Belle Vernon Legion holds off Point Marion, 9-7
MASONTOWN – Belle Vernon American Legion coach Walt Cieply is the first to admit that his team always has a battle on its hands when it plays Point Marion. “It’s never an easy game with these guys,” Cieply said. “We could have a 10 run lead and I’d still be worried.”
On Wednesday, Belle Vernon led by four runs twice, but rallied to lead before holding off Point Marion (8-7) to win 9-7.
The game was a pitcher’s duel for four innings, as Belle Vernon scored the only run when Joe Janosik led the game off with a single, advanced all the way to third base on a ground out by Ethan Cieply and scored on a ground out by Mike Pavlic.
Pitcher Mike Pica held Point Marion without a hit through the fourth inning and homered with two outs in the fifth with Janosik and Pavlic on base for a 4-0 lead.
Point Marion answered by sending 11 batters to the plate in the bottom of the inning to lead 5-4.
Pitcher Gary Engle and Sam Hearn started the inning with bloop singles and Ed Dutkiewicz walked to load the bases. One out later, Jacob Provance singled up the middle to drive in Engle and Hearn. With two outs, Alex Santella walked, Eric Palmer singled in Dutkiewicz and Provance, Derek Murray was safe on an error, and Engle got his second hit of the inning to drive in Santella for a 5-4 lead.
But in the BV seventh, Cieply, Pavlic, and Pica singled in succession, as Cieply scored to tie the score. The visitors took the lead for good when Dom Francia’s sacrifice fly drove in Pavlic to make it 6-5.
Belle Vernon (13-4) scored three key insurance runs in the eighth. Cody Kerley walked and Janosik doubled. Kerley scored on a throwing error before Cieply walked. Janosik came home on a delayed break on Pavlic’s sacrifice bunt, and Cieply scored on Shawn Sheponik’s single.
Francia pitched the final four innings for BV to earn the win. He pitched out of trouble in the sixth through eighth innings with the help of two double plays and three strikeouts. Francia got the first two outs of the ninth, but walked Murray, and Engle hit the next pitch over the left field fence to set the final score at 9-7.
Point Marion coach Dennis Santella said his team made the most of its opportunities, but 10 combined strikeouts thrown by Pica and Francia were costly. “We’re striking out way too many times,” Santella said. “Gary pitched well and Jacob did a nice job in relief. He’s more of a finesse pitcher and Gary is more of a power pitcher.”
For Belle Vernon, Walt Cieply said, “We hit at the top of the lineup and the bottom came through as well.” He said Pica began to tire in the fifth inning. “There were two bloops and a ground ball found a hole. They put the bat on the ball and found the holes. Pica got tired after that.”
Point Marion has a home game Thursday with California, a game at Uniontown on Friday and an 11 a.m. weekend game with Carmichaels as part of Masontown’s Independent Day weekend festivities.