Kirk Janoch's two-run single in the bottom of the seventh gave Aurora a 10-9 victory over Ravenna in a nonleague baseball game in which the teams combined for 25 hits. Jake Czerwinski's home run and double helped secure the win for Luke Calcei, who allowed three runs on six hits with three strikeouts in 61/3 innings.

Kirk Janoch's two-run single in the bottom of the seventh gave Aurora a 10-9 victory over Ravenna in a nonleague baseball game in which the teams combined for 25 hits.

Jake Czerwinski's home run and double helped secure the win for Luke Calcei, who allowed three runs on six hits with three strikeouts in 61/3 innings.

Brecksville-Broadview Heights 3, North Olmsted 0: The Bees, ranked fourth in the Division I state poll, scored two third-inning runs and added another in the sixth to remain the Southwestern Conference leaders. Colton Carney's two-run double was part of a 2 for 3 day for the junior outfielder.

Twinsburg 5, Brunswick 4: Three Tigers runs in the bottom of the seventh inning sparked by Cooper Rea's double keyed the Northeast Ohio Conference upset over Brunswick, ranked 20th in the Division I state poll.

Gilmour Academy 8, Benedictine 7: A run in the top of the sixth inning sealed the nonleague victory for the Lancers. Joe Regalbuto's 3-for-4 effort included a double and three RBI.

Midview 7, Lorain 4: Steve Frye had a career day with a single, double, home run, three runs scored and five RBI as the visiting Middies won the nonleague game.

Woodridge 11, Streetsboro 2: The Bulldogs' Tommy Finegan had two doubles, a triple, two runs and four RBI in the Portage Trail Conference crossover-game rout.

Midpark 5, Olmsted Falls 3: Two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning helped the Meteors win the SWC game. Kyle Slovick and Steven Peterson combined for four of Midpark's eight hits.

Eastlake North 6, Willoughby South 0: Jay Milo pitched a three-hitter with five strikeouts and two walks as the Rangers blanked their archrival in a Premier Athletic Conference game. AJ Strnad went 2-for-2 and scored twice for North.

Softball

North Ridgeville 7, Avon 4: The Rangers boosted their West Shore Conference lead to 11/2 games despite being outhit, 13-12, and committing two errors. Marissa Caraballo's single, triple, stolen base and run scored lifted North Ridgeville.

Brecksville-Broadview Heights 5, Amherst 2: The Bees, ranked eighth in the Division I state poll, benefited from five Amherst errors to remain atop the Southwestern Conference with seventh-ranked Avon Lake. Bailey Frederick struck out seven in going the distance. Catcher Mary Schentur went 2-for-4 with three RBI and scored a run.

Stow 3, Mentor 1: Stow pulled a Northeast Ohio Conference River Division upset to drop the Cardinals into a first-place tie as Chrissie Vaughn tripled, drove in a run and scored a run.

Lutheran West 10, Oberlin 0: Emily Mystic pitched a three-hitter, struck out three and walked one in the Patriot Athletic Conference Stripes Division shutout. She also singled and homered.

Euclid 8, Bedford 7: The Panthers won the eight-inning Lake Erie League game on Emily Elkins' bunt single that scored Macey Szalay for the winning run. Caroline Stewart had a single, double, RBI and a run scored for Euclid.

Hathaway Brown 4, Orange 1: Logan Paul stymied Orange on two hits and 13 strikeouts as the Blazers continued their stellar season. Maggie Philbin paced the offense with three hits, including a home run, a run scored and an RBI.

Cleveland Heights 4, Valley Forge 2: Audrey Harris' two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning broke a 2-2 tie, and the Tigers' Alexa Sollisch struck out the side in the bottom of the frame to preserve the nonleague victory.

St. Vincent-St. Mary 6, Archbishop Hoban 3 (8 innings): The Fighting Irish's Nicole Paolucci went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and the game-clinching RBI in a nonleague win over their neighborhood rivals.

Willoughby South 6, Eastlake North 1: The Rebels scored all their runs in the bottom of the third inning as their neighborhood rivals committed four errors in South's Premier Athletic Conference victory. Mackenzie Burk, Vic Scott and Kim Russ combined for six of South's nine hits. Winning pitcher Jessica Bradshaw allowed three hits and a walk while striking out seven.

Independence 7, Parma 1: Ciara Gorman went 3-for-4, including a double in the fourth inning that hit the top of the center-field fence, and drove in two runs to lead the Blue Devils to the nonleague triumph.

Boys tennis

Lake Erie League Tournament: Cleveland Heights won three of a possible five titles for 13 points and the team crown. Tigers earning individual championships were Bryan Kent at second singles, Miles Hawkins at third singles and the second doubles team of Trevor Coble and Garth Bennett.

North Olmsted 3, North Royalton 2: David Brunner clinched the nonleague match for the Eagles with a two-set win at second singles.

Norton 3, Canton Central Catholic 2: Kyle May and Brandon Caynor's three-set win at first doubles helped the Panthers pull out the nonleague win.

Solon 3, Massillon Jackson 2: The Comets won at third singles with Nam Lee and at both doubles to win the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association Tournament match. Coming up big were Dillon O'Brien and David Shankman at first doubles and Rushil Shah and Anthony Rizkala at second doubles.

Highlights include Indians' home game against the Twins, the Kentucky Derby, New York at Columbus Crew soccer and NHL and NBA playoffs.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV and radio sports listings

AUTO RACING

Noon Aaron's 499 qualifying, Speed Channel

3 p.m. Aaron's 312, ESPN

6 p.m. Southern Nationals qualifying (tape), ESPN2

1 a.m. (Sun.) Sao Paulo Indy 300 qualifying (tape), NBCSN

BASEBALL

1:05 p.m. Minnesota at CLEVELAND INDIANS, SportsTime Ohio; AM/1100; FM/100.7

3:30 p.m. Baltimore at L.A. Angels, WJW

6:05 p.m. Bowie at AKRON AEROS, AM/1350

7 p.m. Chicago White Sox at Kansas City, WGN

7:30 p.m. LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS at Burlington, AM/1330

9 p.m. L.A. Dodgers at San Francisco, MLB Network

COLLEGE BASEBALL

1 p.m. Florida at LSU, ESPN2

7 p.m. Indiana at Nebraska, Big Ten Network

COLLEGE SOFTBALL

1 p.m. Northwestern at Michigan, Big Ten Network

2 p.m. Norfolk State vs. Hampton, ESPNU

3:30 p.m. Indiana at Minnesota, Big Ten Network

4 p.m. Louisville vs. Notre Dame (doubleheader), ESPNU

7:30 p.m. Tennessee at Missouri, ESPN

GOLF

9 a.m. China Open (tape), Golf Channel

1 p.m. Wells Fargo Championship, Golf Channel

3 p.m. Kingsmill Championship, Golf Channel

3 p.m. Wells Fargo Championship, WOIO

7:30 p.m. Insperity Championship (tape), Golf Channel

HOCKEY

5 a.m. IIHF World Championship, U.S. vs. Austria, NBCSN

HORSE RACING

11 a.m. Races in Louisville, Ky., NBCSN

4 p.m. Kentucky Derby, WKYC

MAJOR LEAGUE LACROSSE

7 p.m. Hamilton at Boston, TWCS

MEN'S COLLEGE LACROSSE

10 a.m. America East final, ESPNU

4 p.m. ECAC final, Fox Sports Ohio

MEN'S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL

9 p.m. NCAA championship, ESPNU

MOTORSPORTS

9:30 p.m. Supercross, Speed Channel

NBA FIRST-ROUND PLAYOFFS

8 p.m. Game 7, Chicago at Brooklyn, TNT

NHL

12:30 p.m. Game 2, N.Y. Rangers at Washington, WKYC

7 p.m. Game 2, Toronto at Boston, CNBC

7:30 p.m. Game 3, Anaheim at Detroit, NBCSN

10 p.m. Game 3, St. Louis at Los Angeles, NBCSN

SOCCER

4 p.m. MLS, New York at COLUMBUS CREW, NBCSN

Drew Stubbs' fourth hit of the night drives in Mike Aviles to give the Indians a fifth-straight win.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --Drew Stubbs is eager to show he is more than just a superior defender with speed. Performances such Friday night's at Progressive Field help make his case.

Stubbs' fourth hit, a double to left-center field with one out in the 10th inning, drove in Mike Aviles from second base to give the Indians a 7-6 victory over Minnesota. Paid attendance of 20,200 watched the Tribe register its second walk-off victory this season.

The Indians (13-13) have won five in a row for the first time since a seven-game streak, April 26 to May 3, 2011. The Twins (12-13) had won 12 of their previous 15 meetings.

The Indians made it look easy in their previous four games, winning by scores of 10-3, 9-0, 14-2 and 6-0. Friday night required considerably more scrap and grit. The Indians have crafted their streak despite missing high-profile, free-agent acquisitions Michael Bourn (all five games) and Nick Swisher (three) because of injuries.

"As things like that happen, I think teams begin to get an identity and a personality," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "It's not necessarily good that guys are out, but it's good that everybody is helping win and everybody feels part of it. I think that's a good way to get your identity and get things moving in the right direction."

• Twins-Indians boxscore | Scoreboard | Standings

Minnesota put runners on first and second with two outs in the 10th against Tribe closer Chris Perez (1-0, 1.00 ERA). Wilkin Ramirez, pinch hitting for Pedro Florimon, popped out to right.

Aviles led off the Tribe half by punching a single to right off right-hander Casey Fien. Ezequiel Carrera moved Aviles to second with a sacrifice bunt. Carrera was pinch hitting for Perez; the Indians lost the designated hitter in the ninth.

"We were OK to do that," Francona said of no DH. "We could play a National League style of game for whatever innings because we had guys on the bench. It wasn't as big as maybe it looked."

Stubbs stepped in and delivered his third career walk-off hit. The previous two were homers.

Stubbs, who batted ninth and played center field, went 4-for-5 with three doubles. According to Baseball-Reference.com, Stubbs became the second Indian since at least 1916 to notch four hits and three doubles from the ninth spot in the batting order since pitcher George "The Bull" Uhle on June 1, 1923, at Detroit.

Stubbs is the first MLB player with four hits and three doubles from the ninth spot since Arizona right-hander Micah Owings on Sept. 27, 2007, at Pittsburgh.

"On days when he's not hitting, especially when he's playing center field, he can change the game with his legs," Francona said. "When he starts swinging the bat like that . . . now it gets exciting."

Stubbs batted .213 in 136 games for the Reds last season. He is hitting .284 in 25 games this year.

"I believe in myself as a player," he said. "I think for anybody who steps out there, that's a must. That's a necessity. You go through tough times sometimes, and you learn a lot of things about yourself. The season is still very young. We have a long way to go. Just being able to come out and contribute to wins, that's very rewarding."

The Tribe scored twice in the fifth to pull ahead, 4-2. Michael Brantley led off with a single and eventually scored on Mark Reynolds' mammoth blast to left center off lefty starter Pedro Hernandez. Reynolds' ninth homer came on a 1-2 pitch with two outs.

Minnesota scored once in the sixth. The Indians re-created the two-run cushion in their half when Jason Kipnis dropped a two-out bunt near the third-base line that drove in Yan Gomes from third. Kipnis bunted on his own against lefty Brian Duensing.

Given Tribe righty Justin Masterson's low pitch count and the fact he had pitched well in the previous three innings, Francona opted to stay with him to begin the seventh.

With two outs, Justin Morneau singled and advanced to second on a passed ball by Gomes. Ryan Doumit beat the shift with an RBI single through the shortstop hole. Francona signaled for righty Chad Allen to face lefty Chris Parmelee. On a 2-2 curveball, Parmelee kept his hands back long enough to flip the ball over the right-field wall for a 6-5 lead.

If Francona had gone with lefty Rich Hill, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire almost certainly would have countered with pinch hitter Josh Willingham.

The Indians tied it in the eighth against right-hander Jared Burton. Aviles singled and advanced to third on Stubbs' one-out, bloop double to right. Burton fell behind Brantley and intentionally walked him. Kipnis grounded to second baseman Brian Dozier, who only was able to get the out at first as Aviles scored. Asdrubal Cabrera then popped out.

Masterson allowed five runs on eight hits in 6 innings. He walked two and struck out five. He threw 60 of 97 pitches for strikes.

Masterson, dominant in his first three starts, has wobbled in three of his past four.

Minnesota's pitching staff cooled off Ryan Raburn, who went 0-for-5. Raburn entered 12 for his previous 14, with four homers and nine RBI. He had singled in his final at-bat Sunday night, then went 4-for-4 with two homers Monday, 3-for-4 with two homers Tuesday and 4-for-5 on Wednesday. He was the fourth player since 1939 with at least 11 hits and four homers in a three-game span.

First-pitch weather was 76 degrees and sunny. About the same time in Minneapolis, it was 36 degrees with a mix of wintry precipitation nearby.

Score one for the schedule-makers.

Since the Indians last won a World Series in 1948, they've had 27 managers and only three have guided a team to a World Series. One, Charlie Manuel, was in town last week with his Phillies.

View full sizeWith the Phillies struggling a bit at the start of the 2013 season and his future job status in doubt, Charlie Manuel was asked what he would do if was fired. "I'll probably go somewhere and teach somebody how to hit," he answered.Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's been 65 years since the boy manager, Lou Boudreau, led the Indians to a World Series championship in 1948. There have been 27 managers since and only three have guided a team to a Series title.

Terry Francona, the Indians' current manager, won two with Boston in 2004 and 2007. Alvin Dark led the Oakland A's to a title in 1974 after managing the Indians for three-plus years from 1968 until he was fired during the 1971 season.

The third man, Charlie Manuel, visited Progressive Field last week with his Philadelphia Phillies. Manuel managed the Indians from 2000 through the All-Star break in 2002 when he essentially fired himself because first-year GM Mark Shapiro wouldn't guarantee he'd be rehired at the end of the season.

This year, like then, Manuel is a lame-duck manager, but he has a whole lot more weight behind him.

Manuel, the Phillies' winningest manager, led them to a World Series title in 2008 with a victory over Tampa Bay. They returned in 2009, but lost to the Yankees. For a franchise that has been in existence since 1883 but has won only two World Series, that means something.

Still, it might not be enough for Manuel to keep his job. He's 69 and the Phillies are off to their second straight slow start. For a team with a $159 million payroll, that is not a good thing. Ryne Sandberg, rumored to be Manuel's successor, is on his coaching staff.

"I want to manage as long as I can," said Manuel. "I never told nobody I was going to retire. We'll see."

Asked what he would do if he did get fired, Manuel said, "I'll probably go somewhere and teach somebody how to hit."

For a long time that's all anyone thought Manuel could do. He was the Tribe's hitting coach 1988-89 and 1994-99. Deep down, that's probably still Manuel's first love. Think of the great hitters from those Indians teams of the 1990s. Manuel worked with them all.

One year the front office sent him to extended spring training in Winter Haven, Fla., to check out a big-hitting first baseman whose name has been lost in the mists of time. Manuel stumbled upon a bigger hitting first baseman, Jim Thome. The two have been friends ever since.

Thome, 42, went unsigned over the winter. He's hit 612 homers and still thinks he can play. Restless in retirement, Thome recently called Manuel.

"He told me, 'Chuck, do you mind if I come and hang out with you?'" said Manuel. "I told him, 'No, you can come live with me.' I hope he takes me up on it."

Tempestuous Albert Belle was another pupil. One day at Fenway Park, Manuel was throwing batting practice to Belle in the ancient ballpark's cramped batting cage. A Belle line drive went through a hole in the screen and took a layer of skin off the top of Manuel's head.

"He didn't quit hitting. And I didn't stop pitching," said Manuel. "He looked at me and said, 'Are you all right?' I just kept throwing."

Now it is all about managing. Turned out Manuel's good at it, much to the dismay of his detractors from his days with the Indians. They made fun of his Virginia drawl and his unique use of the English language. Manuel just says he's been lucky.

"I've been lucky since I started managing in the minors," he said. "When I was hitting coach in Cleveland for all those years, I was always around great players. I always had great talent. That's what makes a good manager or a good coach.

"I've been very fortunate to be around those kind of players. That's the fun part of it."

Headed into Manuel's hometown, there is a sign that says "Welcome to Buena Vista, Va., home of Charlie Manuel." There's an identical sign headed out of Buena Vista.

"You got one going and coming," he said with a laugh. "It doesn't take too long to get through town. They told me they're going to take them down when I get fired."

If the Phillies start winning, and Manuel's luck holds out, maybe that won't happen just yet.

Three up, three down

Baseball is a game of threes. Three strikes and you're out and three outs in each half of an inning. Here are two more sets of threes to consider from last week in baseball. All stats are through Friday.

Three up

1. Reliever Eddie Mujica, who could never find steady work with the Tribe, is 7-for-7 in save situations for the Cardinals.

2. Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco's Kung Fu Panda, has 12 hits in his last 26 at-bats (.462).

3. Boston's David Ortiz has 15 RBI in 11 games since coming off the disabled list.

Three down

1. White Sox's righty Gavin Floyd has a tear in his right flexor tendon, but Hector Santiago is filling in and John Danks could be back soon.

2. Arizona's bullpen leads the big leagues with 10 blown saves, four by J.J. Putz and three by David Hernandez.

3. The opposition is hitting .362 with a .528 slugging percentage against Minnesota's Vance Worley.

Stat-o-matic

My favorite month: Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon is a perfect 55-for-55 in April save opportunities in his career.

Pronk breakdown: Travis Hafner finished April hitting .318 (21-for-66) with seven homers, 17 RBI and an .849 OPS for the Yankees. Last April he hit .290 (18-for-61) with two homers, 10 RBI and an .909 OPS with the Indians.

Ks aplenty: Pittsburgh's A.J. Burnett led the NL with 48 strikeouts in April. He's the first Pirate to do that, according to Elias Sports Bureau, since Bob Friend in 1956.

Gilkey does not repress bad memories, but shares them, sometimes in startling detail.

BEREA, Ohio -- When Garrett Gilkey places his hand in the dirt and gazes across the line of scrimmage, he doesn’t picture the faces of the tormentors who reduced him to tears during his freshman year in high school.

The Browns' seventh-round draft pick doesn’t conjure images of tumult -- the bullying, the taunts, the pranks he says he endured -- to motivate him at the snap of the ball. The offensive lineman concedes, however, the experiences in the school hallways and streets of a rural Illinois town nine years ago benefit him in one capacity when he buckles his chinstrap.

“The person across the line wants to put me on my back and I’m not going to let him do it,” Gilkey said in a post-draft phone interview. “I don’t bring back those old feelings from my freshman year when I’m in practice or in a game. It’s more of an overall mentality: I’m not going to let someone get the better of me; I’m not going to be beaten down and defeated and humiliated the way I was back then.”

