Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Lowellville’s Kevin Johnson celebrates after hitting a two-run single against Windham in the bottom half of the sixth inning at Cene Park.

STRUTHERS — Tuesday evening’s opening Division IV sectional semifinal contest embodied the spring season as a whole for the Lowellville Rockets baseball team.

Featuring both highs and lows, senior leadership stepped up when it was needed most for the Rockets, who beat Windham 18-14 after falling behind during the top half of the sixth inning at Bob Cene Park.

“Biggest takeaway is the fight that this team has,” said Rockets coach Dan Dougherty. “Kinda reflects what our season has been like, ups and downs, kinda been a pesky team, played some close games, came up on the short side of things at times, and I think we were prepared to handle the ups and downs of that game today. It starts with our seniors, we had a good performance out of (Ricky Palumbo), we kinda booted the ball around at times and didn’t help him a ton, but to be able to win in different ways is something we talked about, and finally got to see it play out today.

“The seniors stepped up just when we needed them.”

With the Rockets leading throughout a majority of the evening, as much as 12-5 during the bottom of the fifth, the Bombers (6-8) kept chipping away at the Lowellville lead and eventually took their first lead of the night on a two-run triple off the bat of Jack Eye.

Down 14-12 midway through the sixth, Lowellville understood that the time for its character to shine through was at that moment. With two outs, but two runners on, Rockets senior Brady Bunofsky had one of the biggest hits of his season, ripping a liner into right field to earn a 15-14 lead, scoring Ryan Neider and Geno Perry.

“We were getting straight fastballs there which is great for me, I usually capitalize when I get them on the first pitch, and that’s what I did,” said Bunofsky. “Our team has a lot more fight than our record shows, every game, even with some of the best teams around like Springfield, we fight. Sometimes, it’s just not all the way to the end, and in this game, we finally brought it all together all the way to the end.”

Insurance is always a plus, especially in such a wild offensive affair. Fellow senior Kevin Johnson posted a two-run hit himself on the next at-bat, pushing the lead to 18-14.

“The big thing that coaches preaches with us is to limit the big inning. We failed to do that (in the top of the sixth), so usually, we’d fold. Regular season team from the middle of the season, we’d fold. But he said for the seniors to lead, just lead by example,” said Johnson. “I think we did that very well, I’m just proud of the guys and the coaches.

“I’ll be honest, that was probably the most nervous I’ve been for a baseball game. I’ve been in a slump all year, and the triple (in the fourth) was one of my only extra-base hits of the year. I’m just glad my coaches told me to stick through it, my parents, my support system, they told me to stick through it this whole time and it paid off.”

Bunofsky toed the rubber during the top of the seventh, walking a pair of hitters, but found a way to keep Windham off the board to close the door and advance in the tournament.

“Brady is a guy that has come through for us in his other sports, same with the rest of the seniors, so it’s good to see it all payoff.” said Dougherty.

Johnson went 2-for-5 with six runs batted in. Bunofsky added four RBIs on a 3-for-5 performance. Dylan Okular recorded three RBIs while scoring three runs. Perry scored four runs, with Tino Rivera-Ocasio finding home plate himself three times.

For Windham, Wyatt Hanshaw notched three runs batted in. Earning two RBI for the Bombers was Dylan McCune, Anthony Paolella, Jack and Chase Eye.

Lowellville (6-10) will pay a visit to third-seeded Mathews on Thursday for the Division IV sectional final. The Bombers season comes to a conclusion, but Windham coach Jake Eye wasn’t discouraged by the final result.

“Sloppy baseball both ways, you can’t continue to give up extra outs, just a sloppy game, but our guys didn’t quit. We battled back and took the lead, just didn’t go our way at the end,” said Eye. “You put the ball in play, especially at the Division IV level, you never know what’s going to happen, just I’m proud of the boys for fighting back, they could have folded down 12-5, and they fought back and took the lead.

“It’s a shame to end our season that way, but I’m still proud.”