Mudcats take season series over Copperheads
Potomac Valley limited Carmichaels’ offense in a 9-2 victory in completion of a suspended game on Saturday in Cumberland, Md.
The victory for the Mudcats (13-1) puts them a game ahead of the Copperheads (12-2) in the Fayette County Baseball League (FCBL) standings with four games remaining in the regular season. PV won the season series, 2-1.
Both teams should be heavy favorites to meet for the championship, as each has a sizable run differential against the rest of the league.
Brady McNew earned the victory on the mound after allowing one earned run on two hits over five innings. He had three strikeouts and walked six.
Carmichaels, who normally plays strong defense, committed five errors.
The Copperheads’ Noah Mildren hit a line-drive solo home run to right field in the sixth inning. Teammate Tyler Richardson walked with the bases loaded in the fourth to score Gavin Pratt.
A.J. Vanata doubled for Carmichaels.
The Mudcats’ Landon McAlpine and JJ Charlton doubled. Teammates Reilly Bubb and Seth Healy had two hits apiece. Bubb drove in two runs and Healy one.
Friday, July 11
Carmichaels 11, Oakland 0 — The Copperheads scored all of their runs in the first inning of a five-inning game that was called due to the 10-run rule.
Carmichaels’ Alex Van Sickle had two hits, including a double.
The Copperheads hit three home runs, which started with Vanata’s grand slam. Hunter Mamie followed with a solo shot and Mildren smacked a three-run blast to right field at Carmichaels Area Junior/Senior High School baseball field.
Alec Englemore earned the pitching victory after allowing no runs on three hits over five innings. He had eight strikeouts and walked one.
Thursday, July 10
Carmichaels 19, Brownsville 0 – The Carmichaels Copperheads erupted for 16 runs in the second inning on their way to a two-inning win at Brownsville in a matchup of teams at the opposite end of the standings.
Luke Camden was 2 for 2 with four RBIs, Gavin Pratt singled and also knocked in four runs and Alec Englemore and Hunter Hamilton each doubled, singled and drove in three runs for Carmichaels (11-1).
The Copperheads also got a double and an RBI from both AJ Vanata and Tyler Richmond, two hits, an RBI and three runs from Alex VanSickle and two hits and an RBI from Gianni Cantini.
Matt Bamford was the winning pitcher.
Johnathan Vasbinder had the lone hit for Brownsville (0-12). Matt Malinsky was the losing pitcher.
Tuesday, July 8
Carmichaels 4, PV Mudcats 3 — Luke Camden’s single to left field scored A.J. Vanata in a walk-off win for the Copperheads at Carmichaels Area Junior/Senior High School.
The game was tied at three after seven innings, but Carmichaels made sure it sent its fans home happy.
The Copperheads improved to 10-1, while the Mudcats (12-1) lost their first game of the season. Carmichaels avenged its 3-2 loss to the Mudcats on June 22.
Vanata drew a walk to lead off the eighth before Alex VanSickle and Dom Obiecunas singled to load the bases with nobody out.
PV pitcher Noah Broadwater forced the next batter to pop up to second and the following to strikeout before Camden came through on a 3-2 count.
The Mudcats opened the scoring in the first inning when Landon McAlpine scored on Joey Charlton’s double to center field for a 1-0 lead. The visitors added a second run in the third when Broadwater doubled and touched home plate on McAlpine’s base hit to left field.
The Copperheads tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth when Obiecunas and Noah Mildren hit back-to-back home runs to right field with two outs.
PV regained the lead in the fifth when Broadwater walked and scored on McAlpine’s double to left field for a 3-2 game.
Carmichaels scratched across a run in the sixth when Vanata walked, stole second and raced home on Mildren’s base hit.
Gianni Cantini earned the pitching victory after relieving Gavin Pratt in the seventh. Cantini threw two scoreless and hitless frames with two strikeouts and one walk. Pratt yielded three earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts and four walks.
Hunter Hamilton doubled for the Copperheads.