Four-run fifth leads Copperheads over Mermen, 5-2
CHARLEROI — Carmichaels scored four runs in the fifth inning en route to a 5-2 victory over Mitch’s Bail Bonds in Fayette County Baseball League action on Tuesday at Charleroi’s Veterans Memorial Field.
The Copperheads (10-2) defeated the Mermen (11-3) on Monday in a match-up of the top two teams in the FCBL.
Carmichaels scored four runs on five hits in the top of the fifth to take a 5-2 lead.
Nick Groover singled to left field to lead off the inning, and Tyler Godwin reached on a bunt single. Chuck Gasti singled up the middle to load the bases with one out and Mitch’s manager Ryan Encapera took out starting pitcher Josiah Fisher for Louden Conte.
Eric Holt’s two-run single to left field scored Groover and Godwin, and Gasti came around to score when the ball was misplayed in the outfield for a 4-2 advantage. Holt advanced to second on the play and Wes Bristor came on as a courtesy runner for Holt.
Bristor scored on Joe Havrilak’s RBI single down the right-field line for a 5-2 lead.
“We had a couple of veterans step up,” Carmichaels manager Dickie Krause said. “Eric Holt and Joe Harvilak had a big hit. You are counting on your veteran guys to do that, and when you get in that spot in the game is big.
“That’s a big win for us. We have evened the season series with them at 2-2 and we are starting to come together as a team.”
Mitch’s threatened in the bottom of the inning when Tyler Chrise and Conte lead off the inning with back-to-back singles, but Copperheads catcher Caleb Dempsey helped his team get the first out when he fired a strike to Gasti at third to nail Chrise, who was attempting to steal.
“That play at third was big because it calmed us down,” Krause said. “Caleb (Dempsey) really did a great job of blocking balls to keep guys at first base.”
Carmichaels starting pitcher Hunter Robinson allowed a single to Josh Brammell, who had three hits, but was able to get out of the jam with no runs scored.
Robinson, who is a California University of Pennsylvania recruit, allowed two runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. He had two strikeouts and walked two. Robinson was lifted in the sixth for Joby Lapkowicz, who threw the final 1 1/3 to earn the save.
“I thought Hunter Robinson pitched well,” Krause said. “He did a great job of spreading them out and didn’t give up any big innings. There were a number of ground balls and didn’t hit any shots in the gap. It was nice to bring in Joby (Lapkowicz) to come in and close out the game.”
The Copperheads got on the board first when Fisher ran into some control issues with four walks, including one to Dempsey with the bases loaded to scored Holt for the 1-0 advantage. Fisher was able to get out of the jam with a strikeout and fielded a grounder and threw to first to limit the damage.
Fisher gave up four runs on three hits in 4.1 innings. He had two strikeouts and walked five.
“One inning usually makes the difference in a game in baseball, and in this case, that one did,” Encapera said. “I tried to get one more inning out of Josiah (Fisher) and it didn’t work out. He pitched pretty well for most of the game and we had a couple of guys with some injuries and a few were sore. It just didn’t work out for us today.”
Mitch’s Bail Bonds took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second when Aaron Previsky and KC Zajicek, who was running for Cade Patterson after he walked, scored on Jack Oberdorf’s two-run double to right field.
Previsky reached when Carmichaels attempted to make a diving stop on the play but couldn’t get the throw in time to first base.
“We just didn’t put too many hits together,” Encapera said. “We get our things together and we will be in contention at the end of the year.”
Both starting pitchers are 2017 high school graduates, and Krause was pleased to see two younger players in the Fayette County Baseball League.
“This is great for the league because you see two young kids pitching on good teams,” Krause said. “I thought (Josiah) Fisher pitched a great game for them. His pitch count got a little high, but he is tough on us.”