Matt Kruzel is known as a fighter, a competitor. PHOTO GALLERY

The Perrysburg senior showed his grit and determination again on the mound Saturday in helping his team
to a 9-2 win over Strongsville.
The left-hander limited the sixth-ranked Mustangs to two runs on eight hits in 61?3 innings less than 24
hours after pitching two scoreless innings in the Yellow Jackets’ 1-0, 12-inning victory over Toledo St.
John’s.
Kruzel was lights out against St. John’s and pitched well against Strongsville.
He had an excellent fastball and sharp-breaking curveball that gave the Mustangs’ right-hand hitters fits
because he kept the ball inside. But he used the outside part of the plate, too.
“That was a heck of a job,” Strongsville coach Josh Sorge said. “He was a buzz-saw. He made pitches when
he needed to make them.”
Kruzel had to finish the St. John’s game after staff ace Alec Schmenk pitched the state limit of 10
innings.
He retired all six batters he faced against St. John’s.
“I iced the arm last night and felt pretty fresh today,” Kruzel said. “As the game went on, the arm got
tired after a while. I just gave the team everything I had and they gave me everything they had.”
Classmate Alex Williams recorded the final two outs against Strongsville.
“I was hoping to get five (innings) out of him,” Perrysburg coach Dave Hall said of Kruzel. “We got a
bonus out of him and we had Williams with the hammer. That’s the luxury of having a great number three
(pitcher).”
Kruzel has a history of wildness early when he pitches, but he threw 76 of his 115 pitches for strikes in
the regional. He struck out five and walked three against Strongsville.
“It was just me letting my defense work for me instead of trying to strike everybody out,” Kruzel said.
“I feel a lot more comfortable on the mound these days.”
Strongsville led off the second with a single, but Kruzel started a double play that went to shortstop
Kevin Schenk at second. Schenk then threw to A.J. Stockwell at first for the second out.
Second baseman Alec Schmenk and Stockwell combined on a double play to end the third. The Mustangs had
runners on first and third with their No. 2 hitter up, but Schmenk fielded a ground ball and tagged out
the runner going from first to second, and threw to first to retire the batter.
Perrysburg led 1-0 after one innings and 5-0 after two innings.
“They got me the lead and I just had to come out and throw strikes and take advantage of my defense,”
Kruzel said.
STATS: Kruzel is 7-0 with a 1.09 earned-run average. In 511?3 innings, he’s given up six runs (all
earned) ion 26 hits 61 strikeouts and 31 walks.
ACES WILD: Williams, a right-hander is Perrysburg’s No. 3 starter behind Schmenk and Kruzel.
He’s 5-0 with three saves and a 0.57 earned-run average. He’s pitched 37 innings, allowed just nine runs
(three earned) on 24 hits with 39 strikeouts and 11 walks.
“I’ve said we have the best pitching staff in the area and we’ve proven it,” Hall said. “(Williams) would
be the No. 1 starter for a lot of teams.”
HOT STICK: Perrysburg senior catcher Zach Kolvey continues to be a huge force offensively and
defensively.
He was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a run batted in against Strongsville and leads the team with a .465
average. He has 28 RBI and 24 runs scored.
NIFTY 50: Perrysburg is 50-9 overall and 23-4 in the Northern Lakes League the last two seasons.
FRIEND OR FOE: Willoughby South head coach Steve Norris, whose team faces Perrysburg in the state
semifinals, was a volunteer assistant coach for Hall and the Yellow Jackets in 2003. Perrysburg advanced
to the state semifinals that season.
NLL: Perrysburg plays its final NLL game Monday night at Northview.
The Yellow Jackets are 12-1 in the league and already have clinched the NLL title. Every other team in
the league has at least three losses.
WE’RE BACK: Perrysburg’s regional trip was its third in the last four seasons and fourth since 2003.