Aug 13, 2002 By Jim Kriek For The 3 min read

BREAKNECK – It might not have been the most perfect night for baseball, but Chris Fisher got away to a perfect start. Fisher retired the first 11 batters he faced, seven of them to first base and six of those outs in succession, as Bud Murphy’s defeated visiting Carmichaels, 7-1, and moved ahead in the Fayette County Baseball League’s playoff championship race.

Play was halted twice by rain, but they got the full seven innings played.

The win gives Bud’s a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, with Game Four slated for the Carmichaels High School Field today at 6 p.m., and Game Five at Breakneck on Wednesday, also at 6 p.m.

Fisher, who will be continuing his baseball career at Lock Haven University this year, worked a strong three-hitter, but lost his bid for a shutout in the seventh. After his first 11 outs, the perfect run ended with two out in the fourth, when Vince Zapotosky worked the count full and walked. Jeff Thompson then singled sharply to right for the first Copperhead hit. Eric Holt walked to load the bases, but Fisher got the third out to end the inning and the biggest threat Carmichaels would make.

Thompson doubled with two out in the sixth, then the Copperheads (25-12, 6-4 playoffs) escaped the collar in the seventh. Losing pitcher Ryan Shetterly hit a lead-off double, went to third on an out, and scored as Ron Nopwasky grounded out.

Bud’s manager Tom Sankovich called Fisher’s effort “a great pitched game. We also played perfect defense back of him, but we were not consistent at the plate. We did not get the clutch hits, or the big hits early in the game when we could have put the game away. Our 3-4-5 batters did not hit, and we have to correct that.”

Bud’s (30-5, 7-1 playoffs) had nine hits, led by Joe Bonadio with a double, two singles and three RBI. Tony Rose had a double and Greg Beucher a brace of singles.

Play was close through four innings, then Bud’s broke up the proceedings with five runs in the fifth.

Carmichaels manager Dickie Krause called the game “a bad night overall for us. We won Sunday, but today we just didn’t seem to be mentally prepared to play, and we showed it at the plate. Now we have to turn things around.”

Bud’s led 1-0 in the first. Bonadio led off with a single, went to third on Beucher’s single, and scored as Brian Sankovich grounded out. It was 2-0 in the second when Jack Smarslak walked and moved around on Mark Riggin’s bunt and Bonadio’s ground-rule double that bounced over the center field fence.

Bud’s put the game away in the fifth, striking with two out. Sankovich was hit by a pitch leading off, Jeff Lander walked with one out, and with two out Smarslak singled to score Sankovich. Then Riggin singled, Rose doubled, and Bonadio singled in two more.

The Cokers will be going after their third win and a two-game edge today at Carmichaels, with manager Sankovich noting that Jason Halfhill, 5-1 on the season, will be his starting pitcher. Krause wasn’t sure who his starter would be.