Rome Catholic 4, Otselic Valley 0

ROME – Otselic Valley’s strong run through the Class D playoffs ended in the Section III finals last night in Rome.

Red Wings hurler Joe Melioris was dominant tossing a four-hit shutout. He struck out 16 and walked just one. “He throws hard with a lot of breaking balls mixed in,” said OV coach Dave Loomis. “He was tough for us. We don’t see pitching like that very much, and it showed.”

Melioris was his own best helper at the plate finishing 3-for-3 with two RBI. Only two of Rome Catholic’s runs were earned against OV senior pitcher Chris Olin.

Olin finished with five strikeouts and just one free pass in giving up four hits – three to his pitching counterpart. “We had a great season and I am proud of what the kids accomplished,” Loomis said, whose club finished 17-6 overall. “It was a good game, it just ended on the wrong count for us. We have nothing to be ashamed of.”

OV pitcher Brian Graham pitched a spotless sixth inning of relief striking out two. He finished the season with 72 strikeouts and just three walks over 64 innings. In two years as a starter for the Vikings, Graham had 124 strikeouts and just eight walks in 102 innings pitched.