3rd Annual Hudson Baseball Alumni Golf Outing is fast approaching!

HUDSON- The third annual Hudson Baseball Alumni Golf Outing is slated for Friday, August 8 at Ellsworth Meadows Golf Club in Hudson.

This is not a fundraiser, but simply a way to gather with friends and talk baseball. No golfing prowess is necessary, nor do you have to be an alumni of the program. All are welcome.

Registration begins at noon ahead of the 1:30pm shotgun start for the four-person scramble. The cost is $80 per golfer and includes driving range time, box lunch, a round of golf, and dinner. A cash bar will be available. There will be opportunities to win skill prizes as well as a raffle.

Checks and entry form must be received before August 1, 2014. Entry form is here.

Polar Bears ice out Hudson bats

CANTON- After pulling out extra-inning heroics against Walsh Jesuit and Aurora, the Explorers ran out of magic against Jackson in Friday's Regional Final.

Starter Nanak Saran struggled to find his rhythm in the first inning, giving up three runs on four hits in the first inning. Hudson began to chip away at that early lead when they responded with a run of their own in the top half of the second thanks to a two-out Polar Bear miscue on a popup behind the pitcher's mound.

The Polar Bear lefty hurler kept the Explorers off-balance all evening, with Hudson only managing four hits. Two of those base knocks came in the sixth inning, when it looked like Hudson would mount their now-customary comeback. With one out, Kevin Zullo ripped a single to left and Brett Kemper came in to run for Zullo who was hobbled by a first-inning hit-by-pitch to the right knee. Kemper moved up to second on Saran's ground out and would score on a two-out single by pinch hitter Travis Wood. However, the rally by the Blue and White would end there along with the plans of a trip to play in Columbus next week.

The Explorers wrap up a brilliant 26-5 season in which they won their fourth-straight NOC Valley Division championship and returned to the Regional Championship for the first time since 2000. Kevin Zullo was named NOC Player of the Year and Nanak Saran was tabbed as NOC Co-Pitcher of the Year with Mayfield's John Schreiber who is headed to pitch for Kent State next year. Each of the 11 seniors provided great contributions to the success of the team and will be missed.

Explorers advance past Aurora

CANTON- Senior starting pitcher, Kevin Zullo, went eight innings, struck out nine, and allowed just three hits, one walk, and an unearned run as the Explorers advance with a 4-1 win over Aurora.

The game was scoreless through five and half innings when Aurora got on the board thanks to a Dan Joseph error, a sacrifice bunt, and a single to center.

Just like the Walsh Jesuit game, Hudson has a great counterpunch combination. In the top of the seventh an Aurora mistake gave the Explorers an opening for their left jab. A Nanak Saran single and a Jacob McKenzie sacrifice put Saran into scoring position with one out. Opportunities looked to be dwindling as Dean Miller popped out for the second out. However, an errant throw on a pickoff attempt on Saran by the Greenman pitcher allowed Saran to come all the way around to tie up the game.

Hudson's right uppercut came in the top of the eighth. The bases were loaded as Jacob Stuursma was hit by a pitch, Braden Wright walked, and Joseph was intentially walked. The go-ahead run was sent plateward on a walk to Joey Cahill. Zullo then grounded out to shortstop, which allowed Wright to score. After a Saran intentional pass reloaded the bases, Jacob McKenzie executed a perfect squeeze play in which Joseph scored and McKenzie reached to reload the bases. The Greenmen would get the final two outs of the inning on the next two batters, but the damage was done.

The Explorers will take on Jackson in the Regional Finals on Friday night at 5:00 pm back at Canton's Thurman Munson Stadium. The Polar Bears knocked off Mentor in the early game, 3-2.

Varsity puts down Poland Seminary

Red Raiders shake up Senior Night

Varsity slays the Titans

JV falls to Brunswick in NOC Semis

District Champions!

HUDSON- In a battle of two heavyweights, Hudson was able to land a big uppercut in the top of the eighth to win the District Championship over top-seeded and (previously) undefeated Walsh Jesuit, 8-3.

Through the first seven innings, the two teams traded punches. Walsh would get Hudson on the ropes and the Explorers would wiggle out of it. Hudson would return the favor and put pressure on the Warriors, but Walsh would somehow escape.

Walsh scored one in the first, but Hudson answered with one the third. The Warriors plated two in the bottom of the fourth, followed up by the Explorers getting a pair in the top half of the fifth.

Tied at three is where the game would stay until the top of the eighth. Nanak Saran led off with a single. As Jared Hoffman planned to follow the single with a bunt, Saran was able to move into scoring postion on a wild pitch. Hoffman was able to get a bunt down, but the Walsh third baseman launched the ball into right field allowing Saran to score, putting Hudson up 4-3.

With the wheels starting to come off, the next batter, Dean Miller, walked followed by Sam Evans being awarded first thanks to catcher's interference. With the bases loaded, Jacob Stuursma singled to left which scored Hoffman and kept the bases loaded with no outs. After a pitching change brought in Walsh's starter from Monday, Braden Wright dropped down a beautiful bunt off the first offering from Walsh's hefty lefty, plating Miller and again loading the bases. Joey Cahill's single to center drove in Evans and Stuursma to cap the five-run inning.

Starter Kevin Zullo turned in a gutsy performance. In his six strong innings, Zullo surrendered three runs, all of which were unearned. He scattered six hits, walked one, and struck out four. He would give way in the seventh to Ian Swan, who would be the recipient of the extra-inning win. Swan threw two innings of scoreless, no-hit, no-walk baseball.

Hudson advances to take on Aurora in the Regional Semifinals next Thursday at 5:00pm at Thurman Munson Stadium in Canton.