Some anti-bullying experts say the shame lingers long after the harassment ends. The skinny freckle-faced underclassmen who grew into a 6-6, 318-pound NFL prospect is becoming an advocate for students who fear what the next school day might bring.

Gilkey does not repress his memories. He shares them, sometimes in startling detail. He speaks of being booed during a 2005 school assembly after his name was announced, a reaction that sent him running to the restroom, his eyes welling with tears.

At the NFL Scouting Combine in late February, the converted tackle from Division II Chadron State in Nebraska sat patiently and answered questions about the most traumatic time in his life. In recent weeks, the hulking man with the flowing red mane has addressed church groups and schools. He hopes to do the same in Cleveland.

“It’s about building relationships with people and tearing down barriers,” he said. “Whether it’s dealing with bullies or drug problems or problems in the home, it’s about having perseverance. Things will happen in our lives that will be really hard. What’s important is having faith and trying to persevere through them.”

Anti-bullying campaigns have gained momentum in the post-Columbine era. Paulie Velotta, a Mentor-based trainer for a national prevention program, said one in every six students report being bullied. She also cited a 2010 statistic that roughly 160,000 kids miss school each day over such concerns.

She said schools need to develop comprehensive programs, and that speakers like Gilkey offer an excellent supplement.

“Absolutely, kids look up to figures such as pro athletes, entertainers, politicians, anyone in the limelight,” said Velotta, a national trainer for the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program who also works at Crossroads, a behavioral health agency. “They want someone who is a positive role model. He’s someone who can connect with kids because he shares their back story.”

A late-round pick making the jump from a small school faces long odds of making an NFL roster. But Gilkey’s shell has been hardened by adversity and detractors. He can’t wait for the start of Browns rookie minicamp on Friday.

Troubled times

View full sizeGarrett Gilkey impressed scouts at the Senior Bowl, showing the ability to battle players from much larger programs. "He's certainly has the size and good feet," says Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage, a former Browns GM. "Can he adjust to playing (guard) at that level? The potential is there."G.M. Andrews, Associated Press 

Escaping the suburban sprawl of Chicago, Catherine and Cary Gilkey moved their four children a decade ago to Sandwich, a small town about 60 miles southwest of Chicago, where they bought a large home with swimming pool.

Their only son played middle school football for two years and seemed to be adjusting to new environs. But in the summer prior to his freshman year, Gilkey experienced a rapid heart beat, diagnosed as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. He underwent surgery and was instructed to take it easy through the fall.

Doctors orders came with unintended consequences, however. Players from the high school football team began to ostracize Gilkey, he said, because he hadn’t sacrificed alongside them during the grueling practices. He filled his free time with other extra-curricular activities, but soon found himself targeted in the halls and classrooms.

Catherine told her 5-7, 170-pound son to use his intellect and big vocabulary rather than his fists to resolve disputes. But a freshman talking back to upperclassmen did not endear him to his schoolmates. Unable to participate in gym class due to his heart condition, Gilkey worked as an office aide and became the first person a student encountered on his way to a meeting with a principal.

“I became the face of discipline,” Gilkey said. “You make enemies that way.”

Hilary Gilkey, 25, a junior during the 2004-05 school year, said she witnessed some of the harassment her brother endured. Sometimes, she intervened, telling the agitators to “cut it out, that’s my brother.” Mostly, she felt helpless.

“He came home from school hurt and that pain affected all of us,” Hilary said. “He became introverted and tried to brush it off.”

Gilkey said he never harbored thoughts of suicide or exacting violent revenge, but each day brought challenges. He recalls being punched and shoved into lockers. A fellow student urinated in his baseball glove. While his parents alerted administrators, some of the actions took place off school grounds.

Walking home from school one day a group of kids summoned Gilkey and asked to examine his dental work – a brace had been inserted into the roof of his mouth to expand its width. As he tilted his head, one boy inserted a condom, Gilkey said.

“There was an unbelievable amount of hatred that people had for him at the school,” former classmate Matt Cervantes told ESPN.com. “Sometimes, he would talk trash, and they would get on him so bad.”

Cervantes declined an interview with The Plain Dealer due to the backlash over his ESPN remarks. The superintendent for the Sandwich school district did not return a call from the newspaper. Neither did a middle school counselor who Gilkey said has supported him through the years.

In the ESPN article, which generated more than a 1,000 online responses, several anonymous commentors who said they attended Sandwich at the same time as Gilkey bashed him and claimed the story was one-sided.

“Really, I like to tell people that I was just the little redheaded, gingery, skinny-looking (kid),” Gilkey told reporters at the combine. “I was pear-shaped. I had these wide hips and this skinny-looking upper body. I was just a prime target for many of the cruel kids in Sandwich.”

The low points of the 2004-05 school year for Hilary were hearing her brother booed at two school assemblies.

“That’s something I will never forget,” said Hilary, now a teacher’s assistant at a school in Aurora, Ill. “It was horrible and it was hard seeing people you knew, people that were in your class, be among those who booed. It was a very strange situation. I don’t remember any staff members intervening or trying to step up.”

View full sizeGarrett Gilkey with his pastor, Charlie Grenade, whom he credits for helping him deal with the bullying issues of his youth and the temptation of steroids as a potential NFL prospect. "We tried to encourage him not to let his value get wrapped up (just in football)," Grenade said.Gilkey family photo 

Change of scenery, fortune

As Hilary completed her final year at Sandwich, her brother enrolled at Aurora Christian, a private school more than 20 miles from home. Gilkey immediately began to make friends and played for the football team coached by former NFL receiver Don Beebe. Although his social life improved, Gilkey considered quitting the team during his sophomore year.

“He was not very coordinated at first,” said Dave Beebe, an assistant coach and brother of Don. “His body was growing faster than his joints. ... You could tell he had a troubled past. We could see there was some baggage and scars, and that was OK.

“We wanted him to feel accepted and know it was OK to make mistakes. You try to get kids to see things they do not see in themselves.”

Gilkey’s confidence sprouted as his body developed. He shot up to 6-6, 250 pounds by his senior season, shedding his pear-shape husk.

With no Division I college offers, he took the advice of Don Beebe, who pointed him to his alma mater, Chadron State. He thrived under the tutelage of coach Bill O’Boyle and local pastor Charlie Grenade. He spent his final two years in Nebraska living with the pastor and his wife, studying scripture and learning how to resist temptation.

Gilkey credits Grenade for helping him steer clear of steroids, an option he considered as an NFL career became a possibility, and for maintaining a positive outlook after an appendectomy cost him two games his junior season.

“He thought (the appendectomy) was his second strike against him,” Grenade said. “We tried to encourage him not to let his value get wrapped up (just in football).”

NFL scouts found their way to remote the campus in northwest Nebraska and watched as the tackle dominated his low-level competition. He played well enough to earn invitations to the Senior Bowl and combine.

Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage likes Gilkey, but sees him as a developmental player.

“He’s certainly has the size and good feet,” said Savage, a former Browns general manager. “He’s a bit of a waist bender and he’s got to learn to get his head and weight back. The question is can he adjust to playing (guard) at that level? The potential is there.”

Giving voice to those lacking it

The Gilkeys and friends gathered last Saturday at the family home in Sandwich, a place wrought with anxiety nine years earlier. A different kind of tension filled the house last week, a joyous suspense as the draft’s later rounds unfurled. When the Browns called and he became the 227th pick, he played a joke on those gathered.

With cellphone to ear, he pantomimed to friends and family the call wasn’t about the draft. Then, he hung up and told everyone he was a Cleveland Brown.

The room erupted. Hilary said the prank was the type of goofiness she remembered from her brother before his freshman year in high school.

Gilkey said he still sees some of his tormentors around town. He bears no grudges, he says, and refuses to divulge names.

While Ohio has enacted anti-bullying legislation for schools, Gilkey’s home state fell several votes shy a year ago.

“It’s a very real thing that people experience,” he said. “There are those who still believe that this happens to only ‘soft kids’ and it all can be fixed by ‘toughening them up.’”

Baltimore Ravens halfback Ray Rice is one of several current and former NFL players to advocate on behalf of bullied children. Gilkey hopes to join the ranks. He wants to engage bystanders, the ones who witness bullying, “the people who can give a voice to those who don’t have one.” Students who see it need to either intervene, he said, or alert school officials.

Gilkey plans to become a youth minister after his playing days end. When he speaks to groups, his size always becomes a talking point.

“People want to know ‘How did this giant man get bullied?’” he said. “I think it makes the story more beautiful, and it helps eliminates some of the stigmas. It’s OK for big, tough linemen to share their experiences. We’re people. We all have emotions.”

Garrett Gilkey is not afraid to show his vulnerable side. Right up to the moment he buckles the chinstrap.

"Once the season starts, it's time for me to concentrate on baseball," said Brantley before Saturday's game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Seen and heard before Saturday's second game of the Indians-Twins series.

Clubhouse confidential: Michael Brantley says he hasn't heard anything about contract negotiations with the Indians, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're not going on.

"Once the season starts, it's time for me to concentrate on baseball," said Brantley before Saturday's game. "I don't need distractions like that. If my agents have anything going on, they'll get in touch with me."

In spring training the Indians discussed multiyear deals with Jason Kipnis and Brantley. Kipnis said his negotiations ended as soon as the regular season started. Brantley will be eligible for salary arbitration at the end of this season.

Streaking: The Indians normally wear their cream-colored uniforms on the weekends when they play at home, but they stayed with their blue tops Friday and Saturday. The reason? You don't mess with a winning streak.

The Indians started wearing the blue tops in Kansas City in the second game of a day-night doubleheader on April 28 when the streak began. You can bet they'll be wearing blue on Sunday.

Stat of the day: Ryan Raburn entered Saturday with the highest two-out slugging percentage in the American League at .870.

Trevor Bauer could be the most talented pitching prospect the Indians have had since CC Sabathia.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's unclear if Trevor Bauer will ever completely rewrite 10 years of neuromuscular programming in his delivery, as he said he was doing in spring training. But there's one thing that is clear -- he can pitch and win at the big leagues right now.

Bauer could be the most talented pitching prospect the Indians have had since CC Sabathia. If he can throw more strikes and reduce his walks -- he's walked 13 in 10 innings in two spot starts -- he could be a regular in the rotation some time after the All-Star break.

The Indians' offensive awakening over the last week has made the work of the rotation suspect, but Corey Kluber and Ubaldo Jimenez silenced a good Kansas City offense and Zach McAllister and Bauer took care of a veteran-laden Philadelphia lineup. The fact that the rotation won four straight without a contribution from its best pitcher, Justin Masterson, has to be encouraging to manager Terry Francona.

Bauer was sent back to Class AAA Columbus the day after throwing five scoreless innings against the Phillies. He joins Carlos Carrasco, another curious thinker, in the pipeline. Unlike Carrasco, when the next call comes Bauer will not have to serve an eight-game suspension.

On the big-league side, lefty Scott Kazmir remains a mystery and injured Brett Myers could soon start throwing again. Starting pitching is still the Indians' biggest question, but at least the options are increasing.

It's not a surprise that the looming free agent season has captured the attention of Cavaliers fans.

View full sizeSome Cavaliers fans are eager for their team to chase potential free agents such as the Lakers' Dwight Howard. But Mary Schmitt Boyer is skeptical, to say the least.Mark J. Terrill, Associated Press 

Hey, Mary: Do you expect the Cavs to be players in free agency or will they continue to build through the draft? -- Thomas Ryan, Fostoria

Hey, Mary: What free agents could the Cavs go after this off season? -- Rob Brady, Fremont

Hey, Mary: Do you have any idea what free agents the Cavs might go after this off season? Any specific players we want in maybe a trade? There were rumors about Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge and Dwight Howard. -- Eric, Parma

Hey, Mary: Any chance the Cavs make a run at Dwight Howard? Or how about maybe a trade for Kevin Love? -- Larry Persinger, Fulton

Hey, Thomas, Rob, Eric and Larry: I see we all read the same websites.

As always, the Cavs will explore any and all options to improve, including the free-agent market, although they are more likely to build through the draft and trades. The one thing they don't want to do is overpay. They have to inquire about Howard, but there's no way he signs with the Cavs over the Lakers, or maybe the Rockets or Hawks. I don't think Love will be available now that Flip Saunders is replacing David Kahn as president of basketball operations in Minnesota. Saunders reportedly has asked Love to represent the team at the lottery and wants to take him to a playoff game so he can experience the atmosphere for himself. I don't think Love cared for Kahn. I'm also not sure why everybody thinks LaMarcus Aldridge would be available for draft picks or young players. Much like the Cavs, the Blazers have rebuilt and now would like to win.

Hey, Mary: Do you think the Cavaliers have any interest in the following free agents -- Al Jefferson, Chase Budinger, Andre Iguodala (if he opts out), Corey Brewer or Andre Blatche? Also, why do I hear we don't want four rookies on squad next season? Playoff team Golden State has three rookies in their current rotation. You can't build through the draft if you don't use the draft -- especially this year since we own the first and third picks of the second round. -- Craig Hill, Indianapolis

Hey, Craig: Iguodala might be someone who interests them. But, again, they don't want to overpay for a free agent. As for the youngsters, the Cavs already will have two players starting their third season (Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson) and at least two players starting their second (Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller, and possibly Kevin Jones). Adding four more rookies would mean eight or nine players with less than three years of experience, which likely would delay any success a number of years.

In addition to five rookies and a second-year player (Klay Thompson) the Warriors' other nine players have 57 years of experience, including Richard Jefferson with 11. The Cavs have rebuilt enough that they need to start winning some games and that likely means adding some experienced free agents instead of four rookies.

Hey, Mary: How do you feel about trading our two second rounders in 2013 and a No. 1 in 2014 for a proven player like Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge? What are the chances the Cavs go after Mickael Pietrus, a great defender who can shoot the three and will teach leadership, or Kyle Korver, a great 3-point threat off the bench? You can never have enough shooters. -- Darryl Holmes, Houston

Hey, Darryl: I do think the Cavs will be looking to package some picks in an effort to move up in the draft (depending on where they land in the lottery) or make a trade. But I'm not sure why everyone thinks the Blazers would be willing to part with Aldridge for a bunch of youngsters. I like Pietrus and Korver, but I think Korver, in particular, will attract a lot of offers worth more than what the Cavs would be willing to offer. The Cavs have money to spend, but they want to be disciplined about it.

Hey, Mary: Any word on who Mike Brown is considering hiring as his assistant coaches and if there is an offensive philosophy he prefers other than four players standing around and watching LeBron James or Kyrie Irving? -- Joe Mcglynn, Willoughby

Hey, Mary: Has Mike Brown started to assemble his coaching staff yet? -- Kevin McCarty, Akron

Hey, Joe and Kevin: I think Brown is just starting to put together his wish list. John Kuester, who was one of his assistants in Cleveland and Los Angeles, is the only name that has been mentioned, but it's not clear if he's interested. Some other candidates may be on teams that are still playing, which could delay things. Brown's offense certainly was not as good as his defense, but when James broke off plays to go one-on-one, that wasn't Brown's fault.

Hey, Mary: How are Dion Waiter's knee issues? Will he be getting surgery over the summer? -- Giovanni Giacomo, East Cleveland

Hey, Giovanni: Waiters was able to play at the end of the season and no surgery is scheduled at this point.

Hey, Mary: Dion Waiters had an up and down rookie season. What can fans realistically expect in year two? -- J.B., Columbus

Hey, J.B.: Waiters' rookie season was not atypical, so fans can expect improvements on offense and defense. He did improve his shot selection as the season went on and made better decisions about driving to the basket instead of settling for long jump shots.

Hey, Mary: Do you think Mike Brown can get Kyrie Irving to play any more defense than Byron Scott could? -- Steve McGuire, Cambridge

Hey, Steve: The Cavs are confident that the entire team will play better defense under Brown, and that includes Irving, who knows it must improve if the Cavs are to improve. If he buys in the way LeBron James did, the Cavs will be vastly improved.

Hey, Mary: Kansas center Jeff Withey could be available at No. 19 for the Cavs. Terrific defender, needs offensive skills. Another Andy? -- Pete Wolff, Melbourne Beach, Fla.

Hey, Pete: I don't see that, sorry. I don't think Cavs have reached any decisions on their draft picks yet, though.

Hey, Mary: In the Mike Brown 2.0 era, he has already referred Andy to Big Z. Do you think the Cavs take his player option next summer and then sign him to a lower long-term deal or is the front office and/or fans growing tired of "Wild Thing" and his injuries? -- Joe Alberts, Mentor

Hey, Joe: The Cavs are behind Varejao 100 percent. They want to see him completely healthy and back on the court as soon as possible.

Hey, Mary: I have liked the last two drafts. In retrospect, do you think the Cavs would have changed anything if they could redraft? -- Josh Crites, Seattle

Hey, Josh: I don't think the Cavs would do anything differently in either draft. In fact, it's possible Tristan Thompson wouldn't still be there at No. 4 if the 2011 draft was held today.

Hey, Mary: Are the Cavs still interested in Greg Oden? -- Ryan Price, Ironton

Hey, Ryan: I do think they're still interested, but not at any price. It remains to be seen if the sides can reach an agreement, even though Oden has indicated he'd like to play in Cleveland.

Hey, Mary: Is it realistic to think that the Cavs could acquire an additional first-round pick for their two second-round selections (picks 31 and 33) from a franchise like Boston (pick 16), Chicago (20), Brooklyn (22) or New York (24), who might be looking for a little relief from the NBA luxury tax, instead of adding another guaranteed contract from the first round? -- Bob Gainer, Akron

Hey, Bob: I think anything's possible, and the Cavs do love to acquire assets. If they're able to do so, I think they'd use the picks to try to move up higher in the draft or make a trade, as you suggest, rather than make three picks.

Storming from back in the pack, Orb was the clear winner on a muddy track.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Orb splashed through the slop to win the Kentucky Derby, coming from way back in the pack and giving Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey his first victory in the 3-year-old classic.

When the field turned for home on the cool, overcast Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs, Normandy Invasion grabbed the lead while Orb was gearing up. But in the deep stretch, Orb prevailed, carrying Joel Rosario to his first Derby win.

Long shot Golden Soul was second with Revolutionary third. Normandy Invasion faded to fourth.

"I was really far back," Rosario said. "I said hopefully he can go faster than that. I was saying maybe I was too far back, but it was so easy."

Orb, the 5-1 favorite, ran the 11/4 miles in 2:02.89. Orb paid $12.80, $7.40 and $5.40. Golden Soul returned $38.60 and $19.40 while Revolutionary paid $5.40 to show.

McGaughey said the victory meant everything to him.

"I'm thrilled to death for [the owners], thrilled to death for the people who put so much time into this horse, and, of course, I'm thrilled to death for me," he said.

Todd Pletcher had a record-tying five runners. Revolutionary was the best of the "Todd Squad," followed by Charming Kitten (ninth), Overanalyze (11th), Palace Malice (12th) and Verrazano (14th).

