Every game counts as one, but some mean a little more.
Handing Amherst its first Southwestern Conference loss in two years means a little more.
North Ridgeville did just that and led from start to finish for a 7-3 statement victory over the Comets on May 7.
With the regular season winding down and the tournament draw looming, this was a much-needed momentum boost for the Rangers (11-8, 9-3 SWC). They snapped Amherst’s 23-game SWC win streak dating to 2024.
“That’s exactly what we talked about at practice the other day is keep building forward and moving up to where we need to be by playoff time,” North Ridgeville coach Matt Ponting said. “This is a great springboard for that. We’ve done a lot of great things throughout the year and just haven’t had things go our way. Today was one where everything clicked.”
After getting shut out in the series opener on May 6, Gannon Padgett quickly changed North Ridgeville’s fortune in Game 2.
PHOTOS: North Ridgeville vs. Amherst baseball, May 7, 2026
The senior’s leadoff home run to left field not only gave the Rangers a lead they didn’t relinquish, but he set the program record with his fourth of the year. Braden Harrison extended the lead later in the first with an RBI.
“I consider myself a spark plug for this offense,” Padgett said. “If I get on, I feel like we’re going to score at least two runs in the first inning. That home run was huge. The momentum shifted instantly, you could tell.”
Amherst (15-2, 9-1 SWC) didn’t have a base runner until Gavin Ford drew a walk in the third inning. Facing a 3-0 deficit, the Comets got on the board in the fourth as Landon Wolf was safe at home after beating the tag. Harrison Schneider racked up a fielder’s choice RBI.
However, going back to momentum, it flipped in North Ridgeville’s favor for good after that.
Faced with two runners on and only one out, North Ridgeville pitcher Jason Begalla got out of the jam. The senior was on his A-game once again as he allowed only four hits in 6 2/3 innings.
In another big moment, Harrison delivered with a two-RBI single with two outs to open the floodgates. Freshman Grayson Slabodnick also had an RBI hit to help the Rangers score two more runs in the fourth and build a 7-1 lead.
“That was a huge at-bat. It broke the seal,” said Ponting of Harrison’s hit.
The visiting Comets scored one run in both the sixth and seventh innings, but were unable to rally. Cole Marquez had two of the team’s four hits.
“We were just bad,” Amherst coach Matt Rositano said. “Out of seven innings of baseball today, I could only think of one positive and that was Jeremy Stepp. I thought Jeremy did a fantastic job when he came in. At the plate, we were undisciplined and I saw selfish at-bats. We didn’t pitch well and we didn’t play defense well.
“When you play a good team like North Ridgeville against a good pitcher like Jason Begalla, you’re not going to have success.”
Following Avon Lake’s loss to Avon, Amherst holds a two-game lead in the SWC standings over both the Shoremen and North Ridgeville.
Although it’s only one win, the Rangers hope to use it as more down the stretch.
“It’s definitely going to help us,” Begalla said. “We have a lot of good talent on this team and it just showed today.”
The score (May 7)
North Ridgeville 7, Amherst 3