Jul 18, 2002 By Jim Kriek For The 3 min read

It might be two weeks past the regular date for shooting fireworks, but Connellsville and Carmichaels still set off a few blasts Wednesday. The teams combined for 19 runs and 29 hits, 12 for extra bases, before host Connellsville wrapped up a 14-5 win, in the Fayette American Legion League semifinal playoff opener.

Game 2 in the best-of-three series is set for 5:30 p.m. Friday at Carmichaels.

Travis Henry went the distance for Connellsville (21-4), giving up 10 hits and five runs, while Connellsville had 19 hits and 14 runs off three Carmichaels’ pitchers.

Connellsville broke up the proceedings with six runs in the third inning, and never looked back.

Every Connellsville starter had at least one hit. Eric Luckey had four (3 RBI), Andy Beucher a double and two triples, Brandon Bryner a home run and double, Justin Marsinko a double and triple, Zack Leonard a double and Chris Marsinko, Jon Stutzman and Phil Gratchic two singles apiece.

Shayne Busti led Carmichaels with a triple and two singles, Colby Giles had a double and single, Jared Lapkowicz a triple, and Matt Fanase a double.

Manager Kevin Henry said, “Today we got some hitting to go with the pitching. Travis had a rough start, but after the first two innings he was in control. But I would suggest everybody learn how to spell that team’s names, for they can hit, they are well coached, and even late in the game you could see their good basics.”

Henry added, “Our experience is showing now. We are getting the big hits with people on base to back up our pitching. We got some hits, but they also hit some shots that we caught.”

Carmichaels manager Jerry Lapkowicz agreed that “their experience showed today, along with their defense. We had a threat going in the first two innings but couldn’t do anything, and then they took over. From one to nine they have all good hitters.

“The third inning was the key for them. We never caught up after that. But I told our players after the game to forget about this one, it’s over, and we now have two more chances to come back. So concentrate on the next two games.”

Carmichaels led 2-0 in the first. Jamie Kowalczyk and Jono Menhart walked. Busti singled to score Kowalczyk, with Menhart caught trying to get into third, and then Lapkowicz tripled in Busti.

Connellsville tied in the second with a walk to Stutzman, and singles by Gratchic and Luckey, with Gratchic scoring when Luckey was caught in a rundown.

Then Connellsville used seven hits to get six runs in the third to lead, 8-2. Justin Marsinko led off with a double, Beucher tripled and Chris Marsinko and Tony Marciante singled. With one out, Stutzman singled, and with two down, Leonard doubled and Luckey singled.

The edge was 9-2 in the fourth after J. Marsinko tripled and Beucher doubled. Carmichaels got one in the fifth with Busti’s triple and an overthrow error, but Connellsville offset it in the fifth with singles by Gratchic and Luckey, around an error.

An error and Bryner’s high shot over the fence in left made it 12-3 in the sixth, and it was 13-3 in the seventh after J. Marsinko singled, stole second and C. Marsinko singled.

Carmichaels closed the scoring in the eighth with Fanase’s double, singles by Giles and Andy Mazur and Kowalczyk’s fly ball.

Connellsville closed in its eighth with Bryner’s double and an overthrow.