Goldencents, owned in part by Rick Pitino, coach of Louisville's national basketball champions, finished a 17th. His jockey, Kevin Krigger, was trying to become the first black rider to win the race since 1902.

Rosie Napravnik was also bidding to make history as the first woman jockey to win the world's biggest horse race. She finished fifth aboard Mylute, the highest finish by a female rider.

D. Wayne Lukas, who won the Derby four times and would have been the oldest trainer to saddle a winner, sent out two runners. Oxbow, with three-time Derby winning jockey Gary Stevens aboard, finished sixth. Will Take Charge was eighth.

Lines of Battle from Ireland finished seventh, denying European champion trainer Aidan O'Brien the international victory.

Vinnie Pestano, part of the strongest part of the Indians' bullpen, could be headed for the disabled list with a sore right elbow.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Set-up man Vinnie Pestano will have a good idea whether he's headed back to the bullpen or the disabled list with a sore right elbow when he comes to Progressive Field on Sunday morning.

Pestano was not available to pitch Friday or Saturday because of what he called a recurring problem that the team has been able to control over the last two years. Just before the Indians drafted him out Cal State Fullerton in 2006, Pestano had Tommy John surgery on his elbow.

"This is completely unrelated to my UCL reconstruction," said Pestano. "It's been something we've been monitoring the past couple of years. It's something that pops up, comes and goes, and we've been able to manage it to a very good degree.

"This is the first time I haven't been able to answer the call. It's not fun having people cover my innings for me. I want to be out there."

After not pitching in Friday's 7-6 victory in 10 innings, Pestano on Saturday played long toss and threw 15 pitches off the mound.

"I'll see how my arm responds to that and go from there over the next couple of days," he said. "If the bullpen isn't handcuffed, and they can spot me another couple of days, and I respond well, I could go back to pitching.

"If a decision has to be made, they can always retroactive me to last Monday and I'd be on the disabled list for a week."

Joe Smith, Pestano and closer Chris Perez usually handle the last three innings when the Indians have a lead of three runs or less. Friday night, manager Terry Francona didn't use Smith in the seventh to replace starter Justin Masterson with a 5-4 lead because Pestano wasn't available and he was trying to save Smith for the eighth inning.

Cody Allen relieved Masterson and gave up a two-run homer. But the Indians won, anyway.

"I was trying to save Vinnie," said Francona. "That's why the order was a little different than normal."

Pestano last pitched in the second game of a day-night doubleheader against the Royals on April 28. He walked two and gave up a run in the Tribe's 10-3 blowout win. The next day his elbow did not feel good.

"If this was something unexpected, it would be a big issue," said Pestano. "This is something that I've had in the past. It just happened to flare up a little worse this time than we were prepared for."

Smith, Pestano and Perez haven't been used as much as they were last year through the first 27 games. Perez, for instance, had 11 saves at this time last year. He has three this season.

"I've had stints of four, five and six days off this season," said Pestano. "Doing that and then going out there at 100 percent without regular use ... it just happened to flare up. It wasn't one pitch, it wasn't one thing. ... We're trying to be proactive about it."

Pestano, who made 70 appearances in 2012, has made eight this season and pitched eight innings. At this time last year, he'd made 15 appearances and pitched 13 innings. If he does go on the DL, the Indians could recall lefty Nick Hagadone, who was just sent down to make room for Trevor Bauer.

Testing, testing: Brett Myers tested his sore right elbow for the second straight day by playing long toss.

"I was throwing at about 75 feet both days," said Myers. "I'll take Sunday off and go from there. Hopefully, I'll be back on the mound in a week. That would be the ideal plan for me."

Myers, however, isn't going to do anything rash. "I don't want to re-injure it and have it be a six-week thing," he said.

When Myers isn't rehabbing, he's been playing his guitar in the clubhouse. It's a pastime he's had for 10 years.

"It's something to do to take up the time," he said.

Finally: The April 23 rainout between the Indians and White Sox has been rescheduled as a traditional doubleheader on June 28 at U.S. Cellular Field. The first game will start at 5:10 ET. ... In their six-game winning streak, the Indians have had at least 12 hits in every game.

The aftereffects of the Browns' decisions during draft weekend are the primary theme of this week's mailbag for beat writer Mary Kay Cabot.

View full sizeThe draft weekend decisions of Browns CEO Joe Banner (left, with Rob Chudzinski) continue to dominate this week's mailbag.John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer 

Hey, Mary Kay: Did the Browns trade their third- and fourth-round picks because Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi didn't respect the holdover college scouts from the old regime, or because those scouts told them the draftable talent next year would be better than this year? -- Mark S., Carmel, Ind.

Hey, Mark: I believe the Browns traded those picks to have some ammunition to land a franchise quarterback in 2014 if they feel they need one. It is expected to be a strong year for quarterbacks, and the Browns want to be in the game if they don't think Brandon Weeden can win a Super Bowl in the next several years. Most fourth- and fifth-round picks don't become starters anyway, so why not be poised to take a top-tier QB next year if they need one?

Hey, Mary Kay: How much improvement do you expect the Browns to make this season? Are we going to see another one of those seasons we're used to or will we be surprised? -- Thomas Ryan, Fostoria

Hey, Thomas: I think the Browns might surprise some people with their ability to get to the quarterback and score points. I expect them to be very aggressive on both sides of the ball, and for the young guys on offense to take a big step up. They do have a difficult schedule though, so even 8-8 might be tough.

Hey, Mary Kay: As far as the draft goes, I was not excited about the way it went, but there were positives ... with Mingo and the future draft picks. I understand all the holes can not be filled in one off-season, but it seemed we missed out on chances to upgrade at cornerback and safety. Little confused about (Jamoris) Slaughter from Notre Dame also. Is there something we fans don't know about? -- Paul Vocca, Cottonwood, Ariz.

Hey, Paul: The thing to remember is that the Browns completely overhauled their defense with Paul Kruger, Desmond Bryant, Quentin Groves, Barkevious Mingo and Leon McFadden. I think they feel the defensive backfield will be okay with all the added pressure on the quarterback. They also expect some young guys, such as Trevin Wade and Buster Skrine, to make a jump, and for free agents such as Chris Owens and Kevin Barnes to contribute.

Hey, Mary Kay: What are the contingency plans for right guard and why are the Browns entertaining right tackles such as Winston Justice while having passed on free-agent guards? -- Mark Arian, Short Hills, N.J.

Hey, Mark: I think the Browns feel pretty well set at both guard spots with right guard Shawn Lauvao and left guards Jason Pinkston and John Greco, who filled in nicely when Pinkston was out with a pulmonary embolism. The Browns will most likely take this year to evaluate the position and see if they need to upgrade.

Hey, Mary Kay: It is my opinion the Browns need to bring in a veteran CB. -- Dan Major, North Olmsted

Hey, Dan: I think the plan is for third-round pick Leon McFadden out of San Diego State to win the starting job opposite Joe Haden, but the Browns will continue to scour the free-agent market and waiver wire.

Hey, Mary Kay: I'm guessing no question is coming from you from as far as this one, but even in Finland I am still and always will be with my Browns. Don't you think many fans are overreacting about trading away the few picks in this year's draft? Next year's draft looks a heck of a lot better than this year's. -- Adrian Coonrod, Oulu, Finland

Yo Adrian: Yes, I think fans are overreacting. The Browns added a lot of new bodies this year. Parlaying a fourth and fifth into a third and fourth is good business if the value isn't there. I still think the Browns may have considered quarterback Ryan Nassib in the fourth had the Giants not traded up and nabbed him. But I've been told that's not the case.

Hey, Mary Kay: Do you think there's a realistic chance that Jimmy Haslam might actually lose the Browns? Is there a chance that we may get a new owner and lose the whole staff as high up as Banner, Lombardi, Chud, etc.? That'd be an awful blow because I think we're on the right path. -- Eric Lyden, New York City

Hey, Eric: I have no idea yet if Haslam will have to give up the Browns, but if he does, he might be able to keep it in the family somehow (the way former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo did) and the regime could remain intact. Unfortunately, this could drag on for years.

Hey, Mary Kay: Lots of talk about how we'll be able to rush the passer, but it doesn't look as if we've addressed the run defense. Kruger is average at best according to league sources, Mingo will be below average along with Sheard, while Groves is more of an edge setter. With the lack of talent at the ILBs outside of D'Qwell Jackson, relying on your three linemen to stop the run is a monster task. Not to mention we'll be facing five of the top 10 rushing teams. If we don't get teams into third-and-long, they've negated our pass rush. -- Ken Safran, North Olmsted

Hey, Ken: It's true, the Browns have addressed the pass rush more than the run defense, but I think they'll be better this year at stopping the run with a healthy Phil Taylor and with linebackers such as Craig Robertson and James-Michael Johnson with another year under their belts. New defensive end Desmond Bryant can also stop the run as well as rush the passer.

Hey, Mary Kay: Every time the Browns get new management, they ask the fans to be patient, the only way to win is through the draft. Joe Banner made it very clear by trading draft picks, that fans must wait until next year! Do they care that fans are sick of this type of attitude from management? -- Steve Geiger, Lewis Center

Hey, Steve: I don't believe that trading two late-round picks screams "wait until next year." They acquired their coveted pass-rusher in Barkevious Mingo and spent a lot in free agency to upgrade the defense. Adding Davone Bess was critical for the offense, and Josh Gordon has to be considered part of this draft.

Hey, Mary Kay: I don't mind the Browns trading draft picks with the Steelers, but by trading draft picks with the Colts and Steelers, two perennial playoff teams, they really only moved up maybe 10 spots. The philosophy of Tom Heckert was to build through the draft, are we now building through undrafted free agents? -- Nancy H, Baltimore, Md.

Hey, Nancy: No, the current regime also believes strongly in the draft, but they want to reach a championship-caliber level in two to three years and know they're not going to fill all their holes in one off-season. If the value of the players on the board didn't match up with their pick, it was best to push it out until next year. It's true that those picks won't be high in their respective rounds, but it will still give the Browns ammunition to try to trade up.

Hey, Mary Kay: What the hell are we trading draft picks with the Steelers for? Why are we helping them out? We need to use our picks this year to get better, not next year. Another embarrassing move by the Clowns! -- Christopher Stromp, Willoughby

Hey, Christopher: We will see in a year or two if the Browns passing on safety Shamarko Thomas and allowing the Steelers to grab him was the right move. If he turns into Troy Polamalu, they blew it. But they were confident he wasn't worth the pick and were concerned about a history of concussions.

-- Mary Kay

AUSTINTOWN, Ohio – Hawken senior Alexandra Markovich has won numerous 3,200-meter races, including a state final, and quite a few 1,600s. Sometimes, she runs them the same day. Saturday was different.

Hawken senior Alexandra Markovich won the 1,600 and 3,200 at the Austintown-Fitch Optimist Meet on Saturday. - (Plain Dealer file)

AUSTINTOWN, Ohio – Hawken senior Alexandra Markovich has won numerous 3,200-meter races, including a state final, and quite a few 1,600s. Sometimes, she runs them the same day.

Saturday was different.

Markovich tested the waters for a potential run at winning both distances at the Division III state meet in five weeks. The state distance double seemed doable to Markovich after she won both events at the 33rd Optimist Meet at Austintown-Fitch High School.

"I've done both, but I'm still getting used to doubling aggressively,'' Markovich said.

Markovich could be the state's Division III leader in both events after the weekend's times are posted across the state. She set a school record in the 3,200 (11:00.07). She's the defending state champion in the event. She went out slow in the 1,600, but still finished fast in 5:11.67. Markovich owned the state's best time before the meet, a 5:08 she ran last week.

To post strong times on the same day was significant, but she's hasn't decided yet if she'll attempt both events at state.

"If it's something I want to do, I think I'm definitely capable. It's possible. I know that for sure, now,'' Markovich said.

The double earned Markovich the meet's Girls Outstanding Performance award, and she was the girls' meet high point-scorer (22 points) for the Hawks, who placed eighth. Austintown-Fitch won the girls title with 62 points, 12 ahead of runner-up Green. Stow was third, followed by Massillon Jackson and Shaker Heights.

St. Edward's depth proved too much for the boys field. The Eagles were  missing five seniors on the day after prom, but they edged Austintown-Fitch, 72-70, for the boys championship. Glenville, Euclid and Cleveland Heights rounded out the top five.

Several meet and stadium records fell, and one state record was threatened.

Hudson sophomore Kyle Mau pulled off one of the season's biggest upsets, winning the 1,600 in 4:11.95, ahead of Boardman junior Mark Hadley (4:13.71) and Twinsburg junior Garrett Crichlow (4:15.66). Mau's time broke a 36-year-old stadium mark (Fitch's Alan Scharsu, 4:14).

Hadley and Crichlow planned to trade the lead throughout the race, but Crichlow struggled with Hadley's quick early pace. Mau took the lead on the second lap. Hadley passed Mau on the third and fourth laps, but Mau answered each challenge.

"I'm proud of it,'' Mau said. "I was OK with them going out that fast. It's amazing. I expected to win, but no one else expected me to, so I had no pressure. So, I just went out there to see what I could do, and it worked.''

Green senior Morgan Estes, the defending Division I girls pole vault champ, broke the stadium record by a half inch with a personal-best 12-9 ½. Estes also attempted to add a half-inch to the state Division I record, but failed to clear 13-0 ½.

St. Edward sophomore Shaun Crawford and junior Steele Wasik shared the boys Outstanding Performance Award. Crawford won the 100 (10.87) and 200 (21.80), and Wasik captured the 110 hurdles (14.02) and 300 hurdles (37.77).

In a powerhouse shot put and discus field that featured many of the state's best throwers, St. Edward senior Aaron Zedella won the shot put with a meet record and personal-best 63-11½, the best distance in the state this season. He was second (185-7) in the discus to Salem's Anthony Shivers (198-10), who added four feet to his state-leading mark.

Glenville had three key sprinters missing with injuries, but the Tarblooders appeared on the cusp of breaking out. Jacquez Riggs was second to John F. Kennedy's Antwon Smith (48.39) in the 400. Riggs also was second in the 200 and anchored the winning 4x400. The relay included William Robinson, who was second in the 300 hurdles.

Wheelchair athletes Randy McMullen of Kent Roosevelt and Jenna Fesemyer competed in the 100, 200, 800 and shot put, hoping to earn qualifying marks for the state meet, which will hold wheelchair events for the first time.

Fesemyer set a personal-record in the 800 (3:48.39), the final event, but was in near tears afterward. "I was tired, really tired,'' she said later, laughing it off. "This was my first meet doing four events.''

Fesemyer and McMullen were cheered heartily as they competed, but perhaps their best performance went unseen. McMullen's race chair suffered a flat tire before the boys 800, and Fesemyer loaned him a wheel after her race was completed.

TWINSBURG, Ohio -- A sunny Saturday afternoon for Twinsburg's Up Side of Downs Tournament was made a little brighter when Glenn McCoy stopped by to say hello. The Copley softball coach is on medical leave after undergoing open-heart surgery Feb. 23. He is making good progress, but itching to return to his normal routine.

Avon Lake’s Paige Collins is safe at home, scoring on a teammate’s bunt Saturday in Twinsburg’s Up Side of Downs Tournament. Avon Lake won the game, 5-4. - (Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer)

TWINSBURG, Ohio -- A sunny Saturday afternoon for Twinsburg's Up Side of Downs Tournament was made a little brighter when Glenn McCoy stopped by to say hello.

The Copley softball coach is on medical leave after undergoing open-heart surgery Feb. 23. He is making good progress, but itching to return to his normal routine.

"I was hoping [to coach] this year," said McCoy, who guided Copley to back-to-back Suburban League championships in 2011 and 2012, and a district title two years ago. "But the doctors said, 'No. You've got to take it easy.'"

Has he been a good patient?

"No. He is bored," his wife, Crystal, said. "He misses coaching terribly. This is his heart right here because he just loves kids and he loves softball. It's really hard."

Copley girls tennis coach Andrea Minster has taken the softball reins until McCoy's planned return next season.

"Ultimately, we want him to get healthy," Copley junior catcher Maddie Flasco said. "I'd rather have him at my graduation than as my coach. I'd rather see him healthy."

A great cause: Glenn McCoy's daughter, Tiffany McCoy Yehle, is Twinsburg's third-year coach and organizer of the Up Side of Downs tourney.

All proceeds from the event are directed to the Cleveland chapter of Up Side of Downs, a nonprofit organization providing support, education, advocacy and community for families with a Down syndrome child.

Yehle gave birth to daughter Isabell, a Down syndrome child, in 2007.

"What a great tournament and what a great cause," Elyria coach Ken Fenik said. "My brother-in-law has Downs, too. So, it's pretty special coming to this each year."

Between games, Fenik's players had a chance to interact with Isabell.

"That means so much more than the game of softball," Fenik said. "That was good for them."

Hall of Fame: After two wins at Glen Meadow Park, Elyria coach Ken Fenik had some homework for his team on the way home.

Preparing to be inducted into the City of Elyria Sports Hall of Fame, Fenik had not had a chance to write any remarks for the Saturday night banquet.

"I'm going to let the girls write my speech," the Elyria West graduate said. "I guarantee I'll read it because I have no speech."

In his 19th season as the Pioneers' head coach, Fenik's teams have won two state titles and eight regional championships.

Stow-Munroe Falls 11, Brecksville-Broadview Heights 5: Senior first baseman Stephenie Little blasted her 10th career home run and added a two-run double to lead Stow to victory.

Little's solo shot cleared the 250 sign in straight-away center field.

"I actually didn't think it was gone," Little said. "I was like, 'I'm going to get at least a double out of that.' And then I saw my coach turning his finger and I was like, 'That went over?' It felt good when it went off my bat, but the fences are so far away."

Trailing 3-1, Stow took the lead for good with four runs in the top of the fourth on one hit and four Brecksville miscues.

Sophomore Alyssa Ingram went the distance for Stow to earn the win.

Third baseman Dani D'Anna doubled twice for the Bees.

Stow 6, Ellet 3: Freshman Bekah Jones and junior Sara Schmidt delivered clutch, sixth-inning RBI singles as Stow (14-6) rallied to overtake the Orangemen.

"We started off very slow, but the last two weeks we've been hitting the ball like this," Stow coach Doug Hawkins said. "We're a good hitting team."

Sophomore pitcher Sadie Jones put Ellet down 1-2-3 in the sixth and seventh frames.

"We're on about a two-week win streak," Stow coach Doug Hawkins said. "We've just been playing really good softball."

Sophomore third baseman Maddie Hayes ripped a two-run double for Ellet.

Elyria 13, Brecksville-Broadview Heights 1: The Pioneers (17-5) jumped on the Bees early and led, 10-1, after three innings. Freshman third baseman Carly Bachna unloaded a two-run, inside-the-park home run in the top of the first to make it 5-0.

"I was very happy with the girls today," Elyria coach Ken Fenik said. "They hit the ball today."

