Blue Mountain sweeps GK Realty for berth in County League finals
CARMICHAELS – Blue Mountain scored a combined 12 runs in the fourth and fifth innings to break open a close game on the way to a 15-2 win over GK Realty Friday and a sweep of the best-of-five semifinal series of the Fayette County Baseball League. Blue Mountain (21-6-2) will play in its third consecutive FCBL championship series against the winner of the other semifinal series between Mill Run and Bud Murphy’s.
Manager Dick Krause said he hopes the Copperheads are peaking at the right time entering the best-of-seven finals.
“We’ve been swinging the bats better the last couple weeks,” Krause said. “(GK) played a three-game series in the first round and a couple of their guys didn’t get the rest they needed. That’s a big difference. We were fortunate.”
Blue Mountain took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Chuck Gasti led off with a walk, moved to second base on a wild pitch and scored two batters later on a single by Ryan Lewicki.
GK used daring base running to tie the score with an unearned run in the third. Carmen Congelio singled and moved to second when the ball was misplayed in the outfield. Congelio moved to third on a single by Steve Kezmarsky and scored when Kezmarsky stole second and the throw went into center field.
The Copperheads answered with two unearned runs in the bottom of the third. Gasti was safe on an error, moved up on Rick Smykla’s sacrifice bunt, and scored on a two-out single by Lewicki. Kayla and Cy Mozingo followed with singles as Lewicki scored for a 3-1 lead.
GK again cut the lead to one in the fourth when Fudala singled and stole second. Bobby Madison followed with a single, and Fudala was caught in a rundown between third and home, but the Copperhead’s mishandled the throw home as Fudala scored.
Leading 3-2, Blue Mountain scored five times in the fourth and seven times in the fifth to break the game open.
In the fourth, Smykla singled to drive in Eric Holt and Gasti, and J.W. Kayla homered to right center field with Smykla and Gene Franks on base for an 8-2 lead.
Franks homered with Smykla on base in the seven-run fifth inning that included Gasti’s fourth run of the game, Holt’s second hit, and Smykla’s third RBI.
Justin Schrader pitched five innings for the Copperheads, giving up five hits and striking out six batters to earn the win. Lewicki and Cy Mozingo each pitched an inning of relief.
Madison, J.C. Myers, and Kezmarsky pitched for GK Realty.
GK manager Steve Kezmarsky said his team learned a lot in its first season in the FCBL. “All of the managers in this league are awesome guys,” Kezmarsky said. “I tip my hat to all of them. We had an awesome first year and we’ll be back next year.
“Bobby and J.C. were the only ones who raised their hands (to pitch) tonight. J.C. threw 23 innings in the last 2 1/2 weeks. I’m more than proud of our team. We’ll have to work around our pains next year.”
Blue Mountain has won seven league playoff championships since 1996, and Krause expects a good series with either Bud Murphy’s or Mill Run.
“Either way we’ll see a good baseball team and a team that is farthest for us to travel, he said.”