Explorers put an end to Falls' run

HUDSON- It is not easy to beat a team three times in a season, but especially when that team is a league rival and caught fire as the tournament began.

Hudson managed to do just that against a peaking Cuyahoga Falls squad, 4-2, in the District Semifinals.

After three scoreless innings, the Black Tigers struck first in the top of the fourth. Mike Kaser started the inning by earning a walk off Hudson starter, Nanak Saran. Kaser stole second and scored on a scorcher past third baseman, Dan Joseph.

Hudson answered with three of their own in the bottom half of the third. Dan Joseph reached on an error by the Falls shortstop and stole second. With two out, Saran was intentionally walked to set up the force play and bring up Jared Hoffman. Hoffman made the Tigers pay for the decision with a single up the middle to send Joseph plateward. Dean Miller crossed up the defense with his nicely placed, two-out bunt where he would reach safely to load the bases. Sam Evans singled to right, scoring Saran and Hoffman.

Cuyahoga Falls trimmed the Explorer lead to 3-2 with a two-out run in the top of the fifth. Hudson would nudge the lead back to two on Saran's sacrifice fly that plated Joseph.

Falls would threaten again in the top of the sixth when they loaded the bases with two outs off Saran. Ian Swan entered the game and induced an inning-ending groundball to Hoffman at second. Swan would make quick work of the Black Tigers in the seventh to notch his fourth save of the year and a berth for Hudson in the District Finals.

Hudson advances to the District Finals on Tuesday where the undefeated Walsh Jesuit Warriors await. Walsh knocked off Wadsworth, 9-3. Because Walsh is the top seed in the district, Hudson will be the away team. First pitch is at 4:30pm.

Explorers beat up on Brunswick

HUDSON- The Varsity took care of business over visiting Brunswick, winning 6-1 in their Sectional Finals.

Kevin Zullo held the Blue Devil bats quiet, giving up just five hits and one run in six innnings of work. Ian Swan nailed the door shut with a scoreless seventh.

Zullo also led the way at the plate. He collected two singles and drove in a run. Jared Hoffman was busy on the basepaths, swiping three bases on the night. Dean Miller walked twice, executed a sacrifice bunt, and stole two bases.

Hudson will host rival Cuyahoga Falls in the night cap (7:00pm) of the District Semifinals twinight doubleheader. Following their upset of #4 Brecksville on Thursday, the #12 Black Tigers knocked off neighbor Stow, 7-2. In the 4:30pm game, undefeted #1 Walsh Jesuit will be the home team against #3 Wadsworth.

Avon aces Freshmen

Varsity soars past Eagles

JV advances to NOC JV Final 4

Hudson takes two more from Mayfield

Varsity clips Cuyahoga Falls

Varsity wins 4th-straight NOC division title

Varsity smashes Solon

SOLON- Hudson Explorers rolled over Solon, 15-4, on Monday at Solon after a nine-run explosion in the third inning.

Hudson Explorers scored in the third on an RBI single by Jared Hoffman, a two-run double by Sam Evans, an RBI single by Braden Wright, a two-run error, and a three-run home run by Kevin Zullo. Jacob McKenzie improved to 2-0.

Hudson can win the league tomorrow with a victory at Waterworks Park over host Cuyahoga Falls.

Cancer Classic: Varsity wins two, drops two

Chardon cuts down JV

JV marches past Mentor

Varsity gets revenge on Mayfield

HUDSON- Behind a stellar pitching performance by senior starter Kevin Zullo, Hudson shut out Mayfield, 4-0. Zullo went the distance, scattering six hits, walking one, and striking out two.

The Explorers got on the board in the third inning when Dean Miller narrowly evaded the catcher's tag after a Dan Joseph squeeze bunt.

The Blue and White would give Zullo some breathing room when the offense pushed three across in the fourth. With one out Saran reached on a hit-by-pitch, stole second, and scored on Zullo's double to left. Mac Schoenman, pinch-runner for Zullo, scored on Hoffman's single to left past the drawn-in infield. Hudson's final run of the evening came when Hoffman trotted home as Dean Miller's hot smash found its way through the Wildcat shortstop's legs.

Weather permitting, the Varsity is slated to play four games this weekend as a part of the Cancer Awareness Classic. On Friday, Hudson will host Solon (4:30pm) and Mentor (7:00pm) before a quick turn-around to play Aurora (1:00pm) and Chardon (4:30pm) on Saturday. The charity chosen by the senior class is the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation. Click here to help support PCRF.

JV falls short at Mayfield

Varsity takes two from Nordonia

Varsity completes Twinsburg sweep

Varsity tops Twinsburg in 12-inning thriller

HUDSON- Hudson improves to 3-1 in league with 12-inning win against visiting Twinsburg. Senior starter Kevin Zullo scattered seven hits over eight innings. Sophomore Ian Swan pitched the final four innings, giving up only one hit, and picking up the win. In the bottom of the seventh, pinch runner Bret Kemper scored the tying run on the Tiger catcher's errant throw into left field. Five innings later, Jake Stuursma reached on an error, Braden Wright reached on a beautiful bunt single, and Andrew Karpinski was awarded first via intentional walk. Matt Wallace displayed excellent dicipline as he drew a walk to push in the game-winning run.

JV roughs up Kent

Varsity sinks Middies

JV sweeps Keystone

JV gets past Greenmen

Varsity crushes Chardon

Mayfield mows down Varsity

MAYFIELD- Mayfield's John Schreiber (Kent State) struck out 11 batters and only gave up two hits to make the NOC interesting with several teams with a 2-1 record.

The Varsity look to bounce back when they host Chardon on Thursday.

Varsity soars past Avon

JV sweeps double-dip from Tallmadge