Elyria freshman Elizabeth Ellis singled, doubled, scored two runs and earned the pitching win. The Pioneers blanked Ellet, 12-0, in their first game of the day.

Catcher Mary Schenter singled and scored for Brecksville (17-5).

Avon Lake 7, Copley 1: Senior pitchers Anne Wennerberg and Alexis Thomas combined to fan 16 Copley batters as the Shoregals (17-1) were dominant.

"Six of our nine seniors have played together since they were freshmen and they have that bond," Avon Lake coach Buzz Mullen said. "They've seen in the past when we've had good starts and sometimes something just didn't click right and it upset them."

Thomas, a Wright State recruit, belted a two-run home run in the first inning and Wennerberg, a Case Western Reserve commit, hit a solo shot in the third frame.

"It's a great thing for senior year to go out with a bang and have a great season together," said Thomas, after closing in the circle with nine strikeouts.

Senior catcher Abby Rogers, headed to Otterbein, hit a two-run single in the fifth to seal the win.

"With the great season we're having, only one loss, it sort of makes that target a little bit bigger on your back," Mullen said. "And that's what I preach to them."

Senior third baseman Lizzie Fela singled and scored for Copley.

"I'm just trying to have as much fun as I can this senior year playing with my [softball] family," Fela said.

Twinsburg 8, Olmsted Falls 4: Senior Alyssa Carcioppolo, junior Kourtney Paul and sophomore Megan Brown each had two hits for the Tigers.

Jeff Brewer is a freelance writer from Green.

Baseball LAKE EFFECT CONFERENCE

Baseball

LAKE EFFECT CONFERENCE

St. Martin100 00 -- 1 4 7

Grand River Acad.502 8x --15 4 0

SM (1-8): Kirby (L, 0-2). GR (4-0): Evans (W, 1-0).

Notable: Lamendola (GR) 1-3, 2 RBI 2 R.

St. Martin270 10 --10 9 6

Grand River Acad.685 3x --22 10 2

SM (1-9): French (L, 0-1). GR (5-0): Leslie (W, 2-0).

Notable: Goldman (GR) 3-4, 3 RBI, 3 R.

NORTHEAST OHIO CONFERENCE

Crossover

Mayfield000 000 0-- 0 2 4

Mentor102 131 x-- 8 9 1

May (8-8): Rossi (L, 1-1). Men (13-3): McClure (W, 5-1).

Notable: Plavcan (Men) 3B, 2 RBI.

N. Royalton110 313 0-- 9 10 0

Normandy000 001 0-- 1 6 3

NR: Kelbach (W). Nor: Kern (L, 3-2). HR: Bielak (NR).

Notable: Sadowski (NR) 2B, 2 RBI.

N. Royalton010 110 0-- 3 10 1

Normandy000 010 1-- 2 5 1

NR: Rossman (W). Nor: Pelz (L, 1-3).

Notable: Sasse (NR) 2B, RBI.

Valley Forge000 000 -- 0 2 3

Cuyahoga Falls332 011 --10 11 2

VF (2-13): Brodek (L, 0-2). CF (10-6): STokich (W, 1-2).

Notable: Heinl (CF) 2B, R, 3 RBI.

Valley Forge001 040 0-- 5 6 1

Cuyahoga Falls334 121 x--14 14 3

VF (2-14): Panico (L, 0-2). CF (11-6): Nelson (W, 1-0).

Notable: Stokich (CF) 3-2B, 1B, 2 R, SB, 3 RBI.

PATRIOT ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Crossover

Black River000 200 0-- 2 5 3

Fairview102 100 x-- 4 4 4

BR: u/a. F (3-12): Weaver (W, 1-0). S: Coletto (1).

NONLEAGUE

Aurora100 210 3-- 7 14 0

Solon001 000 0-- 1 5 1

A (17-3): Czerwinski (W, 5-0). S (4-13): Merner (L).

Notable: Carpenter (A) 3-1B, 2 RBI.

Aurora400 200 0-- 6 4 3

Solon100 022 0-- 5 9 0

A (18-3): Berger (W, 6-1). S (4-14): Wise (L).

Notable: Czerwinski (A) 2-2B, R, 3 RBI.

Bay000 000 0-- 0 2 1

Avon Lake000 041 x-- 5 5 6

B (3-15): u/a. AL (7-7): Campo (W).

Notable: Beck (AL) 1-3, R, 2 RBI.

Brunswick120 001 4-- 8 7 1

Norwalk101 002 1-- 5 7 0

Cle. Cent. Cath.001 00 -- 1 6 0

Cleveland Hts.302 06 --11 10 2

CCC (4-11): Motley (L, 3-5). CH (9-5): Houdek (W, 3-2).

Notable: Houdek CG, 8K, 3-4, 2 RBI 2 R.

Cle. Cent. Cath.010 001 0-- 2 5 2

Cleveland Hts.000 340 x-- 7 7 3

CCC (4-12): Vernon (L, 0-2). CH (10-5): Stanich (W, 3-2).

Notable: Bennett (CH) 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R.

Elyria102 000 0-- 3 4 0

Olmsted Falls000 000 0-- 0 3 1

E: Poskocil (W). OF (3-17): Van Buren (L, 0-3).

Notable: Poskocil CG-SO, 3K.

Elyria210 004 0-- 7 9 3

Olmsted Falls000 005 0-- 5 7 5

E: Csizmadia (W). OF (3-18): Hennessey (L, 2-3).

Notable: Inman (E) 2-3, 2 RBI.

Elyria Catholic361 17 --18 14 1

Oberlin300 00 -- 3 7 2

EC (8-9): Katynski (W, 1-1). O (9-7): Jackson (L, 0-2). HR: EC, Stanziano.

Notable: Cruz (EC) 4H, 2-2B, 2 RBI.

Elyria Catholic001 213 6--13 6 3

Oberlin004 111 3--10 8 4

EC (9-9): Whitacre (W). O: Pfeifer (L).

Notable: Mahilo (EC) 2 RBI, Tomshack (EC) 2 RBI.

Holy Name000 001 0-- 1 3 3

Brecksville323 100 x-- 9 6 0

HN (9-10): Boden (L, 2-1). B (20-1): Camloh (W, 2-0). HR: B, Armbruster (1).

Notable: Armbruster 2-3, HR, 2B, RBI, R.

Holy Name030 013 0-- 7 8 1

Brecksville005 111 x-- 8 7 2

HN (9-11): Follina (L, 1-2). B (21-1): Pestello (W, 1-0). S: Karthan (1).

Notable: Kovacevic (B) 2B, 3 RBI.

John Marshall001 00 -- 1 2 8

Beachwood(17)41 0 --22 16 0

JM: Peck (L). B (14-3): Krantz (W, 1-0).

Notable: Colson (B) 4-5, 2R, RBI.

John Marshall1 00 00 -- 1 2 6

Beachwood3(11)0 2 --16 15 1

JM: Torres (L). B (15-3): Moss (W, 2-2).

Notable: Goldberg (B) 3-4, 2R, 3 RBI.

Lake Ridge Acad.000 221 0-- 5 3 2

St. Peter Chanel350 141 x--14 10 2

LRA: Mullaney (L, 1-5). SPC: Taylor (W, 2-3).

Notable: Taylor 14 K.

Mass. Washington000 100 1-- 2 7 4

Stow002 400 x-- 6 11 0

M (9-11): Caldwell (L). S (13-4): Taylor (W, 2-0).

Notable: Urban (S) 3-4, RBI, SB

Midpark000 020 0-- 2 2 1

Midview001 101 x-- 3 3 3

Midpark: Gibbons (L). Midview: Stgeindl (W, 1-0).

Notable: Smith RBI.

Midpark070 040 1--12 13 2

Midview420 510 1--13 15 2

Midpark: Crouch (L). Midview (13-4): Dull (W, 1-0).

Notable: Lauer 4-5, 2B, 4R.

Padua000 00 -- 0 1 2

Strongsville061 3x --10 8 1

P: Schley (L). S (12-8): Weideling (W, 1-0).

Notable: Weideling 3 IP. 2K. O ER.

Extra innings

Parma001 020 00-- 3 9 3

Benedictine000 030 01-- 4 7 2

P (10-9): Pfeiffer (L). B (10-10): Monochino (W, 2-0).

Notable: Anderson (B) 1-2, GWRBI.

Rocky River000 140 4-- 9 7 4

NDCL630 002 x--11 12 5

RR (4-12): Lorinz-Comi (L). NDCL (11-7): Angermeier (W, 1-0).

Notable: Walnsch (NDCL) 2-2, 3B, 2 RBI

Rocky River200 040 0-- 6 6 4

Fairview303 300 x-- 9 8 6

RR (4-13): Kocur (L, 0-1). F (4-12): Schwarber (W, 1-2).

Notable: Schwarber (F) 1-2, 4 RBI

Rootstown002 000 0-- 2 6 3

Newton Falls067 000 0--13 9 1

R: Harris (L). NF (Reed (W).

Rootstown110 100 0-- 3 3 3

Newton Falls100 200 1-- 4 7 0

R: England (L, 2-4).

St. Edward040 000 0-- 4 6 2

Elder100 000 2-- 3 9 1

SE (7-11): Knowles (W, 1-00. E: Moore (L). S: Edwards.

Notable: Hegedus (SE) 2-4, 2 RBI.

St. Edward000 000 1-- 1 4 0

Grove City001 020 x-- 3 5 1

SE (8-11): Kemer (L, 1-3). GC: Stith (W). S: Allen.

Notable: Devore (GC) 2-2, 2 R, SB.

Trinity300 200 4-- 9 10 4

Highland400 007 x--11 10 1

T (7-6): Ramos (L). H (16-6): Raley (W, 2-0).

Notable: Esker (H) 2-2B, 2 RBI, 2R.

VASJ101 010 0-- 3 6 3

Gilmour200 011 x-- 4 8 5

VASJ: Mastalski (L). GA (11-3): P. Hurley (W, 1-0).

Notable: Regalbuto (GA) 2-4, GW-RBI.

VASJ012 00 -- 3 0 3

Gilmour40(11) 0 --15 16 4

VASJ: Gasiewski (L). GA (12-3): C. Hurley (W, 1-0).

Notable: Jaces (GA) 3-4, 2B, 3 RBI.

Will. South000 000 0-- 0 3 1

Mentor102 600 x-- 9 7 1

WS: n/a. M (12-3): Kasberg (W, 3-2).

Notable: Kasberg 6 IP, 8K.

JESUIT TOURNAMENT

St. Xavier401 001 -- 6 7 2

St. Ignatius003 000 -- 3 11 1

SX (14-9): Kenner (W, 2-2). SI (16-6): Lynch (L, 2-2). HR: SI, Panstares (1).

Notable: Deifel (SX) 2-3, 2 RBI.

Walsh Jesuit000 010 3-- 4 5 2

St. Ignatius000 000 5-- 5 6 2

WJ (15-4): Mockbee (L, 4-2). SI (16-5): Margevicius (W, 5-0).

Notable: Quillen (SI) 1-1, 2B, 2 RBI, R.

Walsh Jesuit010 200 0-- 3 5 1

St. John's110 000 0-- 2 8 0

WJ (16-4): Mittiga (W, 4-0). SJ: Brossia (L).

Notable: Mittiga (WJ) 2B, 3 RBI.

Late result

NONLEAGUE

Mass. Jackson227 24--17 10 0

Green003 00-- 3 7 2

MJ (10-7): Williams (W, 3-0). G (5-14): Ramey (L, 0-2).

Notable: Miller (MJ) 2-3, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI.

Softball

PATRIOT ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Stars Division

Wellington111 000 2-- 5 10 6

Keystone112 010 2-- 7 9 2

W (6-14, 4-7): Rangel (L, 5-13). K (18-3, 9-1): Cornish (11-1). HR: Harrington (K).

Notable: Harrington 3-4, 2R, 2 RBI.

NONLEAGUE

Aurora302 100 3-- 9 9 0

Hathaway Brown000 000 0-- 0 1 4

A: Petrash (W, 8-1). HB: Paul (L). HR: Petrash.

Notable: Petrash W; HR, 4 RBI.

Cuyahoga Falls400 19 --14 19 0

Firestone300 00 -- 3 6 0

CF (6-12): Fryberger (W, 6-9). F (7-10): Skeans (L, 4-7).

Notable: Collins (CF) 3-4, 3-2B, 2R, 4 RBI

Laurel000 000 1-- 1 5 5

Cleveland Hts.220 002 x-- 6 9 3

L: Hall (L). CH (12-6): Sollisch (W, 9-2).

Notable: Moore (CH) 2-4, 2R, 2 RBI.

Extra innings

Lorain200 030 03-- 8 12 2

Brookside102 100 10-- 5 8 4

L (7-10): Ford (W). B (5-11): Weber (L).

Notable: Butler (L) 2B, 3B.

Lorain010 000 0-- 1 5 0

Brookside010 200 x-- 3 10 0

L (7-11): Ford (L). B (6-11): Thomascik (W). HR: L, Otero.

Notable: Lara (B) 2-1B, 3B.

Magnificat000 000 2-- 2 1 3

Aurora023 210 x-- 8 7 1

M: Price (L). A: Doyle (W, 7-0). HR: A, McNamara.

Notable: Doyle CG, 18K.

Mentor030 000 0-- 3 9 2

Midpark010 230 x-- 6 9 1

Mid (7-8, 4-5): Morgan (W, 5-6). Men (11-8, 4-2): Durfey (L). HR: Raines (Mid)

Notable: Schmidt (Mid) 2-3, R, RBI

Mentor202 200 1-- 7 9 1

Midpark000 000 0-- 0 3 2

Men (12-8): Grolic (W). Mid (11-9): Lasortella (L, 2-3)]

Notable: Causey (Men) 2-4, 2R, RBI

Normandy000 000 0-- 0 2 2

Chardon001 102 x-- 4 5 2

N: Dzvrisin (L). C (5-7): Hunter (W, 2-5).

Notable: Tusick (C) 2-2B.

Extra innings

Normandy000 201 00-- 3 5 2

Chardon003 000 01-- 4 6 2

N: Hester (L). C (6-7): Wawrowski (W, 4-0).

Notable: Hunter (C) 2-4, 2 RBI.

North Olmsted000 000 0-- 0 3 0

Rocky River011 000 x-- 2 4 1

NO (5-16): Ihnot (W, 3-10). RR (3-12): Larue (L, 2-8).

Notable: Opdycke 2-2, SB.

North Olmsted102 001 3-- 7 12 5

Rocky River110 421 x-- 9 10 5

NO (5-17): Ihnot (W, 4-10). RR (4-12): Helderman (L, 0-9).

Notable: Paulic 2-2

Padua100 000 0-- 1 3 4

Westlake110 102 x-- 5 11 0

P: Campagna (L). W (12-9): Campo (W, 2-1).

Notable: May (W) 2-4, 3B, 3 RBI

Padua100 100 0-- 2 5 1

Bay000 060 x-- 6 9 2

P: Golein (L). B (8-14): Woodworth (W, 7-13).

Notable: McGovern (B) 2-1B, RBI, R, SB.

Rhodes000 00 -- 0 1 2

Parma355 4x --17 16 1

R: Clancy (L). P (9-6): Scali (W, 5-3).

Notable: Scali 3-3, 2-2B, 3 RBI, 10K.

Rhodes000 00 -- 0 0 4

Parma26(11) 0x --19 16 0

R: Clancy (L). P (10-6): Scali (W, 6-3).

Notable: Negron (P) 4-4, 3 R, 2 RBI.

Rittman000 00 -- 0 0 3

Black River002 44 --10 11 0

R: Gregory (L). BR (9-8): Smith (W, 8-7).

Notable: Smith (BR) 2-2B, BB, 2 RBI, 13K.

Rittman003 00 -- 3 3 4

Black River2(10)0 6x --18 18 2

R: Vance (L). BR (10-8): Smart (W, 2-1).

Notable: Smith (BR) 2-1B, 3B, 6 RBI.

Trinity560 011 0--13 11 7

Oberlin020 022 1-- 7 5 6

T (9-8): Greisl (W, 5-5). O: Santiago (L). HR: T, LaMonica; O, Santiago.

Notable: Greisl CG, 3K; 3B.

Trinity431 3(10) --21 10 0

Oberlin000 00 -- 0 1 8

T (10-8): Effertz (W, 4-3). O: Santiago (L). HR: T, LaMonica (3).

Notable: LaMonica 4-4, HR, 2B, 6 RBI.

Vermilion000 00 -- 0 3 0

N. Royalton114 4x --10 15 1

V (12-7): Hitlan (3-1). NR (11-4): N. Newman (W, 11-4). HR: Stoneberg (NR).

Notable: Kovar (NR) 2-3, 2-2B, 3 R.

Vermilion000 00 -- 0 3 0

N. Royalton731 5x --16 18 0

V (12-8): Hitlan (L, 3-2). NR (12-4): N. Newman (W, 12-4). HR: Smolinski (NR).

Notable: N. Newman 3-3, 2-1B, 2B, 3 RBI, CG, 6K.

Westlake230 203 --10 15 2

Bay000 000 -- 0 5 2

W (11-9): Zale (W, 3-1). B: Woodworth (L).

Notable: Screen (W) 3-4, 3 R, RBI, 4-SB.

AMHERST COMETS TOURNAMENT

Norwalk000 000 0-- 0 5 1

Amherst Steele000 500 x-- 5 6 1

N (9-12): Pelham (L). A (10-8): Beetler (W, 7-5).

Notable: Hoerig (A) 2-4, 2B, R.

Tol. Notre Dame000 000 1-- 1 4 1

Amherst Steele030 110 x-- 5 7 1

TND (12-7): Gillespie (L, 9-4). A (11-8): Beetler (W, 8-5).

Notable: Cogdell (A) 2-3, 2B, RBI, R.

NDCL INVITATIONAL

Edgewood000 000 0-- 0 5 1

NDCL120 000 x-- 3 6 0

E (10-11): Diemer (L, 2-7). NDCL (18-4): Hetki (W, 15-3).

Notable: Pollutro (NDCL) 2B, R, RBI.

Edgewood001 003 1-- 5 10 0

Will. South103 301 x-- 8 16 2

E: Parete (L). WS (10-10): Hodge (W, 2-0).

Notable: Stohlman (WS) 4-4, 2B, 3R

Youngs. Ursuline020 000 1-- 3 7 1

NDCL090 101 x--11 13 1

YU (15-5): Shore (L, 13-4). NDCL (19-4): Hetke (W, 16-3). HR: Flowers (NDCL)

Notable: Flowers 2-3, R, 3 RBI.

