Palko gives up 10 runs....only 3 earned as Euclid defense makes 7 errors. Mike threw well striking out 5 in first pitching appearance in 6 weeks. 
• Willoughby Eagles 6 Euclid 5 10 innings. Not to be this year.

Euclid now goes to the legion state championship tourney in Athens, Ohio starting August 2. This is the first time a Euclid team has gone to the state tourney since around 1978.

*************The Star Beacon     Article Publication Date: 7/12/2004

Euclid edges Jefferson for District 1 crown

By BOB ETTINGER  For the Star Beacon

JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP — Though the breaks always seem to even themselves out, the game of baseball still isn’t fair. If it were, the Jefferson American Legion Post 152 baseball team would have played at least one more game in the American Legion District 9 tournament.

Sunday, the breaks went the other way as Euclid American Legion Post 343 claimed the district title Sunday at the Havens Complex with a 3-1 win over Post 152.

“It’s amazing,” Euclid coach Dwayne D’Amico said. “1982 was the last time we were district champs and it’s been a long time coming. It was kinda iffy there for a while in today’s game, but it turned out well.”

“The breaks favored them today,” Jefferson coach Jim Baker said. “Usually over the course of a nine-inning game the breaks even out. Today it seemed that the bounces and breaks went their way. The great thing about baseball is that there’s always another game. You’re disappointed, but it’s not the end of the world by any means.”

Euclid (18-7) will open play August 2 at the 2004 American Legion State Tournament on the Ohio University campus in Athens.

Ben Perpar claimed the complete game win for Euclid. “He did a heckuva job today,” D’Amico said. “Of all the pitchers he has the lowest pitch count and he did his job by putting the ball in play and letting the defense do the work.”  Perpar allowed just four hits and struck out three.  “It feels good,” Perpar said. “I still don’t even believe it. My curveball was working, they hit that for ground balls all game. The defense did an amazing job.”

Robbie Read took tough-luck loss on the mound, allowing throwing a complete game, one-hitter. He struck out seven. “You hate to waste a pitching effort like Robbie gave,” Baker said. “That’s the furthest he’s pitched into a game all year. He’s been our most consistent pitcher all year. He’s pitched some hard-luck games this year. This one is tough to swallow. Give up one hit and find yourself on the losing end, that’s tough. It really stinks. My curveball was pretty nasty and my changeup was working nicely. It’s nice to pitch that well in the district championship.”

“Incredible, isn’t it ” D’Amico said. “Baseball is a funny game.”

Euclid took advantage of five Post 152 errors to score three runs in the top of the fifth. “We put the ball in play and made them make mistakes,” D’Amico said. “One inning and that was the difference in the ball game,” Baker said. “They definitely outplayed us defensively.”

Aaron Bowman led Post 152 (20-14-2) with a double and single.  Matt Mihoci tripled and scored the Jefferson run and Andy Lipps singled. “We hit the ball well,” Baker said. “That’s part of the game. We just couldn’t catch a break in that department. They made the plays.”

Mike Ross had the lone Euclid hit, a fourth-inning single through the hole on the left side.

Ettinger is a freelance writer from Ashtabula.