Jun 11, 2002 By Justin Zackal For The 3 min read

CARMICHAELS – The Carmichaels American Legion baseball players introduced themselves to one another on Monday, and then they met the unbeaten, defending league champs. The first introduction went over well, but the second resulted in a 10-6 loss against Colonial 3.

Carmichaels played its first game after players from the high school team finished their season last week and joined forces with players from Jefferson-Morgan and Mapletown.

“They just have to get to know each other,” said Carmichaels manager Jerry Kowalczyk. “That’s the key. We will eventually mesh.”

Colonial improves to 6-0 with the win, as Matt Rechichar and Chad Rice continue to hit over .500 for the season to lead the way.

“Our No. 3 and 4 hitters have been producing,” said Colonial manager Ralph Rice. “We have been hitting the ball really well.”

Rice recorded two hits and scored twice, while Rechichar hit three singles and two RBI as clean-up hitter.

Rice’s line-drive single to centerfield plated Brandon Mallick to forge a 1-1 tie in the third inning.

Mallick ignited Colonial’s sixth-inning burst when his grounder skipped by Carmichaels’ drawn-up infield with the bases loaded to score Matt Greene. Greene led off the inning on a walk before Carmichaels reliever Andy Mazur suffered control problems with three hit batsmen in the inning.

After Mazur was pulled from the game, Colonial’s Matt Rechichar and Jared Slusser greeted Carmichaels reliever Drew Denham with RBI singles. Slusser’s single reached the right-field wall to score Jason and Matt Rechichar.

“It seems we have been getting into a lull, and then we would come through with a big inning,” Rice said. “That’s good because we never feel like we are too far behind. We just seem to thrive on the big inning.”

The Colonial lineup showed its five-game experience, while starting pitcher Neil Kelly cruised through the Carmichaels’ order, not allowing a hit against 18 batters between the second and fifth innings.

“He kept throwing that breaking ball, and we couldn’t get to him,” Kowalczyk said. “Our bats seemed real slow.”

Kelly struck out two while surrendering four walks and five hits before leaving the game in the eighth inning.

“That’s by far the further he has went,” Rice said. “He just gave it all he had.”

Carmichaels starter Jay Zielensky pitched five innings, striking out four while surrendering three walks and five hits.

Kowalczyk used all 15 of his players, led by Jeff Lapkowicz, who hit an RBI double in the sixth inning to score Shayne Busti, while brother Jared Lapkowicz recorded a hit and scored two runs.

Carmichaels (0-1) travels to Uniontown tomorrow, while Colonial (6-0) plays Perryopolis.