Youngs. Ursuline010 110 0-- 3 7 6

Will. South200 000 0-- 2 8 3

U (16-5): Shore (W). WS (9-10): Bradshaw (L, 9-7). HR: U, Ohael

UP SIDE OF DOWNS TOURNAMENT

Stow010 403 3--11 10 2

Brecksville030 002 0-- 5 7 5

S (13-6, 2-2): Ingram (W, 3-0). B (17-4, 9-1): Best (L, 4-3). HR: Little (S, 2)

Notable: Little (S) 2-4, 2B, HR, 2R, 3 RBI

Stow100 104 0-- 6 11 1

Ellet000 030 0-- 3 8 3

S (14-6): S. Jones (W, 10-6). E: Smith (L)

Notable: Schmidt (S) 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI

Late result

NORTHEAST OHIO CONFERENCE

Crossover

N. Royalton010 200 003-- 6 10 3

Mayfield101 010 000-- 3 5 2

NR: Newman (W). M (9-8): Anderson (L, 2-4).

Notable: Smolinski (NR) 3-5, 2-3B, 2R.

Boys track

AVON RELAYS

How they finished: 1. Wadsworth 118; 2. Avon 106; 3. Avon Lake 67; 4. Aurora 66; 5. North Olmsted 63; 6. Westlake 52; 7. Highland 44; 8. Elyria 43; 9. Rocky River 41; 10. Lorain 20.

Shot put: 1. Seipel (Avon Lake) 53-21/4; 2. Portik (Avon Lake) 48-8; 3. Zamery (Aurora) 46-6. Discus: 1. Seme (Wadsworth (158-3; 2. Seipel (Avon Lake) 157-8; 3. Smierciak (Aurora) 146-2. High jump: 1. Buchanan (Lorain) 6-3; 2. Lawrence (Avon) 5-10; 3. (tie) Ratino (Avon), Hessell (Avon Lake), Dahler (Rocky River), Kollat (Aurora) 5-8. Long jump: 1. Shabazz (North Olmsted) 19-101/2; 2. Chan (Rocky River) 18-7; 3. Looser (Wadsworth) 18-5. Pole vault: 1. Simmons (Highland) 13-0; 2. Sedlak (Westlake) 12-6; 3. Tomlin (Avon) 12-6. 1600: Reynolds (Rocky River) 4:35.94; 2. Kane (Avon) 4:37.45; 3. T. Bach (Wadsworth) 4:37.60. 4x1600: 1. Wadsworth (Winkler, T. Bach, J. Bach, Batey) 18:59.85; 2. Highland 19:06.28; 3. Avon 19:07.33. 800 sprint medley: 1. Avon (Maxwell, Orr, Bitter, Wiley) 1:36.26; 2. NorthOlmsted 1:37.40; 3. Wadsworth 1:37.41. Distance medley: 1. Avon Lake (Darkow, Nix, Korney, Villari) 11:00.94; 2. Avon 11:04.53; 3. Rocky River 11:18.64. 4x800: 1. Aurora (Lieberth, Frankman, Wykoff, Lazor) 8:22.07; 2. Wadsworth 8:32.05; 3. Westlake 8;32.25. 110H: 1. Wiley (Avon 15.53; 2. Looser (Wadsworth) 15.64; 3. Smierciak (Aurora) 15.69. 110 shuttle hurdles: 1. North Olmsted (Sanborn, Reddy, Hernandez, French) 1:06.57; 2. Westlake 1:07.60; 3. Wadsworth 1:07.61. 100: Williams (Wadsworth) 11.50; 2. Bitter (Avon) 11.57; 3. Shabazz (North Olmsted) 11.30. 4x200: 1. Wadsworth (Hanlen, Yetzer, Weber, Williams) 1:32.02; 2. Elyria 1:33.45; 3. Highland 1:35.73. 4x100: 1. Avon (Wiley, Bitter, DeMarco, Orr) 43.99; 2. Wadsworth 44.27; 3. Lorain 44.82. 4x400: 1. Aurora (Devine, Lazor, Samarisinghe, Lieberth) 3:30.48; 2. Wadsworth 3;31.74; 3. Westlake 3:32.37.

CUYAHOGA HEIGHTS RELAYS

How they finished: 1. McDonald 94; 2. Western Reserve Academy 80; 3. Kirtland 76; 4. Cuyahoga Heights 66; 5. Independence 60; 6. Newbury 11; 7. Open Door 8

Shot put relay: Kirtland (Cymbal, Matthews, Sullivan) 137-01/2; 2. McDonald 133-01/2; 3. Western Reserve Academy 116-3. Discus relay: 1. McDonald (Yates, Smith, Foster) 403-6; 2. Kirtland 329-11; 3. Western Reserve Acadmey 317-5. Long jump relay: 1. Kirtland (Sabin, Smith, Brettrager) 55-7; 2. McDonald 55-61/2; 3. Newbury 53-5. High jump relay: 1. McDonald (Conley, Seitz, Fedyski) 17-6; 2. Western Reserve Academy 17-0; 3. Kirtland 16-0. Pole vault relay: 1. Cuyahoga Heights (Rospierski, Attewell, Pelfrey) 32-0; 2. Independence 21-0; 3. Western Reserve Academy 17-0. 4x1600 relay: 1. McDonald (Natol, Johnson, Street, Mediati) 19:53.61; 2. Western Reserve Academy 20:06.38; 3. Independence 20:10.40. 4x100: 1. Cuyahoga Heights (McNeilly, Surman, Alpert, Treiber) 45.16; 2. Kirtland 45.0; 3. McDonald 46.96. 4x800: 1. McDonald (Kunkel, Coviello, Morrell, Natol) 8:42.75; 2. Independence 8:45.20; 3. Western Reserve Academy 8:45.24. 800 medley relay: 1. Cuyahoga Heights (McNeilly, Treiber, Surman, Sample) 1:37.77; 2. Independence 1:40.85; 3. Western Reserve Academy 1:40.89. Shuttle hurdles: 1. Western Reserve Academy (Silva, Dakappagari, Mock, Shim) 1:05.82; 2. Cuyahoga Heights 1:06.81; 3. Kirtland 1:09.38. 800 meter relay: 1. Cuyahoga Heights (Treiber, Surman, Martin, McNeilly) 1:33.96; 2. Western Reserve 1:36.62; 3. Kirtland 1:36.64. Distance medley relay: 1. McDonald (Reckard, Fedyski, Kunkel, Johnson) 8:08.25; 2. Western Reserve Academy 8:36.28; 3. Independence 8:45.12. 4x400: 1. McDonald (Coviello, Morrell, Walp, Kunkel) 3:30.46; 2. Kirtland 3:30.78; 3. Cuyahoga Heights 3:38.27.

FLEET FEET MEET

How they finished: 1. Nordonia 137; 2. St. Vincent-St. Mary 1191/2; 3. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy 102; 4. Tallmadge 641/2; 5. Woodridge 56; 6. Cuyahoga Falls 48; 7. Ellet 45; 8. Buchtel 32; 9. Coventry 311/2; 10. Firestone 171/2.

4x800: 1. CVCA (LeBay, Bockoven, Anderson, Adams) 8:13.77; 2. Nord 8:20.08; 3. Buch 8:27.50. 110H: 1. Carroscia (CVCA) 15.48; 2. McCann (Wood) 16.06; 3. Washington (Nord) 16.17. 100: 1. Campbell (SVSM) 10.97; 2. Bickley (SVSM) 11.36; 3. Nobles (Nord) 11.38. 4x200: 1. Nord (Ward, Truett, Wilson, Brabson) 1:30.81; 2. CVCA 1:34.36; 3. Tall 1:34.40. 1,600: 1. Iacofano (SVSM) 4:28.41; 2. Ferguson (Tall) 4:31.22; 3. Scourfield (Wood) 4:33.99. 4x100: 1. SVSM (Bickley, Lockett, Wooldridge, Campbell) 43.01; 2. Nord 43.73; 3. CF 43.76. 400: 1. Kortze (CVCA) 49.99; 2. Sensabaugh (SVSM) 51.85; 3. Tabler (Wood) 52.22. 300H: 1. Carroscia (CVCA) 39.69; 2. Harris (CF) 40.57; 3. Washington (Nord) 41.90. 800: 1. McGovern (Tall) 1:57.42; 2. Adams (CVCA) 1:58.54; 3. Murray (Tall) 2:00.49. 200: 1. Campbell (SVSM) 22.32; 2. Wooldridge (SVSM) 22.86; 3. Nobles (Nord) 23.34. 3,200: 1. Iacofano (SVSM) 9:42.83; 2. Wojcik (Wood) 9:48.00; 3. Frederick (Wood) 10:00.35. 4x400: 1. Nord (Brabson, Nobles, Rezek, Stallworth) 3:31.06; 2. CVCA 3:34.89; 3. CF 3:36.66. Discus: 1. Stout (Ellet) 141-3; 2. Woicehovich (Nord) 139-8; 3. Woods (Buch) 135-9. Shot put: 1. Stout (Ellet) 50-11/2; 2. Woods (Buch) 45-5; 3. Anzaldi (Tall) 44-51/2. High jump: 1. Junius (SVSM) 6-2; 2. Wooldridge (SVSM) 6-0; 3. (tie) Majid (Fire), Bogdanovich (Cov) 5-10. Long jump: 1. Ward (Nord) 21-9; 2. Junius (SVSM) 21-11/4; 3. Johnson (Nord) 20-3. Pole vault: 1. Sprague (CVCA) 14-0; 2. Dickinson (Wood) 12-6; 3. Jones (Nord) 11-6.

LAKEVIEW INVITATIONAL

How they finished: 1. Lakeview 127; 2. Jefferson 125; 3. Geneva 81; 4. Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin 60; 5. St. Peter Chanel 53; 6. Cardinal 52; 7. Berkshire 44; 8. Pymatuning Valley 41; 9. Grand Valley 33; 10. Beachwood 24; 11. McKinley 11; 12. Martin Luther King Jr. 5; 13. Conneaut 4.

4x800: 1. Lview (Daffron, Edie, Brantingham, Harris) 8:29.68; 2. Jeff 8:58.07; 3. NDCL 8:59.56. 110H: 1. Sullins (Beach) 15.29; 2. Hall (Lview) 16.43; 3. Qureshi (Card) 16.63. 100: 1. Duke (SPC) 11.52; 2. Blatnik (NDCL) 11.57; 3. Shirk (NDCL) 11.71. 4x200: 1. SPC (Golphin, Wingfield, McDaniel, Hargrove) 1:34.20; 2. Jeff 1:34.73; 3. GV 1:36.83 . 1,600: 1. Harris (Lview) 4:37.46; 2. Kantor (Jeff) 4:40.45; 3. Frandanisa (NDCL) 4:45.42. 4x100: 1. SPC (McDaniel, Golphin, Duke, Wingfield) 44.05; 2. Lview 45.44; 3. Jeff 46.59. 400: 1. Chase (Jeff) 50.84; 2. Clutter (Gen) 51.60; 3. Hargrove (SPC) 52.19. 300H: 1. Sullins (Beach) 40.97; 2. Scott (Jeff) 41.04; 3. Hall (Lview) 42.45. 800: 1. Filla (Card) 2:06.80; 2. Bell (PV) 2:09.53; 3. Hobel (Gen) 2:10.20. 200: 1. Clutter (Gen) 22.96; 2. Blatnik (NDCL) 23.01; 3. Chase (Jeff) 23.17. 3,200: 1. Beebe (NDCL) 10:21.29; 2. Edie (Lview) 10:21.77; 3. Millet (Berk) 10:34.30. 4x400: 1. Gen (LaRiche, Clutter, Parker, Cardaman) 3:36.16; 2. Jeff 3:39.74; 3. Card 3:41.33. Discus: 1. Lowther (Lview) 151-9; 2. O'Connor (Jeff) 135-9; 3. Coffey (Gen) 128-7. High jump: 1. (tie) *Chase (Jeff), Ratliff (PV) 6-4; 3. Ivory (SPC) 6-0. Long jump: 1. Shirk (NDCL) 20-5; 2. Wicks (Card) 20-3; 3. Jackson (Jeff) 19-6. Shot put: 1. Lowther (Lview) 48-10; 2. Watson (Lview) 45-81/2; 3. Mayer (Berk) 44-10. Pole vault: 1. *Hamilton (Jeff) 13-6; 2. Miller (Lview) 13-0; 3. Watts (Gen) 12-0.

*-Meet record

MENTOR CARDINAL RELAYS

How they finished: 1. Mentor 119; 2. Kenston 98; 3. Chardon 82; 4. Bedford 55; 5. Mayfield 49; 6. Eastlake North 48; 7. John Adams 44; 8. Riverside 40; 9. Willoughby South 35; 10. Brecksville 271/2; 11. Maple Heights 241/2; 12. Brush 23; 13. John Hay 13; 14. Madison 4.

Shot put: 1. Maurins (Men) 56-51/2; 2. Copeland (Bed) 46-111/2; 3. Hinton-McCoy (Bed) 46-41/4. Discus: 1. Maurins (Men) 151-7; 2. Sharpnach (Riv) 139-0; 3. Fish (EN) 138-2. High jump: 1. Hunt (WS) 6-4; 2. Daugherty (Men) 6-0; 3. Dowdy (Men) 6-0. Long jump: 1. Hunt (WS) 20-83/4; 2. Oress (WS) 19-8; 3. Taylor (MH) 18-43/4. Pole vault: 1. Reimer (May) 13-0; 2. Bukovec (Cha) 12-0; 3. Wyatt (Riv) 11-6. 4x800: 1. Men (Walton, Keipert, Gudowicz, Hankins) 8:07.85; 2. Cha 8:21.71; 3. Bru 8:32.31. 110H: 1. Cordiak (Ken) 15.06; 2. Mlack (Cha) 15.11; 3.Horvat (Riv) 16.15 . 100: 1. Thomas (JA) 11.21; 2. Hunt (WS) 11.25; 3. Fedrick (MH) 11.27. 4x200: 1. JH (Sanders, Ray, Mills, Wells) 1:32.86; 2. MH 1:34.33; 3. Bru 1:34.70. 1,600: 1. Norley (Ken) 4:30.20; 2. Cooper (Ken) 4:35.94; 3. Elmore (Men) 4:36.84. 4x100: 1. MH (Hardin, Moore, Barnett, Fedrick) 44.21; 2. JH 45.05; 3. EN 45.79. 3,200: 1. Norley (Ken) 9:39.91; 2. Polakowski (Men) 9:48.27; 3. Evans (Men) 9:48.49. 4x400: 1. JH (Nyei, Bennet, Green, Taylor) 3:43.32; 2. Bre 3:47.33; 3. WS 3:51.40. 4x1,600: 1. EN (Green, Godec, D. Car, A. Car) 18:49.32; 2. Men 19:01.14; 3. Ken 19:02.43. 800 sprint medley: 1. MH 1:35.97; 2. JA (Hall, Turner, Smith, Leverette) 1:36.14; 3. Bed 1:36.718. Distance medley: 1. EN (Green, Denihan, Petreca, A. Car) 10:50.04; 2. Men 10:51.46; 3. Cha 10:51.93; 4x110H: 1. Kenston (Cordiak, Plewacki, Manocchio, Gambatese) 1:02.77; 2. EN 1:05.66; 3. Men 1:06.33.

OPTIMIST MEET

How they finished: 1. St. Edward 72; 2. Austintown-Fitch 70; 3. Glenville 55; 4. Euclid 42; 5. Cle. Heights 41; 6. Twinsburg 29; 7. John F. Kennedy 27; 8. South Range 26; 9. (tie) Shaker Hts., Howland 23; 11. St. Thomas Aquinas 211/2; 12. Boardman 21; 13.(tie) Jackson, Hudson 20; 15. Maplewood 18; 16. Hoover 171/2; 17. Kent Roosevelt 15; 18. (tie) Stow, Poland Seminary 14; 20. Streetsboro 13; 21. Garaway 12; 22. (tie) Medina, Midpark, Salem 10; 25. Independence 8; 26. Rootstown 6; 27. (tie) Hubbard, Crestwood, Berkshire, Fairfield 4; 31. (tie) Southeast, Warrensville Heights 3; 33. Canfield 2.

Shot put: **1. Zedella (SE) 63-11; 2. Price (AF) 60-91/4; 3. Paliscak (Roo) 58-93/4. Discus: **1. Shives (Sal) 198-1; 2. Zedella (SE) 185-7; 3. Price (AF) 180-6. High jump: 1. Cross (CH) 6-4; 2. Moorer (Twi) 6-2; 3. Schwenk (Hoo) 6-2. Long jump: 1. Smith (JFK) 21-61/4; 2. Cope (How) 21-11/2; 3. Arsuffi (SR) 20-101/2. Pole vault: 1. Hopkins (Mid) 13-6; 2. Sanderson (Hoo) 12-6; 3. Wojnarowski (CH) 12-6. 4x800: 1. Jack 8:14.77; 2. Euc (Kellom, Conard, Scott, Bruster) 8:17.36; 3. Stow 8:25.12. 110H: 1. Wasik (SE) 14.02; 2. Ortiz (AF) 14.63; 3. Owens (SH) 15.05. 100: 1. Crawford (SE) 10.87; 2. Jones (Boar) 10.92; 3. Franklin (Str) 11.38. 4x200: 1. AF 1:28.00; 2. Glenv (Lett, Robinson, Hickman, Riggs) 1:28.59; 3. CH 1:29.17. 1,600:* 1. Mau (Hud) 4:11.95; *2. Hadley (Boar) 4:13.71; **3. Crichlow (Twin) 4:15.66. 4x100: **1. CH (Dickerson, Gibson, McShepard, Jones) 42.18; **2. AF (Anderson, Harrington, Gibson, Bowlen) 42.31; 3. KR 43.91. 400: 1. Smith (JFK) 48.39; 2. Riggs (Glen) 48.76; 3. O'Leary (SR) 48.93. 300H: 1. Wasik (SE) 37.77; 2. Robinson (Glen) 38.10; 3. Coleman (Euc) 40.52. 800: 1. Scanlon (Twi) 1:58.56; 2. Moeglin (Hud) 1:58.84; 3. Navratil (SE) 1:59.57. 200: 1. Crawford (SE) 21.80; 2. Riggs (Glen) 22.15; 3. Harrington (AF) 22.21. 3,200: 1. Glines (STA) 9:17.90; 2. Polman (Ind) 9:38.69; 3. Sullivan (How) 9:39.61. 4x400: 1. Glen (Robinson, Hickman, Lett, Riggs) 3:25.91; 2. CH 3:29.47; 3. PS 3:30.54.

*-Stadium record

**-Meet record

Girls track

AVON RELAYS

How they finished: 1. Rocky River 94; 2. Highland 77; 3. Avon 72; 4. Westlake 70; 5. Avon Lake 65; 6. Magnificat 61; 7. Lorain 54; 8. Aurora 52; 9. North Olmsted 48; 10. Elyria 19; 11. Hathaway Brown 10.

