Belle Vernon clashes with Carmichaels
Holly Tonini
Carmichaels’ Reed Long (18) is safe sliding into second before Belle Vernon’s Josh Kucmeroski (9) can make the tag during Wednesday’s game at Wana B. Park in Carmichaels.
Carmichaels’ Keith Popernack fields the ball during Wednesday’s game against Belle Vernon at Wana B. Park in Carmichaels. (Photo by Holly Tonini)
Holly Tonini
Belle Vernon’s Matt Benicky (7) makes the catch to get Carmichaels’ Mike Blasinsky out during Wednesday’s game at Wana B. Park in Carmichaels.
Carmichaels’ Jason Dotts (9) bunts the ball successfully during Wednesday’s game against Belle Vernon at Wana B. Park in Carmichaels. (Photo by Holly Tonini)
Belle Vernon remained alive in the Fayette County American Legion Baseball League playoffs with a 9-2 victory at Carmichaels on Wednesday, July 9.
The wins evens their best-of-three quarterfinal series at 1-1. Carmichaels won Game 1 on Monday, July 7, 6-4.
Dylan Peitrantoni pitched a nine-inning complete game for Belle Vernon to earn the win in Wednesday’s game. He allowed the two runs on 10 hits with two walks and 11 strikeouts.
Adam Holliday keyed a 14-hit Belle Vernon attack with a home run, double and single, while Josh Kucmeroski also had three hits, including a double.
The visitors also got two singles each from Jim Amorosa and Niko Tasser.
Belle Vernon jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first and added a run in the second before Carmichaels pushed across a pair of runs in the third to make it 3-2.
Belle Vernon pushed the lead up to 6-2 with a three-run fifth, then put the game away with two more in the seventh and one in the eighth.
Losing pitcher Josh Mundell gave up eight runs on 13 hits with three walks and six strikeouts in seven innings.
Carmichaels pounded out 10 hits but left a slew of runners on base.
Tyler Cole, Bill Bowlen and Joe Spishock had two hits apiece for the hosts.
“We just made too many mistakes,” Carmichaels manager Bill Blasinsky said. “We dropped fly ball in the first inning and were lucky to only give up two there.
“We left a ton of guys on base again. That’s the story of our season. We left the bases loaded once today and it seems like we do that once every game.”
Even so, Blasinksy is confident his team can turn its fortunes around to day in Belle Vernon.
“We have a two-game winning streak there,” said Blasinsky, which includes a 6-4 victory in Game 1 on Monday. “So we’ll try our luck there again tomorrow.”
In Monday’s Game 1, Brandon Lawless pitched a complete game, Cory Fuller doubled and singled twice and Mike Blasinsky also had three hits to lift Carmichaels to victory.
Carmichaels’ Jon Dotts’ two-run double keyed a three-run first inning before Belle Vernon tied it with three-run second sparked by Pietrantoni’s run-scoring triple.
Carmichaels took the lead for good with two runs in the third and Spishock’s RBI triple in the seventh made it 6-3.
Belle Vernon scored once in the bottom of the seventh but could get no closer.
Losing pitcher Dylan Stark gave up five runs on 12 hits with two walks and three strikeouts in five innings. Nolan Stulock finished up from there for Belle Vernon, surrendering just one run on two hits with one walk and four strikeouts in four innings to keep the hosts in the game.
Lawless twirled all nine innings, allowing the four earned runs on only four hits with seven walks and eight strikeouts.