Molinaro, Belmont Inn force Game 7 in FCBL finals
Belmont Inn pitcher Jeremy Molinaro pitches against Bud Murphy's Tuesday at Hutchinson Field in Hopwood. Molinaro picked up the win, despite walking eight batters, as Belmont Inn won 6-0 to deadlock the series at 3-3 and force a Game 7 tiebreaker.
Bud Murphy pitcher Chris Brunson pitches against Belmont Inn Tuesday.
Belmont Inn's Nick Erminio (2) is out at home as Bud Murphy catcher Stefan Hermann prepares to make the tag Tuesday at Hutchinson Field at Hopwood.
HOPWOOD — Jeremy Molinaro got away with breaking one of baseball’s cardinal rules and pitched Belmont Inn to a 6-0 win over Bud Murphy’s on Tuesday. The win evened the Fayette County Baseball League’s championship series at three games apiece.
Molinaro walked eight batters, but got out of trouble unscathed each time with the help of his defense.
On the other hand, Bud Murphy’s committed four errors, with three of the miscues helping Belmont Inn build a 3-0 lead after three innings.
Belmont Inn (20-15) took a 2-0 lead after two outs in the second inning when Bob Madison singled and Nate Fike was safe on an infield error. After Nick Erminio was hit by a pitch, Blake Robinson singled to drive in Madison and Fike.
Bud Murphy’s (22-13) had a golden opportunity to get back in the game in the second.
Kaitan Smiley led off with a single, but was picked off first base by Molinaro, who then walked Jared Early, Jason Greene and Andy Schleihauf to load the bases. Belmont Inn got a force out at home plate and one of Molinaro’s five strikeouts to end the inning.
In the Belmont Inn third, Eric Fudala reached base when his fly ball was dropped in the outfield. Mike Pegg then lined the ball back to pitcher Chris Brunson and Fudala would have easily been doubled off first base. But the throw went past first base to the fence and Fudala advanced to third base. With two outs Evan Arison bounced a single to left field to drive in Fudala for a 3-0 lead.
Molinaro did not surrender a hit after the third inning, but did walk three more batters.
Belmont Inn added three insurance runs in the sixth. Arison led off with a single, Zach Dascenzo walked with one out, and Fike hit a possible double play ball that glanced off second base as Arison scored. Robinson singled to drive in Dascenzo, and Fudala singled to drive in Fike for a 6-0 lead.
The game was the first in the series in which the home team did not have to bat in the bottom of the seventh inning.
When asked about the walks, Molinaro said he was rushing his pitches and his teammates helped him slow down his delivery.
“My teammates helped me out and I focused to hit the mitt,” Molinaro said. “A lot of balls were hit right to my players.”
“For baseball fans, this series has been big for our area and the world of baseball. Game 7 (at Breakneck Field) will be great for baseball,” said Belmont Inn manager Steve Kezmarsky. “It’s a tribute to our guys. I’m proud of them and proud of Jeremy for pitching his second complete game.”
Bud’s manager Lou Pasquale said, “We had miscues in the field and close to 10 guys left on base. We were patient in taking the walks but not patient enough to get the big hit. They deserved to win the game and now it’s one game for the championship.”
It has taken 13 days that included four extra-inning games and a combined 8½ innings that were washed out by rain leading up to tonight’s deciding game at 5:45 p.m. at the Breakneck Field.