Shot put: 1. Bohan (AL) 39-43/4; 2. Lyle (West) 35-61/4; 3. Szekely (High) 33-61/4. Discus: 1. Bohan (AL) 113-4; 2. Szekely (High) 110-2; 3. Watkins (Lor) 101-9. High jump: 1. Bohan (AL) 5-7; 2. Koval (High) 5-2; 3. Cooper (Avon) 5-0. Long jump: 1. Misencik (Mag) 15-41/2; 2. Graham (Aur) 15-33/4; 3. Hickey (Aur) 15-31/2. Pole vault: 1. Bohan (AL) 12-0; 2. Szabo (NO) 10-6; 3. Hamilton (West) 9-6. 4x800: 1. RR (Connelly, Sandu, Corcoran, Bierut) 9:57.22; 2. Avon 10:05.12; 3. Mag 10:15.39. 100: 1. Dearmas 9Lor) 12.83; 2. Duale (High) 13.45; 3. Taylor (Ely) 13.48. 4x200: *1. Lor (Goodman, Dearmas, scott, Rogers) 1:44.35; 2. Mag 1:48.61; 3. Avon 1:49.28. 1,600: 1. Connelly (RR) 5:18.49; 2. Mariner (Ely) 5:20.32; 3. Rhoads (High) 5:23.55. 4x100: 1. Lor (Dearmas, Goodman, Scott, Rogers) 49.37; 2. High 51.07; 3. NO 52.31.. 3,200: 1. ; 2. ; 3. . 4x400: 1. Mag (Pacella, Ubbing, Harter, Meyer) 4:04.21; 2. RR 4:05.83; 3. Lor 4:07.58. 4x1,600: 1. Avon (Bowen, Morales, Clark, Laird) 22:24.41; 2. RR 23:09.68; 3. NO 23:20.86. 800 sprint medley: 1. RR (Vitou, Fitzsimmons, Holcomb, Lesiecki) 1:54.67; 2. High 1:55.14; 3. AL 1:55.84. Distance medley: 1. Avon (Clark, Bowen, Laird, Morales) 13:12.32; 2. RR 13:21.67; 3. AL 13:31.39. 4x100H: 1. RR (McDonough, Brandt, Bobbitt, Fitzsimmons) 1:10.81; 2. Avon 1:11.69; 3. High 1:12.06.

*-Meet record

CUYAHOGA HEIGHTS RELAYS

How they finished: 1. McDonald 110; 2. Kirtland 71; 3. Cuyahoga Heights 68; 4. Western Reserve Ac. 63; 5. Independence 51; 6. (tie) Open Door Ac., Newbury 15.

Shot put: *1. McD 10-1-83/4; 2. Ind (Mosley, Ross, Welch) 86-93/4; 3. CH 82-81/2. Discus: 1. McD 345-6; 2. Ind (Ross, Mosley, Domitrovich) 269-11; 3. CH 245-7. High jump: 1. Kir (Straus, Ritossa, Kmentt) 13-10; 2. Newb 13-6; 3. McD 13-6. Long jump: 1. Kirt (Ssomes, Somodji, Neibecker) 41-10; 2. CH 41-51/4; 3. McD 41-1. Pole vault: *1. CH (Rayokovich, Attewell, Adkins) 24-0; 2. WRA 21-6; 3. Ind 19-0. 4x800: 1. McD 10:24.14; 2. Kir (Kuehn, Ellsworth, Walsh, Ritossa) 10:42.91; 3. WRA 10:43.85. 4x100: 1. McD 51.48; 2. CH (Drummond, McNeilly, Rayokovich, Kenzig) 52.30; 3. Kir 53.23. 4x1,600: *1. McD 23:01.95; 2. WRA 25:01; 3.Kir 25:58.57. 800 medley: 1. McD 1:53.96; 2. Kir (Ricketti, Aquila, somes, Kmentt) 1:59.96; 3. CH 2:01.27. Shuttle hurdles: 1. WRA (Henkelmann, Sovich, Orosz, Ogede) 1:12.50; 2. McD 1:16.20; 3. Kir 1:17.40. 800 relay: 1. McD 1:49.08; 2. CH (Drummond, McNeilly, Rayokovich, Kenzig) 1:50.01; 3. WRA 1:52.54. Distance medley: 1. McD 9:48.37; 2. OD (Jackson, Gillberg, Hoff, Neubauer) 9:55.62; 3. Ind 10:15.46. 1,600 relay: 1. McD 4:14.98; 2. WRA 4:16.01; 3. CH 4:26.35.

*-Meet record

FLEET FEET MEET

How they finished: 1. Nordonia 1231/2; 2. Cuyahoga Falls 110; 3. St. Vincent-St. Mary 103; 4. Buchtel 85; 5. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy 83; 6. Tallmadge 721/2; 7. Woodridge 28; 8. Firestone 241/2; 9. Coventry 121/2; 10. Ellet 12; 11. Akron East 2.

4x800: 1. CVCA (Blair, Pasicznyk, Myers, Bockoven) 9:36.18; 2. Nord 9:52.75; 3. SVSM 9:56.56. 100H: 1. McDonald (Nord) 15.54; 2. Green (Buch) 15.95; 3. Mitchell (CF) 16.85. 100: 1. Green (Buch) 12.65; 2. Young (CVCA) 12.72; 3. Goedecke (SVSM) 12.98. 4x200: 1. SVSM (Davis, Goedecke, Taylor, Laury) 1:44.83; 2. Nord 1:45.62; 3. Buch 1:46.29. 1,600: 1. Rossetti (SVSM) 5:11.18; 2. Bockoven (CVCA) 5:19.46; 3. Iacofano (SVSM) 5:19.66. 4x100: 1. Buch (Oliver, Green, Bowens, Green) 49.83; 2. Nord 52.31; 3. Fire 52.91. 400: 1. Laury (SVSM) 59.74; 2. Krieger (CF) 1:00.77; 3. Allen (Tall) 1:01.29. 300H: 1. McDonald (Nord) 43.40; 2. Harris (Tall) 47.44; 3. Green (Buch) 48.95. 800: 1. Mendiola (SVSM) 2:18.47; 2. Blair (CVCA) 2:23.69; 3. Myers (CVCA) 2:24.92. 200: 1. Green (Buch) 25.74; 2. Young (CVCA) 25.86; 3. Krieger (CF) 27.27. 3,200: 1. Iacofano (SVSM) 11:28.64; 2. Vasarhelyi (Nord) 11:33.00; 3. Rossetti (SVSM) 11:53.10. 4x400: 1. Tall (Allen, Fairchild, Rinaldi, Mathieson) 4:05.52; 2. Nord 4:11.19; 3. SVSM 4:15.33. Discus: 1. King (CF) 124-8; 2. Williams (Wood) 102-0; 3. Victor (Nord) 100-5. Shot put: 1. Ziccardi (CF) 34-21/2; 2. Harmon (Buch) 33-4; 3. Miller (Wood) 32-51/2. High jump: 1. Velazquez (Nord) 5-1; 2. Brumbaugh (Tall) 5-1; 3. (tie) Stafford (Cov), Rozsa (CF) 4-10. Long jump: 1. Hess (CVCA) 17-61/2; 2. Laury (SVSM) 16-111/2; 3. Johnson (Fire) 16-81/4. Pole vault: 1. Waibel (CF) 12-41/2; 2. Rozsa (CF) 11-0; 3. Gillespie (Wood) 10-6.

LAKEVIEW INVITATIONAL

How they finished: 1. Cardinal 111; 2. Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin 1051/2; 3. Beachwood 84; 4. Pymatuning Valley 75; 5. Lakeview 651/2; 6. Jefferson 52; 7. Martin Luther King Jr. 43; 8. Berkshire 42; 9. Grand Valley 351/2; 10. Conneaut 231/2; 11. St. Peter Chanel 10; 12. McKinley 8.

4x800: 1. Card (Dhayer, Loze, Kruse, Timas) 10:28.70; 2. Berk 10:59.58; 3. NDCL 11:13.83. 100H: 1. DeVivo (Jeff) 17.37; 2. Dinishak (Card) 17.79; 3. Slusher (GV) 18.43. 100: 1. Appling (MLK) 12.93; 2. Perryman (Beach) 13.32; 3. Kelly (Card) 13.53. 4x200: 1. Beach (Gaines-Smith, Pounds, Kahn, DeVaughn) 1:51.83; 2. MLK 1:51.89; 3. NDCL 1:52.95. 1,600: 1. Dhayer (Card) 5:45.33; 2. Breier (NDCL) 5:55.53; 3. Gatto (NDCL) 5:59.02. 4x100: 1.*Beach (Perryman, DeVaughn, Gaines-Smith, Kahn) 50.03; 2. MLK 51.79; 3. Lview 52.04. 400: 1. Kelly (Card) 1:01.02; 2. Jacobs (SPC) 1:01.69; 3. Sims (Lview) 1:02.29. 300H: 1. Goedeker (Lview) 49.08; 2. Lechene (Card) 50.04; 3. Dinishak (Card) 50.45. 800: 1. Hopson-Boyd (Beach) 2:30.35; 2. Dillon (PV) 2:35.44; 3. Kruse (Card) 2:37.69. 200: 1. Appling (MLK) 26.80; 2. DeVaughn (Beach) 27.75; 3. Lonchor (NDCL) 27.93. 3,200: 1. Patterson (Berk) 12:39.75; 2. Hyslop (NDCL) 12:52.20; 3. Hickox (Card) 12:53.79. 4x400: 1. Beach (Richardson, Hopson-Boyd, Kahn, Perryman) 4:15.06; 2. Card 4:22.25; 3. NDCL 4:29.45. Discus: 1. Zbinovec (NDCL) 128-10; 2. Mayer (Berk) 99-11; 3. Marz (McK) 92-8. High jump: 1. Preske (GV) 4-10; 2. Allen (Jeff) 4-8; 3. Hall (PV) 4-6. Long jump: 1. Gabriel (PV) 16-41/4; 2. Perryman (Beach) 16-0; 3. Brown (PV) 14-41/4. Shot put: 1. Zbinovec (NDCL) 36-11/2; 2. Gabriel (PV) 30-41/4; 3. Beatty (Lview) 29-10. Pole vault: 1. *DeVivo (Jeff) 9-3; 2. Goedeker (Lview) 7-0; 3. Friedl (NDCL) 7-0.

*-Meet record

MENTOR CARDINAL RELAYS

How they finished: 1. Mentor 115; 2. Geneva 111; 3. Chardon 77; 4. Mayfield 71; 5. Wadsworth 63; 6. Riverside 59; 7. Willoughby South 58; 8. Brush 30; 9. Bedford 24; 10. John Hay 17; 11. Madison 14; 12. Eastlake North 13; 13. Maple Heights 8.

100: 1. Ferrante (Chardon) 12.10; 2. (tie) Russell (Geneva), Stephens (Bedford) 12.50;. 1,600: 1. Kule (Chardon) 5:16.11; 2. Rohwer (Brush) 5:25.39; 3. Stansbury (Chardon) 5:48.75. 3,200: 1. Durisin (Riverside) 11:50.61; 2. Magro (Mentor) 12:14.58; 3. Hord (madison) 12:35.19. 110H: 1. Muhammad (Mentor) 15.82; 2. Sotkovsky (Mentor) 16.62; 3. Armstrong (Geneva) 16.62. 4x100: 1. John Hay (Hill, Brown, May, Onyeukwu) 50.36; 2. Chardon 50.67; 3. Wadsworth 51.11. 4x200: 1. Geneva (Thompson, VanHoy, Deering, Russell) 1:45.54; 2. Wadsworth 1:46.32; 3. Riverside 1:47.66. 4x400: 1. Wadsworth (Palange, Runkle, Berger, Gordon) 3:59.15; 2. Geneva 4:03.28; 3. Chardon 4:14.95. 4x800: 1. Geneva (VanHoy, Arndt, O'Dell, Deering) 9:45.50; 2. Wadsworth 10:06.32; 3. Mentor 10:16.94. 4x1,600: 1. Chardon (Kule, Stansbury, Diehl, King) 22;25.90; 2. Madison 22:44.11; 3. Mentor 24:13.77. 800 sprint medley: 1. Mayfield (Collins, Handel, Bishop, Wingfield) 1:50.40; 2. Geneva 1:51.57; 3. Mentor 1:53.12. Distance medley: 1. Mentor (Rozic, Jordan, Woods, Robinson) 13:10.92; 2. Mayfield 13;20.52; 3. Riverside 13:45.15. 4x100 shuttle hurdles: 1. Mentor (Sotkovsky, Birchall, Rozic, Muhammad) 1:07.13; 2. Geneva 1:09.26; 3. Riverside 1:009.70. High jump: 1. 1. Rodewald (Riverside) 5-3; 2. (tie) Eiben (Mentor), Dlugosz (Mayfield) 5-1. Pole vault: 1. Thompson (Geneva) 10-9; 2. Tatonetti (Chardon) 10-0; 3. (tie) Slaughter (Brush), Gabriel (mentor), White (Wadsworth) 9-6. Long jump: 1. Stephens (Bedford) 17-01/4; 2. Runkle (Wadsworth) 16-93/4; 3. Tatonetti (Chardon) 16-9. Shot put: 1. Dipippo (Mayfield) 36-11/4; 2. Golnick (Will. South) 35-11/4; 3. Sullens (Mentor) 34-10. Discus: 1. Coleman (Mayfield) 105-10; 2. Strayer (Mentor) 105-9; 3. Graehling (Mentor) 101-2.

OPTIMIST MEET

How they finished: 1. Austintown-Fitch 63. 2. Stow 521/2; 3. Green 50; 4. (tie) Shaker Hts., Jackson 46; 6. Cle. Heights 39; 7. Twinsburg 3583/4; 8. Garaway 35; 9. Hawken 27; 10. Badger 26; 11. Canfield 23; 12. John F. Kennedy 22; 13. Southeast 21; 14. Girard 18; 15. Medina 17; 16. Streetsboro 161/2; 17. Hudson 13; 18. (tie) St. Thomas Aquinas, Kent Roosevelt, Berkshire 11; 21. Louisville 10; 22. Howland 91/2; 23. Rootstown 9; 24. (tie) Columbiana, Hoover, Boardman, Poland Seminary 8; 28. South Range 6; 29. East Canton 5; 30. Shaw 3; 31. Newton Falls 2; 32. East Palestine 03/4.

Shot put: 1. Swihart (Gara) 38-81/4; 2. White (Sou) 38-71/2; 3. Freeland (Roo) 38-51/2. Discus: 1. Pallini (Med) 126-8; 2. Dunlap (Colu) 121-9; 3. Nolte (Stow) 111-7. High jump: 1. Branney (Gre) 5-6; 2. Workley (Hoo) 5-4; 3. Airhart (How) 5-4. Long jump: 1. Porter (CH) 16-91/2; 2. Reynolds (SH) 16-33/4; 3. Blaney (Bad) 16-3. Pole vault: *1. Estes (Gre) 12-91/2; 2. Dunn (Gar) 10-6; 3. Jenkins (Gre) 9-6. 4x800: 1. Jack 9:52.03; 2. AF 10:01.10; 3. Canf 10:03.06. 100H: 1. Pryce (Stow) 14.83; 2. Spotleson (PS) 14.85; 3. King (Str) 15.48. 100: 1. Shaver (Stow) 12.56; 2. Hooker (Gre) 12.65; 3. Abshaw (CH) 12.70. 4x200: 1. AF 1:44.87; 2. SH (Laster, Owens, Husamadeen, McGinnis) 1:45.15; 3. CH 1:46.14. 1,600: 1. Markovich (Haw) 5:11.67; 2. Sauers (Hud) 5:16.77; 3. Welsh (STA) 5:22.38. 4x100: 1. Twin (McKinley, Lawson, Laley, Ware) 49.31; 2. AF 49.79; 3. CH 50.63. 400: 1. Hale (JFK) 59.85; 2. Krumpe (Badg) 1:00.34; 3. Kagy (Gir) 1:01.27. 300H: 1. McCullough (Sou) 47.58; 2. Kring (Lou) 47.71; 3. Reynolds (SH) 48.65. 800: 1. Rector (Gre) 2:21.74; 2. Davis (KR) 2:25.62; 3. Blinczyk (SH) 2:27.37. 200: 1. Davis (AF) 25.40; 2. Lawson (Twin) 25.73; 3. Shaver (Stow) 25.94. 3,200: 1. Markovich (Haw) 11:00.07; 2. Lunne (Canf) 11:17.32; 3. Wentworth (Gara) 11:19.71. 4x400: 1. Jack 4:13.58; 2. CH (Porter, Seidman, Davis, Maultsby) 4:15.56; 3. AF 4:17.05.

Boys tennis

Hawken 4, Poland Seminary 1

Singles: Gardner (PS) d. Ahuja 6-3, 5-7, 7-5; V.Yadav d. Calcagni 6-2, 6-2; Lee d. Riccardi 7-6(7-2), 6-1.

Doubles: Khosla/Modi d. Jeswald/Geiger 6-2, 6-1; Rankin/Pollock d. Christoff/Houy 6-1, 6-0.

CVC TOURNAMENT

Chagrin Division

How they finished: 1. Beachwood 20; 2. Hawken 17; 3. Orange 14; 4. (tie) Kenston, Chagrin Falls 12.

First singles: Vid Yadav (H) d. R.Beilinson(O) 6-1, 7-5.

Second singles: A. Lee (H) d. B.Dubin(B) 6-1, 6-0.

Third singles: K. Mullholland (B) d. K.Khosla(H) 7-5, 3-6, 6-2.

First doubles: Shoemaker/Ciabotti (C) d. Gill/Romanoff(B) 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-4.

Second doubles: Malik/Hersch (B) d. Esterer/Widman(C) 6-3, 6-0.

Metro Division

How they finished: 1. Aurora; 2. Perry; 3. West Geauga; 4. Harvey; 5. Wickliffe; 6. Kirtland.

FIRST SINGLES--First place: Guthrie (Perry) d. Adist (Aurora) 6-0, 6-1; Third place: Douglas (WG) d. Thies (Harvey) 8-1.

SECOND SINGLES--First place: Walker (Perry) d. Shatokhin (Aurora) 306, 6-4, 6-2; Third place: Georgevitch (West Geauga) d. Formica (Wickliffe) 8-0.

THIRD SINGLES--First place: Sender (Aurora) d. Goulet (West Geauga) 6-1, 6-0; Third place: Orosz (Harvey) d. Dahneke (Perry) 8-3.

FIRST DOUBLES--First place: Bunka/Wilson (Aurora) d. Walker/Fatica (Perry) 6-3, 6-2; Third place: Onderdonk/Hanson (West Geauga) d. Sheredy/Lanese) 9-7.

SECOND DOUBLES--First place: Jayakumar/Manddaza (Aurora) d. West/Best 7-6, 6-3 (7-1); Third place: Negrete/Brown (Harvey) d. Pate/Patel (Wickliffe) 8-5.

WSC TOURNAMENT

How they finished: 1. Bay 28; 2. Lakewood 27; 3. (tie) Rocky River, Vermilion, Avon 22; 6. Midview 12; 7. North Ridgeville 5.

