Back in the groove: Chambers, offense carry Copperheads to 5-0 win
Carmichaels鈥� Gavin Pratt crosses the plate while Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds pitcher Matt Bamford waits for the throw from catcher John Hovanec in the top of the third inning in Tuesday蘑菇视频 Fayette County Baseball League game at Carmichaels. (Photo by Jim Downey)
Carmichaels starting pitcher Joe Chambers releases the ball in the bottom of the first inning in Tuesday蘑菇视频 Fayette County Baseball League game against Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds at Carmichaels.
Carmichaels manager Dickie Krause congratulates Hunter Hamilton after he hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning in Tueday蘑菇视频 Fayette County Baseball League game against Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds at Carmichaels. (Photos by Jim Downey)
Jim Downey | 蘑菇视频
Jim Downey | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels pitcher Joe Chambers (25) and the plate umpire watch as catcher Marco Gambino applies the tag on Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds鈥� Aidan Ochs in the bottom of the first inning in Tuesday蘑菇视频 Fayette County Baseball League game at Carmichaels.
Jim Downey | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels鈥� Brandon Robaugh slips around the tag by Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds catcher John Hovanec (right) to score a run in the top of the fourth inning in Tuesday蘑菇视频 Fayette County Baseball League game at Carmichaels.
CARMICHAELS 鈥� The Copperheads appear to be hitting their stride as the Fayette County Baseball League moves into the second half of the schedule.
Carmichaels won its second game in three days with a darkness-shortened 5-0 victory over Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds. The game was originally to be played at Redstone Park, but was moved to Carmichaels because field conditions.
The teams played into the top of the sixth inning and Carmichaels had scored two runs after four consecutive hits when the umpires deemed it was too dark to continue play. The game reverted back to the fifth inning, the last completed inning.
The Copperheads won a rain-shortened game Sunday at Oakland (Md.) and followed that road victory with another strong performance.
鈥�(We played well) the second game in a row, the game we played Sunday in Maryland and this game,鈥� said Carmichaels manager Dickie Krause. 鈥淭hat蘑菇视频 two really complete games where we pitched well and played great defense. I liked our approach tonight (at the plate).
鈥淭he kid they pitched tonight (Matt Bamford) threw hard to begin with. I鈥檓 really happy with this week.鈥�
Krause added, 鈥淭he two games we played (this week) were the most complete games of the season.鈥�
Carmichaels scratched out a pair of unearned runs after two outs for the lead in the top of the third inning.
Drake Long kept the inning alive with two outs when he was safe on an infield error and then moved to second on an errant pickoff throw. Gavin Pratt beat out a chopper in front of the plate for an infield single.
Jim Sadler followed with a run-scoring single. Pratt scored on a wild pitch and Forrest Havanis kept the inning alive with a walk.
Matt Bamford ended the threat with a strikeout.
The Copperheads pulled away with three runs in the top of the fourth inning.
Hunter Hamilton belted a solo home run over the right field fence with one out to increase the lead to 3-0.
Brandon Robaugh walked with two outs. Long was hit by a pitch. Pratt drove in Robaugh with a single as Robaugh deftly avoided John Hovanec蘑菇视频 tag and Jim Sadler walked to load the bases.
Donovan von Fradenburg came on in relief and gave up a run when he walked Havanis. Noah Mildren flied out to right field to end the inning.
Carmichaels possibly ran out of a run in the fifth inning.
Marco Gambino singled to open the inning and was replaced by courtesy runner Reed Long.
Hamilton ripped a shot to right-center field, out of the reach of diving right fielder Austin Lincoski. Center fielder Trevor Stewart hustled to the gap, and threw a perfect strike to the cutoff man, Aidan Ochs. Long rounded third, but was held by Krause and he attempted to scramble back to the third base.
Dylan Brosky applied the tag for the first out of the inning. A strikeout and infield fly ball ended the inning.
Bamford allowed five runs (three earned) on five hits with three walks, one hit batter and five strikeouts. von Fradenburg allowed two hits with a walk and strikeout.
Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds was poised to take the early lead after Ochs singled and Colby Simmons walked to start the bottom of the first inning. Winning pitcher Joe Chambers settled down and struck out the next two batters.
Dylan Brosky ripped a single to left field and Ochs sped home. Havanis鈥� throw was on the money with catcher Gambino applying the tag for the final out.
Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds got caught in a hit-and-run in the next inning and it cost them a double play.
Hovanec walked to open the second inning and was on the move when Trevor Stewart hit a sinking fly ball to right field. Hamilton made the catch and threw to first for the double play.
鈥淔or me, the difference was we got out of the first inning. We threw a guy out at the plate,鈥� said Krause. 鈥淭he second inning, we throw a guy out at first (for a double play). So, there were two innings they had a good chance to get into the game and they didn鈥檛.鈥�
Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds had one last chance to break through on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Nick Groover beat out a grounder with one out for an infield hit. Groover moved to second on a ground out and advanced to third on Brosky蘑菇视频 infield single, despite Chambers somehow contorting his body to get a glove on the ball.
Hovanec walked to load the bases, but Chambers escaped with a ground out.
Chambers left nothing to chance in the fifth inning by striking out the side. He struck out eight and walked three, and found command of his curve ball as the game progressed.
鈥�(Joe) did a great job. You could see he had a couple real good innings and he had a couple innings where he struggled,鈥� said Krause.
鈥淭hat last inning he throw nothing but curve balls. The first part of the game he couldn鈥檛 find a curve ball,鈥� said Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds manager Antony Dellapenna.
Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds was coming off a tough 1-0 loss in 11 innings Sunday to M&R Transit. Josh Davison started and pitched six innings, and left later in the game with a hamstring injury. Brosky finished the game, so neither were available to pitch.
鈥�(The game) left me with one less guy. I was planning on Dylan to be the guy,鈥� said Dellapenna.
Mitch蘑菇视频 Bail Bonds entered the week with the opportunity to make a run at first-place M&R Transit. The two losses moves them to 6-4.
鈥淲e play Carmichaels on July 5. Everyone蘑菇视频 arms should be fresh,鈥� said Dellapenna, including Groover, who recently unretired.
Krause was quite aware of the opposition蘑菇视频 pitching situation.
鈥淲e tracked that. I kind of felt if they got the lead we might see (Brosky) for an inning. We were ready for that,鈥� said Krause. 鈥�(Dellapenna蘑菇视频) got pitching. He has Brosky, probably the hardest thrower in the league. And, on top of that, they have the leftie from Belle Vernon (von Frandenburg), which I like. They have the kid (Bamford) who started tonight.
鈥淎nd, the rightie (Davison), and now they have Groover. He蘑菇视频 a really good pitcher.鈥�
Carmichaels improves to 6-3, two games behind M&R Transit in the loss column. Krause believes his squad is rounding into shape at the right time.
鈥淭hat蘑菇视频 the problem with a 15-game schedule. We try to figured out how to manage pitchers. The break is coming at the worst time for us. We鈥檝e played three good games. We鈥檙e starting to pitch,鈥� said Krause, adding, 鈥淲e鈥檙e starting to get things settled in where people should be.鈥