NILES — After scoring 18 runs in the first two games of their series against Frederick, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers offense couldn’t find its groove in Sunday’s series finale.

The result was a 7-1 Keys win over the Scrappers in front of 1,295 sweltering fans at Eastwood Field.

The loss drops the Scrappers’ record to 6-7. Frederick raises its record to 6-10.

Frederick scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the first inning courtesy of a wild pitch. Mahoning Valley tied the game at 1-1 in the fourth on a Ty Powell base hit, which plated Kendrey Maduro. It proved to be the Scrappers’ lone run of the afternoon.

Frederick scored four runs in the sixth Again, the Keys benefitted from a lack of control by Scrappers pitching. There was a walk, a hit batter and a wild pitch in the inning, with the wild pitch scoring the Keys’ second run of the game. Caden Merritt added a two RBI triple to give the Keys a 5-1 lead.

Frederick added a pair of runs in the eighth.

The Scrappers managed just five hits on the day.

Following a day off today the Scrappers begin a three-game series Tuesday at Trenton.

THEOPHILUS BUILDS CONFIDENCE

There was once a time when Mahoning Valley Scrappers pitcher Zion Theophilus lacked confidence on the baseball diamond.

Theophilus was six-years-old when he began playing baseball, and while he immediately fell in love with the sport, baseball didn’t exactly return the favor. Theophilus says that he was the worst player on his team, and a lack of playing time made him wonder if baseball was right for him.

However, his love for the game became a driving force to make himself a better player. His determination built up his confidence, and by the time Theophilus was playing Little League he was a standout.

By the age of 13, Theophilus made the decision to attend Cincinnati Moeller High School, “because I wanted to play for one of the best high school programs in the country, I wanted that challenge.”

Just two years later, some of the best college programs were after Theophilus. By his sophomore season, Theophilus committed to play at LSU. That spring, Theophilus led Moeller to a Division I state title. In the championship game against Olentangy, Theophilus allowed just one earned run and struck out seven while pitching a complete game.

As a junior, Theophilus was named Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Ohio. The award came after Theophilus posted a 10-0 record with an 0.86 ERA.

Last month Theophilus completed his senior year at Moeller where he was ranked the No. 1 baseball prospect in the state. His senior season included a no-hitter against Elder in a game in which he recorded 17 strikeouts. He needed just 87 pitches to throw the second no-hitter of his high school career.

Oddly enough, Theophilus says he didn’t really have “good vibes” going into the game, noting that rain delayed the start of the contest.

“That kind of threw off my routine and mindset going into the game, but once the game started I fell into a groove,” Theophilus said. “When I’m on the baseball field, I feel completely comfortable. I feel like that’s where I was meant to be.”

Theophilus owned a 23-3 overall record at Moeller. He worked 164 innings during his high school career, recording 245 strikeouts.

“I loved everything about my time at Moeller,” Theophilus said. “The coaches, the teachers and the leaders of that school are all great. They were there every step of the way guiding me as a student and as a person, not just as a baseball player.

Just three weeks ago, Theophilus was leading his high school team to a district championship. Earlier this week he became one of the youngest players on the Scrappers’ roster. He’s expected to spend the next couple of weeks with the team leading up to the July MLB Draft. While Theophilus is committed to attend and play for LSU next fall, he’s also considered by numerous sources as one of the nation’s top draft prospects.

“I’m just focused on getting better each time I go out, I don’t look too far ahead,” Theophilus said. “I just love being out on that field, so that’s my priority. I’m just looking for that next opportunity to get a chance to throw a baseball.”

“I love the spotlight. I love being put in pressure situations. I was excited to join up with the MLB Draft League because I went from playing in front of fifty fans a couple of weeks ago to playing in front of a few thousand people. To me, that just adds to the excitement of this game.”

Theophilus says his first week with the Scrappers has already paid dividends.

“I’m really lucky because I’m surrounded by a bunch of great guys who have already gone through what I’m about to experience,” Theophilus said. “I’ve been picking their brains, learning about the process and just getting pitching tips.”

“This game is tough. You’re never good enough. You never know enough. I’m going to take advantage of my time here to become a better player.”

Based on his resume, Theophilus – despite his youth – can also bring out the best in his teammates.