First singles--Championship: Mostardi (Avon) def. Hansen (Vermilion), 6-4, 6-0; Third: Richardson (Lakewood) def. Grierson (Rocky River), 7-6 (9-8), 4-6, 6-4.

Second singles--Championship: Reiss (Bay) d. Robbins (Avon) 6-2, 6-4; Third: Brinich (Lakewood) d. Stefani (Rocky River) 6-2, 6-0.

Third singles--Championship: Mezin (Lakewood) d. Hippler (Bay) 6-3, 6-4; Third: Spencer (Vermilion) d. Pease (Rocky River) 6-0, 6-4.

First doubles--Championship: Enders/Messina (Bay) d. Ittu/McDermott (Rocky River) 6-3, 6-4; Third: Nicklaus/Badt (Avon) d. Figueiredo/Northrop (Lakewood) 6-3, 6-1.

Second doubles--Championship: Huntley/Cruse (Bay) d. Carlson/Levis (Lakewood) 7-5, 6-1; Third: Adkins/Niehart (Vermilion) over Jors/Knuebel (Rocky River) by default.

Boys lacrosse

Arch. Hoban 10, Wellington School 7

AH (7-6): Gutbrod 3, Pereira 2, Mellon 2 Jenkins 2 Swaney. WS (1-12): Taylor 5, Shemate 2.

Goalies: AH, Redle (16 saves); WS, Fest (13).

Benedictine 5, Toledo C.C. 4

B (8-2): Alexandersen , M.Yormick, Kliendienst, Judy, Cancellierre. TCC: Chandler 2, Duck, Myers.

Goalies: B, Musarra (14 saves); TCC, Koester (12).

Cardinal Mooney 5, Stow 4

CM: Whipkey 2, Fonderlin, Joss, Boniface. S (2-11): Malorni, Mannella, Daddario, Modderman.

Goalies: CM, n/a (17 saves); S, Kevern (14).

Hawken 9, Walsh Jesuit 5

H (7-4): Labes 4, R. Stilson 4, A. Stilson 1. WJ (4-6): Puckett 2, Fioritto 2, Hines 1.

Goalies: H, Opalich (7 saves); WJ, Fiocca (13).

St. Ignatius 13, St. Charles 4

SI: Avdey 2, Maruna 2, Joseph 2, Siragusa 2, Vitale, Hennessey, Ellis, Bill, Brogan. SC: Browne 2, Ward, Shuster.

Goalies: SI, Haag (8 saves); SC, Carducci (7).

Girls lacrosse

Brecksville 12, Avon Lake 6

B: Augustine 2, Harris 2, Jirousek 2, Klonowski 2, Robinson 2, Cassese, Kotchman. AL: McClain 2, McCoy 2, Bueck, Sliwinski.

Goalies: B, Gee (4 saves), Ring (4); AL, Ferrell (21).

Shaker Heights 13, Hawken 6

SH: Morrison 5, Anderson 3, Bliss, Cook, Medalie, Pease. H: Artz 3, Bajko, Leizman, Kennedy.

Goalies: SH, Cendra (10 saves); H, Perry (11).

Boys volleyball

Kent Roosevelt d. Medina 25-14, 25-16, 23-25, 25-16

VASJ d. Kent Roosevelt 25-20, 26-24, 24-26, 25-23

VASJ d. Medina 25-20, 25-21, 24-26, 25-20

Strong pitching gave Mentor a doubleheader sweep Saturday. Louisville recruit Kade McClure tossed a two-hitter as Mentor topped Mayfield, 8-0, and the Cardinals' Brandon Kasberg handcuffed Willoughby South on three hits in a 9-0 romp.

Strong pitching gave Mentor a doubleheader sweep Saturday.

Louisville recruit Kade McClure tossed a two-hitter as Mentor topped Mayfield, 8-0, and the Cardinals' Brandon Kasberg handcuffed Willoughby South on three hits in a 9-0 romp.

Mentor's ranked 13th in the Division I state poll.

Brecksville-Broadview Heights 8-9, Holy Name 7-1: Dominic Pestello pitched three innings in the opener for the win but got relief help in the seventh inning from Paul Karthan. The Bees, ranked No. 4 in Division I, had Vlad Kovacevic finish with a double and three RBI. Brecksville cruised in the second game as Josh Armbruster doubled and homered.

Benedictine 4, Parma 3 (eight innings): Nick Monochino pitched three innings in relief of Andrew Anderson, who singled in the winning run with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the eighth.

Highland 11, Trinity 9: A seven-run sixth inning helped the Hornets win the nonleague home game, as Ricky Esker and Anthony Ondrejecak each had two doubles, scored twice and drove in two runs.

Stow 6, Massillon 2: Stow had 11 hits and played flawlessly in the field for the nonleague win behind Mike Urban's three hits.

Cuyahoga Falls 14-10, Valley Forge 5-0: The Tigers swept the Northeast Ohio Conference doubleheader. Ed Skokich and Matt Heinl combined for four doubles, three runs and six RBI.

Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin 11, Rocky River 9: The Lions scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to win the nonleague game. Chandler Walnsch's 2-for-2 effort included a triple and two RBI.

Softball

Cleveland Heights 6, Laurel 1: Simone Sollisch shut down the Gators on five hits and 11 strikeouts, and Katie Moore paced the Tigers' nine-hit offense with two hits and two RBI.

Westlake 5, Padua 1: Rachel May led the Demons to an opening win with a single, triple and three RBI.

Westlake 10, Bay 0: Jamie Screen had three hits, three runs, four steals and an RBI to lead Westlake. Bay 6, Padua 2: Christina McGovern's two hits, RBI and a stolen base paced the Rockets, who scored all their runs in the fifth inning.

Lorain 8-1, Brookside 5-3: The Titans needed three runs in the top of the eighth inning to the win the first game, as Kayla Lurry came up big with two singles and two doubles. Two runs in the top of the fourth inning salvaged the split for Brookside, which had Kirsten Lara lead the way with three hits, including a triple.

Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin 11, Youngstown Ursuline 3: Samantha Flowers' two hits and three RBI paced the Lions as part of their invitational.

Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin 3, Edgewood 0: Camille Pollutro's double, run and RBI sparked the Lions to the nightcap victory.

North Royalton 16-10, Vermilion 0-0: Walsh recruit Nikki Newman pitched both games and also went 3-for-3 in the opener with a double and three RBI. Kirsten Kovar led the Bears in the second-game romp with two doubles and three runs scored.

Rocky River 9-2, North Olmsted 7-0: The Pirates swept the nonleague doubleheader, thanks to Nina Paulic and Emma Opdycke, who went 2-for-2 in the first and second games, respectively.

Girls track

Mentor Relays: The host Cardinals, thanks to three first places, won, 115-111, over runner-up Geneva. Aysha Muhammad topped the 100-meter hurdle field in 15.82, then joined Sarah Sotkovsky, Samantha Birchall and Cassie Rozic in winning the 4x100 relay in 1:07.13. Rozic, Melody Jordan, Ashlyn Woods and Kinsey Robinson were victorious in the distance medley in 13:10.92.

Fleet Feet Summit County Meet: Taylor McDonald helped Nordonia beat St. Vincent-St. Mary, 137-119.50, for the championship trophy when she took the 100 and 300 hurdles with retimes of 15.54 and 43.40.

Avon Relays: Rocky River racked up five first-place finishes, scoring 94 points to win the team crown. Monica McDonough, Abby Brandt, Katie Bobbitt and Maddie Fitzsimmons won the 4x100 hurdles in 1:10.81, while Fitzsimmons, Sarah Lesiecki, Jessica Vitou and Emily Holcomb did likewise in the 800 sprint relay when they ran 1:54.67. Lesiecki (16-6) and Abbey DeCrane (15-8) won the long jump relay, and Madi Connelly, Ciara Sandu, Ellen Corcoran and Chloe Bierut captured the 4x800 in 9:57.2, while Connelly also won the 1,600 in 5:18.49. Lorain's 4x200 relay of Tierra Goodman, Andresja Dearmas, Lamia Scott and Jocelynn Rogers set the only varsity meet record when they won in 1:44.35.

Boys track

Mentor Relays: A pair of wins in the track events and one in the field events helped the Cardinals win the team title with 119 points. Kenston was second with 98. Jared Keipert, Marc Walton, Jeff Gudowicz and Austin Hankins won the 4x800 relay in 8:07.85, while Keipert, Hankins, Jaylen Dowdy and Darren Ingram won the 4x400 relay in 3:29.98. Dowdy and Eddie Daugherty each cleared 6-0, while Joe Lampert finished at 5-6, as the threesome placed first in the high jump.

Fleet Feet Summit County Meet: Nordonia and Cuyahoga Falls finished 1-2, with 123.50 and 110 points, respectively. Denzel Ward paced the Knights when he teamed with Brandon Truett, Brandon Wilson and Sterling Brabson to win the 4x200 relay in 1:30.81 before placing first in the long jump at 21-9. Brabson, Jordan Nobles, Nick Rezek and Kieron Stallworth won the 4x400 relay in 3:31.05.

Avon Relays: With four first places, Wadsworth totaled 118 points en route to the team title. Hunter Williams ran an 11.50 in the 100, then joined Quade Hanlin, Eric Yetzer and Josh Weber for a winning time of 1:32.02 in the 4x200 relay. Nick Winkler, Jeff Batey and Theo and Jon Bach ran 18:59.85 to win the 4x1,600 relay, while Ryan Looser (18-5) and Clay Smalley (17-10) won the long jump.

Boys tennis

West Shore Conference Tournament: Bay won three championships en route to edging Lakewood, 28-27, for the team title and snapping Rocky River's two-year domination. The Rockets were led by second-singles champion Jack Reiss, as well as Tyler Enders and Zach Messina at first doubles and Dan Huntley and Carter Cruse at second doubles.

Girls lacrosse

Brecksville-Broadview Heights 12, Avon Lake 6: Balanced scoring was the name of the Bees' game, as Courtney Augustine, Julie Harris, Julianne Jirousek, Carly Klonowski and Tori Robinson each tallied two goals.

Boys lacrosse

Archbishop Hoban 10, The Wellington School 7: Rodrigo Pereira, Paul Gutbrod, Owen Mellon and Mike Jenkins combined for nine goals and seven assists for the Knights.

Barkevious Mingo is what the Browns want, another piece of a pass rush that will improve dramatically in 2013 with fellow additions Paul Kruger and Quentin Groves and holdover Jabaal Sheard.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There's never a shortage of sports topics in Northeast Ohio, so we're talkin' ...

About the Browns' draft ...

I was critical of the team's actions in two stories last week. To be fair, I will explain how the Browns viewed this draft, based on conversations with those who know their approach.

1. The Browns had four players ranked as "blue-chippers." I could only come up with three names -- Barkevious Mingo and offensive tackles Luke Joeckel and Eric Fisher. It's possible the fourth was guard Chance Warmack, although I'm sure they were not going to take a guard at No. 6. The main point was Mingo was on the list.

2. That's why they rejected an offer from St. Louis to trade down to No. 16 and add a second-round pick. If a blue-chipper remained available, they were not about to make a trade unless it was clearly lopsided in their favor. They didn't think the offer for the Rams' 16th, 46th and 222nd picks were enough to pass on Mingo.

3. Mingo fits into their philosophy -- pressure the quarterback. Supposedly, San Francisco had Mingo near the top of its draft board for the same reason the Browns did -- he's physically gifted and quick. He's what their scouts want. They want to load up on pass-rushers and believe they have four at outside linebacker with Paul Kruger, Quentin Groves, Jabaal Sheard and Mingo.

4. They believe that in Ray Horton's 3-4 defense, they can line Mingo out wider than he played at LSU and take advantage of his speed. They also believe that he's athletic and smart enough to know how to drop into pass coverage. Bottom line: In this defense, they do not believe the switch from a 4-3 college end to a 3-4 outside linebacker will be a big adjustment.

View full sizeJosh Gordon's productive 2012 season and a belief he'll be better in 2013 gave the Browns reason not to sweat not having a second-round pick in last weekend's NFL draft.Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer 

5. They would have liked to have had the second-round pick, but they also like having Josh Gordon on the roster. The second round contained several cornerbacks who may become immediate starters. But they believe Mingo will be an impact player, and didn't want to miss a chance to take him simply to stack up more picks.

6. In the third round, they selected Leon McFadden, who started 45 games at San Diego State. They considered him a smart, polished cornerback who can play in several schemes. While McFadden missed the Senior Bowl with a groin injury, he looked strong in several practices and that made an impression -- the Browns already liked him for his college work. Yes, they wish McFadden didn't measure at slightly under 5-10, but they believe he can be a solid player.

7. The Browns hope McFadden can start, but he has to win the position. They have Joe Haden on one side. Buster Skrine and Chris Owens are the other cornerbacks. They believe Owens showed more what he could do in 2011 (playing 49 percent of the snaps) for Atlanta than in 2012, when he was on the field for only 24 percent. Owens had a concussion last season and also missed time with a hamstring injury. The Browns signed him to a one-year, $1 million deal.

8. The goal is for Owens and McFadden to play well enough to at least split some time at the position -- so that Skrine can focus on covering slot receivers. He did a decent job in that role last season.

9. In addition to several personal and drug problems, the Browns didn't see Tyrann Mathieu as a strong outside cover corner. Like most scouting reports, they had LSU's "Honey Badger" listed as a slot cover man and a superb returner.

10. They are very excited about adding receiver Davone Bess. They shuffled some picks with Miami, but didn't lose any. In any discussion of the draft, the Browns say Bess must be mentioned. He's averaged 64 catches over the past five seasons. He has an excellent track record of racking up first downs.

11. Bess is not a big-play guy or a touchdown maker, but he could become one of Brandon Weeden's best friends on third down. In the past five years, his 130 first-down grabs is second in the NFL. Last season, the Browns ranked 30th in third-down conversion at 31 percent. Bess will help. He also is a respected player who should be a good example for Greg Little, Josh Gordon and Travis Benjamin. Only 27, Bess should have productive seasons to come.

12. The coaches did like some of the things Benjamin has shown on tape and in the first minicamp. He is set to replace Joshua Cribbs as the main return main. They also signed David Nelson (recovering from knee surgery) as a slot receiver. Adding it all up, they have five receivers who should help: Little, Gordon, Bess, Benjamin and Nelson. Jordan Norwood and Josh Cooper are back, but I'm not sure how they fit unless there is an injury.

About the lower draft moves ...

1. One of the myths surrounding the trade of a fourth-rounder to Pittsburgh (for a third-rounder in 2014) and fifth-rounder to the Colts (for a fourth-rounder in 2014) is that the new front office was using reports from the scouts of the Mike Holmgren/Tom Heckert regime -- and didn't trust the reports. One top operative became angry when I mentioned that, telling me: "We had all the information we needed. We did our homework. The scouts were not an issue when we came to the trades. We just didn't like the players available."

2. A little history lesson. Joe Banner knew he was the team's CEO from training camp. General Manager Mike Lombardi knew he'd be coming to the Browns during the season. These guys had more time to prepare for the 2013 draft than former GMs Phil Savage (hired in 2005) or Heckert (2010) when they had their first Cleveland drafts. Both joined the team after the season.

3. The Browns had a player in the upper level of the fourth round -- not sure who it was -- that they considered a starter. Once that player was picked, they were open to trading the 2013 pick for a better one in 2014. The Steelers made the deal to take Syracuse safety Shamarko Thomas. The Browns considered Thomas to be a T.J. Ward hard-hitting strong safety, and that's not what they needed. They also were a bit worried because he has a history of concussions.

4. In the fifth round, they saw no one as a starter -- and believed it simply made sense to add two more picks for the 2014 draft -- giving them six in the first four rounds.

5. Most teams had a third- or fourth-round grade on safety Jamoris Slaughter, picked in the sixth. The reason he dropped was the Achilles injury in Notre Dame's third game of the season. At the very least, they consider him a very good special teams player with the potential to be more.

6. Seventh-rounder Garrett Gilkey has added 70 pounds since enrolling at Division II power Chadron State and at 320, is a good developmental player for the offensive line. Guys like this sometimes become useful guards in the NFL.

7. Like most teams, the Browns view the seventh round as a place to take a gamble, which is why they also picked defensive lineman Armonty Bryant. They know he sold marijuana to an undercover policeman while at East Central (Okla.) University, resulting in a three-game suspension. They say they have checked him out and he's worth the minimal risk because they think he has NFL physical skills as a 263-pound pass rusher.

View full sizeFirst-inning homers by Nick Swisher (left) and Jason Kipnis (right) are just another example of the fun being seen during Indians games so far this season.Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer 

About the Tribe...

1. The Indians have become a far more entertaining team for one simple reason -- some games, they just pound the ball. They have hitters who make you take notice because they can deposit a pitch into the bleachers. Last season, the Tribe DHs batted .226 with 22 homers. Only Seattle's DHs were less productive. Battling injuries, Travis Hafner played 66 games, batting .228 with 12 homers and 34 RBI.

2. The Indians entered Saturday with the DH batting .280 with seven homers, and Nick Swisher added another homer in his first at-bat. Several players -- Mark Reynolds to Jason Giambi to Swisher -- have filled that spot, and they should continue to get power there this season.

3. Hafner is off to a solid start for the Yankees. Before Saturday, he was batting .288 with six homers and 17 RBI. But he was 6-of-30 (.200 with one homer) in his last 10 games. The Yankees have to make sure they don't play him too much, because that's when injuries happen. He has had strong Aprils the last few years before getting hurt.

4. Trevor Bauer is back in the minors to work on his fastball. In his two big-league starts, he threw only 49 percent fastballs -- the lowest of any starting pitcher this season. The average is 62 percent. He threw only 52 percent strikes on his fastball, below the 65 percent average.

5. Bauer's average fastball is in the 93 mph range, and he can reach 96. It's well above average. He has a very good change-up and effective breaking pitches. But better control of his fastball would mean fewer walks. He has walked 13 in 10 Tribe innings, but averaged 4.1 walks per game in his minor-league career. That's a bit high, but not alarming.

6. Drew Stubbs was hitting .191 against righties heading into Friday's game, which he won with a double against right-hander Casey Fien. Stubbs is a career .228 hitter (.651 OPS) vs. righties, but .283 (.837 OPS) vs. lefties. The Indians believed at the very least Stubbs will help them against lefties, along with being an excellent outfielder and base-stealer. He is a good role player on this team.

7. Give General Manager Chris Antonetti credit for attacking the team's problems vs. lefties (.234 last season) by adding players who have hit lefties well in their careers -- such as Reynolds, Mike Aviles and Stubbs. Swisher is a switch-hitter. The Tribe is hitting .280 vs. lefties this season.

