Jun 30, 2002 By Jim Kriek For The 3 min read

CALIFORNIA – This was definitely not a game for anybody with jangled nerves. Uniontown and host California went right down to the last pitch of the last out of the 11th and last inning before Uniontown clinched a 3-2 American Legion Baseball League victory in a game that had a little bit of everything for those who enjoy good baseball.

California had only two hits in the entire game off right-hander Ryan Gondek, but it also had a 2-1 lead until the top of the ninth when Uniontown (12-4) scored a run to tie, and forced the game into extra innings.

In the top of the 11th, Gondek singled to lead off and was cut down stealing. Aaron Lowden doubled to left for the only extra base hit of the game and scored what turned out to be the winning run on Eric Darr’s single past second.

Manager Ron Popovich said, “This was a great game to watch. Ryan got off to a rough start, walking two, and both scored. Then he settled down and was in charge the rest of the way. His fastball was moving around very well, in and out, with a lot of heat on it.

“Everybody did something to help get the win. We made a couple of big plays; we laid down some good bunts, and for the third game in a row, we played strong defense.”

Gondek had California hitting the ball on the ground, for the most part, with first baseman Paul Briczinski having 17 putouts out of 33 for the entire game. Starting with the last out of the fourth inning, he retired 14 batters in a row before starting pitcher Mike Hollowood was safe on an error with one down in the ninth. With two out, Larry Christinis singled him to second for the last California hit. After that, Gondek set down seven in a row to end the game.California’s first hit was in the fourth, a two-out liner off Gondek’s glove by Dan DeMoss that he beat out for a single. Christinis had the other hit in the ninth.

Hollowood worked seven innings for California, and then Dennis Nakutis came on in the eighth. They allowed nine hits with Gondek, Darr and Josh Guittap having two each.

California led 2-0 in the first. With one down, Nakutis and Mike Shumar walked. Nakutis scored when Hollowood’s grounder was thrown wide at first with Shumar going to third and scoring as Paul Myers grounded out.

From that point until the ninth, no California runner advanced past first.

Hollowood had a two-hit shutout going into the sixth, and then Uniontown scored. Dan Fuller was safe on an error leading off, and with one out, Santino Sloboda grounded to third. Fuller was caught in a rundown and tagged with Sloboda holding at first. Sloboda stole second and came around on Gondek’s single.

Uniontown tied it in the ninth. Lowden was aboard on an error to lead off, and Darr walked. Brad Yohman tried to bunt them ahead, and his pop bunt toward first fell in when nobody could make a play, loading the bases. Guittap then flied to center with Lowden scoring after the catch.

Popovich said, “Yohman’s bunt was a big play for us for it loaded the bases with nobody out and enabled us to get the tying run on Josh’s fly ball.”

California will play at Colonial on Sunday, while Uniontown is off until Wednesday when it goes to Colonial.