Jul 25, 2002 By Justin Zackal For The 3 min read

CARMICHAELS – It wasn’t nuclear fission, but Carmichaels solved the quandary that has stumped the entire league throughout the summer. Beating Jared Slusser.

In doing so, Carmichaels takes a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series of the Fayette American Legion championships after a decisive 7-1 win over Colonial 3 Wednesday night.

The equation went like this: Colonial’s paltry hitting mixed with Carmichaels’ timely home runs and 1-2-3 businesslike defensive play equaled the unprecedented win.

“It’s hitting,” said Colonial manager Ralph Rice. “I don’t care who’s pitching; when you get one run, you lose.”

Slusser absorbed his first loss of the season as a pitcher after entering the game with a 15-0 record. He struck out seven and allowed no walks in the complete-game effort.

But it was the 11 hits Slusser gave up which hurt the most – especially the two off the bat of Jono Menhart.

Slusser appeared to have Menhart’s number. He struck him out twice and whiffed him with a curveball in the fourth inning.

Menhart then slugged Slusser’s next pitch over the right field wall, scoring Andy Mazur and Drew Denham.

Colonial lost more than its 1-0 lead on the play.

“After Jono hit that first home run, everyone went flat,” Rice said. “It was very uncharacteristic playing as flat as we did.”

“We are playing outstanding baseball,” said Carmichaels manager Jerry Kowalczyk. “We got the momentum and played great defense.”

Colonial went the next three innings without a hit off Mazur, who started the game for Carmichaels pitching a complete game with five strikeouts, one walks and six hits.

“They made the plays,” Rice said. “We either hit it right at them or someone would pop it up.”

Mazur retired Colonial 1-2-3 in three straight innings, behind Carmichaels’ solid defense.

“We are playing nice, smooth baseball,” Kowalczyk said. “They were hitting some ropes, but they hit them right at us.”

Carmichaels (22-8) got out of a jam in the eighth inning, after Colonial singled Brandon Mallick and Jason Rechichar on base for Chad Rice and clean-up hitter Matt Rechichar.

Rice flew out to center, while Matt Rechichar grounded out to shortstop to end the inning with runners on second and third.

“I was thinking about walking him,” Kowalczyk said. “But then I said, ‘Go get ’em.’ Luckily it turned out our way.”

In the bottom of the inning, Menhart struck again with another home run over the right field wall, scoring Denham.

“He was sitting back on the curveball,” Kowalczyk said. “(Slusser) was making him look bad on the strikeouts, but he was able to get the two timely hits.”

Menhart finished with five RBIs for the game, while Denham led the team in hitting with three singles and two runs scored.

Jason Rechichar paced Colonial with two singles and a double. He scored the team’s lone run in the first inning off a Matt Rechichar single.

The series shifts to Rowes Run today for Game 3 as Colonial (23-4) looks to get out of its worst slump of the season.

“We just been in a funk the past two games,” Rice said. “I hope we are not looking past anything; we have to play every game to win, and we won three-in-a-row before.”

Kowalczyk feels fortunate to have the top-seeded team on the ropes.

“Ralph’s got a good team,” Kowalczyk said. “Everyone has been waiting for us to fold, and we’re not.”