8. Kevin Slowey is 2-0 with a 2.15 ERA in six starts for Miami. In 2011, Slowey was 0-8 with a 6.67 ERA for the Twins. The Tribe picked him up last season and tried to give him the fifth starter's spot in spring training. He pitched poorly, was sent to Class AAA and was 3-3 record with a 5.14 ERA. Out for several months with arm problems, he became a free agent and signed with the Marlins. The Slowey situation is much like the Tigers cutting Ryan Raburn, who batted .171 last season before turning into Carlos Baerga in his prime this season-- at least, so far.

View full sizeTerry Pluto can see the value of keeping Wayne Ellington on the 2013-14 Cavaliers roster -- at the right price.Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer 

About the Cavaliers ...

Several players are heading to free agency or have contract options. Here's a breakdown of the key ones on the roster.

1. C.J. Miles has a $2.2 million team option. He averaged 11.2 points, shooting .415 (.384 on 3-pointers). He comes off the bench with energy, even if he takes some bad shots. Pick up the option for another year on a very reasonable contract.

2. Wayne Ellington is a restricted free agent. After arriving from Memphis, he averaged 10.4 points and shot .439 (.371 on 3-pointers). Sign him to a reasonable contract. If someone give him a big offer sheet, no need to match. You have Miles. But the pair give the Cavs two shooting guards who can play some small forward as scorers off the bench.

3. Daniel Gibson is an unrestricted free agent. In the past two seasons, he's shot .345 (.375 on 3-pointers) and averaged 6.4 points in 23 minutes. He often is injured. It's a long time since his glory days making jumpers in the LeBron James Era. Time for the guard to find a new team.

4. Shaun Livingston is an unrestricted free agent. He's a 6-7 point guard who has a very mature game, seldom taking poor shots or making silly passes. He shot .507, averaging 7.2 points. He has a history of injuries, but was healthy this season. He is worth finding a way to keep.

5. Mo Speights has a $4.5-million player option. I'd love to have him, but it's his call. He averaged 10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds in 18 minutes, very productive. Speights has weight issues, and a long-term contract would bring some real risk.

6. Omri Casspi is a restricted free agent. He was given a chance to start at small forward, but never produced. He should go back to Europe, where he was a star.

7. Luke Walton is an unrestricted free agent. He can really pass, but his shooting and scoring are weak. He's battled back injuries. I'd rather they find someone else.

8. From this group, the Cavs would return with Miles, Ellington, Livingston and possibly Speights on the bench. The only problem is none of them are especially strong on defense, so it will be interesting to see how new coach Mike Brown views the roster.

If it seems that the struggles of the Cleveland sports fan is the stuff of moviemaking, apparently you would be right.

View full sizeKris Belman is planning a documentary on the Cleveland sports fan.AP file 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cleveland movie starring, not Kevin Costner, but you.

Film maker Kris Belman remembers the day school administrators made a P.A. announcement at St. Sebastian's elementary school in Akron. Kids booed. They rolled up papers and threw them. They booed some more.

"It felt like a prison riot," Belman said Saturday.

That's how he found out Art Modell was moving the Browns to Baltimore. Belman tells his L.A. co-workers that story and they look at him as if he's crazy. A school announcement, for a departing football team?

The late Al Davis treated L.A. and Oakland like a time-share condo. L.A. hasn't had pro football forever. It's a topic that rarely comes up Sunday afternoons at the beach.

Belman and his crew are in Cleveland this weekend on an exploratory trip in advance of the serious work on a planned ESPN "30 For 30" documentary on the Cleveland sports fan. The film will air in 2014, the 50-year anniversary of the last championship here -- in case you'd lost count.

The documentary brings together Belman, who directed the excellent "More Than a Game" documentary on LeBron James and his high-school buddies, and acclaimed producer Gary Cohen. Cohen is a Mets fan from New York, so he, too, has some scars.

The difference for Belman is he lived the subject matter. He doesn't remember The Drive as well as he does The Fumble. His parents were at stadium for The Drive.

Belman's parents took him to old Cleveland Stadium in an attempt to make the crowd shots for the movie "Major League." He's enough of a Cleveland insider to go beyond heart-ripping disappointment to tell the story of how a city so badly treated by its sports gods has managed to maintain its passion and resilience.

Fifty years of forced hunger would make for a good documentary in any city for sure. Not many candidates in that category. There's a similar story to tell in Buffalo perhaps, but hardly anywhere else.

"To me it works best in this city," said Belman. "I want to say it's the only one where it works but that's probably just being a Cleveland fan.

"It's not just not having won a championship. It's being almost there and not getting it done. Being left at the altar ... people come at with me the Cubs but other Chicago teams have won. Or you'll hear San Diego [in the discussion]. I mean, they got the beach.

View full sizeIt isn't true that only the Cleveland fan is miserable when it comes to the sports world. But most of us have pretty much embraced this posture at one time or another.John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer 

"I'll personally pay for the flight of any San Diego fan to come to Cleveland in February if they want to make that argument. If you're wearing shorts to a football game and it's November, there's something not quite the same there."

Belman was in San Diego for a Browns game a few years back. A Chargers' fan saw Browns' colors and said sarcastically, "Cleveland ... Detroit without the glitter."

"Here I am almost getting in a fight with a guy in shorts who looks like Jerry Stiller," Belman said.

Belman and Cohen announced the documentary on WKNR's "Really Big Show" Friday. Listeners called in with stories of gloom, doom, disappointment, passion, optimism.

"Listening to the callers, [growing up here] was hitting me all over again," said Belman.

Belman and Cohen want to hear from fans with stories to tell either about themselves or someone they know who exemplifies what it means to be a Cleveland sports fan. The web address: WeAreCleveland@gmail.com.

"Hopefully, people will submit others they know of," said Belman. "Maybe the fan we're looking for is somebody's uncle who is too modest or too busy to contact us himself."

Maybe. But I wouldn't rule out too drunk and despondent.

SPINOFFS

• We start with a prediction: a decade from now, the grounds crew at Progressive Field will still be excavating pieces of Jason Giambi left over from his slide into first base against the Phillies.

• The competition is over for the Best Quote of 2013: "I felt like Mr. Potato Head. My parts were going everywhere." -- Giambi. Everybody else is vying for second.

• Chicago's Luol Deng missed Game 6 and Game 7 against the Brooklyn Nets, but sent word from the hospital to make sure people understood it was no ordinary illness that sidelined him.

Now I'm back in the ER where I may have to spend the night... I want my teammates and Bulls fans to know I would NEVER miss a game bc of flu

— Luol Deng (@LuolDeng9) May 3, 2013

It would have to be something really debilitating to keep a dedicated pro from playing.

Like strep throat, said Peyton Hillis.

• Unnamed NFL personnel men are taking shots at Geno Smith after he fell down the draft board into the second round. Seems some teams thought Smith was aloof in private workouts and meetings, sometimes checking his cell phone when coaches were talking to him.

"One of his perceived weaknesses is working through adversity," was the quote attributed to a AFC personnel executive.

So, by trashing a kid anonymously, NFL talent evaluators are just trying to give him more adversity to work through?

"Right now [Smith] is coming off as a spoiled pampered brat," said a NFC scout.

Wonder if the scout knows he comes off as too spineless to attach his name.

• Floyd Mayweather gave a USA Today reporter a tour of his 22,000 square foot Vegas mansion.

The house includes a 1,000 square foot walk-in closet. I believe such a space goes by another name in northeast Ohio real estate. A West Park bungalow.

Mine.

• Mayweather's belongings include a shoe collection in the hundreds, all of which he plans to wear.

"The others I give to the Salvation Army for people less fortunate," he said. Also known as everyone else in America except Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Donald Trump.

Two weeks ago, I might've put Jimmy Haslam on that list.

• Ex-Green Bay Packers player LeRoy Butler had a paid appearance cancelled by a church after he showed support for Jason Collins coming out as the first active gay player in the four major American sports.

FYI the fee was 8500$,then I was told if i removed the tweet, and apologize and ask god forgiveness, I can have the event, I said no,

— leroy butler (@leap36) May 1, 2013

Not sure of the subject of Butler's $8,500 speech. But if it wasn't "LeRoy Butler's Top Ten Gay Pride Parades," why not let him talk?

• Rex Ryan says he hopes to coach the New York Jets for the next 20 years. The way the Jets look these days, he should lower his sights to 20 quarters. Or 20 Super Bowl guarantees, whichever comes first.

• The Schaumburg Boomers of the Frontier League, who play at a park with a seating capacity of 7,365, jokingly offered the Cubs a home after owner Tom Ricketts said he would move the team out of Wrigley Field if plans to renovate the old ball yard are blocked.

"We'll propose a fair and honest rent, no question about that, but we have one tenant that's committed to winning a championship in 2013 so the Boomers would get first priority with dates," said Schaumburg president Andy Viano.

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is too modest to say this so I'll say it for him. The Cavs will win a NBA title before the Cubs play in Schaumburg.

There.

• Colin Kaepernick has signed an endorsement deal with Jaguar, which is unveiling a $92,000 convertible. He's also cut deals with MusclePharm and MoGo Sport, which makes a flavored mouth guard.

No word yet on whether the McCoy family believes companies are selling Colt short.

• Jaguars coach Gus Bradley says he still trusts Justin Blackmon after the wide receiver's third substance abuse issue in three years.

I know a lot of guys who wish Bradley had been their marriage counselor.

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Sunday Edition)

"Hey Mailer:

"What was more depressing for you when you were watching the Browns draft? Wishing the Browns drafted a quarterback for the future or wishing you had the coiffed hair of Mel Kiper?" -- Devin, Concord

The part where the Browns "war room" went Switzerland.

"Bud:

"Are you ever asked to speak at career days?" -- Sgt. Major

No. But I'm high on the invited list for "So-Called Career Day."

"Bud:

"When you look at where the Browns will likely end up next season compared to the Steelers and Colts, they probably are only moving up 10 slots per pick. I can't wait to see just how bad Mike Lombardi can make the scouting department. He probably promised them jobs when he moves back to the NFL Network. Am I cynical or what?" -- Jim

No. By Cleveland standards, not only could you be a cast member in "Up With People," but you'd be known as the cheery one.

"Bud:

"Is it true Albert Belle's bobble-head doll is made out of cork?" -- Ed Ina, North Ridgeville

I'll let you ask him, if you don't mind.

"Bud:

"Is the real reason you are not playing in the Summer Solstice Golf Challenge this year is because you're afraid of the return of the 17-year cicadas?" -- Doug, Westlake

Actually, I can't remember if it was the 17 lost balls or the 17 herniated discs. Good times.

"Bud:

"Do you suppose the IRS agents will say that Jimmy Haslam was one of the nicest persons they ever audited?" -- Michael Seese, Chagrin Falls

First-time "You Said It" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection. Repeat winners can not claim a second T-shirt for any reason, including tax purposes.

"Bud:

"Hear about the TV show they're making about the Browns' draft selections? It's a companion piece to the 'The View' and 'The Chew' called 'The Few.'" -- Jim D

Repeat winners are also known to have too much time on their hands.

Highlights include Indians' home game against the Twins, final round of Wells Fargo Championship golf and NHL and NBA playoffs.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV and radio sports listings

AUTO RACING

11 a.m. Sao Paulo Indy 300, NBCSN

12:30 p.m. Aaron's 499, WJW

8 p.m. Southern Nationals (tape), ESPN2

BASEBALL

1:05 p.m. Minnesota at CLEVELAND INDIANS, SportsTime Ohio; AM/1100; FM/100.7

1:30 p.m. N.Y. Mets at Atlanta, TBSN

2:05 p.m. Bowie at AKRON AEROS, AM/1350

2:10 p.m. Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs, WGN

3 p.m. LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS at Burlington, AM/970

8 p.m. L.A. Dodgers at San Francisco, ESPN

COLLEGE BASEBALL

1 p.m. Georgia vs. Tennessee, ESPNU

COLLEGE SOFTBALL

Noon Northwestern at Michigan, Big Ten Network

1 p.m. Texas at Oklahoma State, ESPN

2:30 p.m. Nebraska at Penn State, Big Ten Network

3 p.m. LSU at Georgia, ESPN

GOLF

9 a.m. China Open (tape), Golf Channel

1 p.m. Wells Fargo Championship, Golf Channel

3 p.m. Kingsmill Championship, Golf Channel

3 p.m. Wells Fargo Championship, WOIO

7 p.m. Insperity Championship (tape), Golf Channel

HOCKEY

1 a.m. (Mon.) IIHF World Championship, U.S. vs. Latvia (tape), NBCSN

MEN'S COLLEGE LACROSSE

11 a.m. Ivy League final, ESPNU

MOTORSPORTS

8 a.m. MotoGP World Championship, Spanish Grand Prix, Speed Channel

5 p.m. MotoGP Moto2, Spanish Grand Prix (tape) Speed Channel

NBA FIRST-ROUND PLAYOFFS

1 p.m. Game 1, Memphis at Oklahoma City, WEWS

3:30 p.m. Game 1, Indiana at New York, WEWS

NHL

Noon Game 3, Pittsburgh at N.Y. Islanders, WKYC

3 p.m. Game 3, Chicago at Minnesota, WKYC

7 p.m. Game 3, Montreal at Ottawa, NBCSN

10 p.m. Game 3, Vancouver at San Jose, NBCSN

SOCCER

11 p.m. MLS, Houston at Los Angeles, ESPN2

Scott Kazmir pitched six strong innings and the offense continued to roll as the Indians beat the Twins, 7-3, for their sixth straight victory.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians have won six straight games with a little of this and little of that. It's been confusing, but in a good way.

On Saturday they beat the Twins, 7-3, at Progressive Field in front of 17,830 fans and 23,700 empty seats that missed an awful lot of good play from the home team.

Lefty Scott Kazmir, who was pitching for the Sugar Land Skeeters in the Atlantic League last year, allowed two runs, struck out seven and allowed five hits in six innings to win his first big-league game since Sept. 19, 2010.

Nick Swisher was back in the lineup after missing three games with a sore left shoulder. He hit a home run in his first at-bat for a 2-0 lead in the first inning. When Swisher crossed the plate, he did the "O-H-I-O" salute to Ohio State because he played baseball there.

Ezequiel Carrera had two of the Tribe's 12 hits. Carrera is important because he is the latest in an endless stream of roster moves that began a couple of hours before the first game of the season in an effort to put the best 25 players on the field at the same time. The Indians haven't got it right yet, but they're working at it.

• Final Twins-Indians boxscore | Scoreboard | Standings

Swisher is back, but Michael Bourn isn't. The center fielder has progressed to batting practice over the last two days, but the spike wound on his right index finger is still smarting.

The starting rotation that GM Chris Antonetti and manager Tito Francona picked to open the season has yet to take one full turn. Kazmir (1-1, 6.28) shined Saturday, but Brett Myers is still on the disabled list and a new starter seems to appear every five or six days.

The best part of the bullpen has been seriously underworked because of the dramatic nature of an offense that either doesn't score or buries everyone in sight. The lack of work could very well put Vinnie Pestano, one of the key arms in the pen, on the disabled list with a sore right elbow.

Yet the Indians are on their longest winning streak since a seven-gamer two years ago. They've scored 49 runs and have banged out at least 12 hits in each of the wins.

The double-play tandem of Jason Kipnis and Asdrubal Cabrera has finally started hitting. Kipnis with a homer, infield single and triple Saturday led the 12-hit attack. After Kipnis tripled in the seventh, Cabrera doubled him home with a shot off the right-field wall. The Indians improved to 14-13, the first time they've had a winning record since they were 2-1 on April 4.

"It's been so much fun watching the games the past few days," said Swisher. "Watching [Drew] Stubbs, Kipnis, Mega Mark [Mark Reynolds]. These guys have been on fire, man. As soon as you get back in that lineup, you feel like you have to do your part as well."

Asked if he remembered his last big league win, Kazmir said, "I can't remember that long ago. I don't want to be reminded of it. I'm glad this is out of the way so I don't have to worry about it."

"He's an easy guy to pull for," said Francona. "He loves to pitch and he wants so bad for this to work."

Kazmir threw 95 pitches, 36 in the second inning. For a while it didn't look like he'd make it past the fifth inning to qualify for the win.

"The second inning was a grind for him," said Francona. "Then he started throwing his fastball inside and it opened up the rest of the plate for him. He was only two over the minimum [number of batters faced] in his other five innings."

All the things the Indians weren't doing through the first three weeks, they're doing now. In particular, they're scoring with two outs. Saturday, four of their seven runs came that way.

"You go through peaks and valleys," said Francona. "I think we've done a really good job of extending innings and taking advantage of that when we do extend them."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians stretched their winning streak to six games Saturday as Scott Kazmir won his first game in over two years and Nick Swisher celebrated his return to the lineup with a homer in a 7-3 victory over the Twins at Progressive Field.

The winning streak is longest by the Indians since they won seven straight from April 26-May 3, 2011. The victory gave the Indians a winning record at 14-13. It's the first time they've posted a winning record since they were 2-1 on April 4.

During the winning streak, the Indians have outscored the opposition, 49-14.

Kazmir (1-1, 6.28) allowed two runs and struck out seven in six innings to win his first game since Sept. 19, 2010. He allowed five hits and threw 95 pitches.

The Indians' relentless offense jumped Kevin Correia (3-2, 2.83) for a 2-0 lead in the first on homers by Jason Kipnis and Swisher. Kipnis homered with one out and Swisher with two. They both hit 3-1 pitches.

Swisher missed three straight games -- four days including an off day -- with a sore left shoulder. As he crossed the plate, Swisher made the sign "O-H-I-O" in honor of Ohio State, where he played baseball.

The Twins made it 2-1 in the second on Pedro Florimon's two-out single, but the Indians responded in the bottom of the inning on two-out RBI singles by Michael Brantley and Kipnis. In the last two games, Kipnis is 5-for-9 with two homers and six RBI.

The Indians made it 6-2 with two runs in the seventh. Kipnis tripled and scored on Asdrubal Cabrera's double off the right-field wall just under the foul pole. Mark Reynolds two-out single delivered Cabrera.

Ezequiel Carrera singled home Drew Stubbs in the eighth for an insurance run. Carrera was tagged out at second when he slid past the bag in his bid for a double. The Tribe scored four of its seven runs with two out.

Correia, facing the Indians for the first time, allowed four runs on six hits in five innings. He had won his three previous starts.

The Twins made it 6-3 in the eighth with a two-out run off Joe Smith on Ryan Doumit's single. It was the first run Smith allowed this year in 9 2/3 innings.

Get updates from Progressive Field as the Indians try to continue their winning streak.

The Indians go for their 7th straight win this afternoon as their series against the Twins concludes. The Indians won 7-3 yesterday as Scott Kazmir won for the first time since 2010. Get updates from Progressive Field and post your comments during the game today.

Game 28: Indians (14-13) vs. Twins (12-14)

First pitch: 1:05 p.m. at Progressive Field

TV/radio: STO; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS FM/100.7.

Box score | MLB scoreboard

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