Mitch’s Bail Bonds ends Copperheads’ 4-year reign
Carmichaels manager Dickie Krause (middle) talks to his players after Monday蘑菇视频 season-ending 5-0 loss to Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds at Charleroi蘑菇视频 Veterans Memorial Field. Mitch蘑菇视频 swept the best-of-three semifinal series to end the Copperheads鈥� four-year reign as league champions. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Carmichaels second baseman Drake Long (58) throws to first to complete a 6-4-3 double play as Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds鈥� Travis Sankovich slides into second base during Monday蘑菇视频 Fayette County Baseball League playoff game at Charleroi蘑菇视频 Veterans Memorial Field. Mitch蘑菇视频 won, 5-0, to sweep the best-of-three semifinal series. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels pitcher Joe Sabolek whips a pick-off throw to first base during Monday蘑菇视频 Fayette Count Baseball League playoff game against Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds at Charleroi蘑菇视频 Veterans Memorial Field. Sabolek pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief but Mitch蘑菇视频 won, 5-0, to sweep the best-of-three semifinal series.
Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds鈥� Jack Oberdorf (20) runs to first as Carmichaels shortstop Brody Bonadio throws the ball to second to start a 6-4-3 double play during Monday蘑菇视频 Fayette County Baseball League playoff game at Charleroi蘑菇视频 Veterans Memorial Field. Oberdord was 1 for 3 with a double and a run as Mitch蘑菇视频 swept the best-of-three semifinal series with a 5-0 win. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds shortstop Travis Sankovich had one thing on his mind as Carmichaels mounted a bases-loaded, one-out threat during the seventh inning of Monday蘑菇视频 Fayette County Baseball League playoff game.
鈥淚 was hoping they鈥檇 hit the ball to me,鈥� said the Laurel Highlands graduate who now plays for Marshall University.
Trailing 5-0, the Copperheads鈥� Tyler Godwin did just that, hitting a sharp grounder to Sankovich who smoothly fielded the ball and whipped it to second baseman Isaac Echard who relayed it to first baseman Noah Hansen for a game-ending double play.
Tyler Chrise tossed six scoreless innings to earn the win and Nick Kumor hit a tie-breaking, three-run homer to highlight a five-run fourth as Mitch蘑菇视频 5-0 win at Charleroi蘑菇视频 Veterans Memorial Field completed a 2-0 sweep of the best-of-3 semifinal series and propelled it into the league finals against top-seeded Masontown.
Game 1 of the best-of-3 set is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at German-Masontown Park.
鈥淲e swung the bats well, our pitcher kept us in the game and our defense was outstanding,鈥� said Mitch蘑菇视频 manager Ryan Encapera, who will be seeking his second league championship with his first coming in 2015. 鈥淥ur outfielders were tracking down balls and our infielders were making every play.鈥�
Chrise allowed just five hits and one walk with one hit batter while striking out three. Encapera lifted the left-hander after Nick Ricco蘑菇视频 lead-off single in the top of the seventh and called on right-hander Nik Gibson.
鈥淭yler was outstanding today,鈥� Encapera said. 鈥淗e kept them off-balance. When they did hit the ball hard our defense really picked it up for him. He蘑菇视频 a bulldog out there. He wants to win and he competes.鈥�
After Gibson got a strikeout, Pacconi singled and Brody Bonadio walked to set the stage for the double play.
鈥淵ou want the ball hit to you in that situation,鈥� Sankovich said. 鈥淵ou want to make the play to help your team win.鈥�
鈥淭hat was huge,鈥� Copperheads manager Dickie Krause said of the defensive gem. 鈥淲e had Joby (Lapkowicz) on deck with Chuck (Gasti) after him, and then (Joel) Spishock after him. If that ball finds a hole, then you鈥檝e got two of the better hitters in the league coming up.
鈥淒efensively, we knew that they were really good.鈥�
The loss put an end to Carmichaels鈥� four-year reign as league champion.
鈥淲e went 9-3 (during the regular season) and I thought that was misleading because we never hit a point where we were hitting on all cylinders,鈥� Krause said. 鈥淭he whole year we played in spurts.鈥�
Left-hander Nate Torbich started for Carmichaels and surrendered only one hit in the first three innings before being rocked for five runs on five hits in the fourth. Jack Oberdorf led off with a double and T.J. Lux was hit by a pitch one out later. Kumor then connected for his home run over the 330 sign in right-center field.
鈥淭he first pitch was a curveball in the dirt so I knew he had to come back with something in the zone,鈥� Kumor said. 鈥淚 was just trying to put the barrel on the ball and, fortunately, I did that.
鈥淭o get a clutch hit against a team like that felt really good.鈥�
鈥淣ick came through for us big-time,鈥� Encapera said. 鈥淣ick蘑菇视频 a great, gritty ball player. He蘑菇视频 on my travel team. He蘑菇视频 had some great at bats this year and really energizes the lineup. He蘑菇视频 one of the best young players in the area.鈥�
Adam Jacko and Zach Skatell followed with back-to-back doubles to make it 4-0. One out later Echard蘑菇视频 RBI single capped the rally and prompted Krause to call on lefty Bo Bighem to relieve Torbich.
Chrise, relying mainly on his fastball and slider, kept the Copperheads at bay, stranding a runner at second in the first, second and sixth innings and leaving the bases loaded in the third.
鈥淲e had our chances,鈥� Krause said. 鈥淲e had two or three points in the game where we had people on and people who you鈥檇 want up at the plate.鈥�
鈥淚 knew my team had my back and figured as long as we could string a few hits together somewhere and I didn鈥檛 walk anybody we鈥檇 have a good shot to win,鈥� Chrise said. 鈥淚 got into a fast pace, started rolling along and felt pretty good out there.鈥�
Mitch蘑菇视频 threatened again in the fifth when Sankovich and Lux singled and Hansen walked against Bighem but a double play started by shortstop Bonadio squelched the rally.
Lapkowicz had two of Carmichaels鈥� six hits, including a double. Godwin reached base twice with a single and a walk. Joe Sabolek relieved Bighem in the sixth and pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Krause commended Encapera, who successfully employed a fielding shift against some of the Copperheads鈥� left-handed hitters.
鈥淩yan was really prepared for us, you have to give him credit,鈥� Krause said. 鈥淚 thought he coached two great games, and not just because of the shift, which worked very well for them, twice last night and once again today (against Spishock). He蘑菇视频 put together a nice, deep, young team. He deserves this. They鈥檙e going to be really competitive in the final.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to start working tomorrow on next year蘑菇视频 team. We鈥檒l be back.鈥