Jun 18, 2002 By Justin Zackal For The 3 min read

CARMICHAELS – Chris Buncic did everything the Carmichaels American Legion baseball team couldn’t do on Monday. His timely hitting and keen defensive play guided Masontown-Point Marion to a 5-2 win at Carmichaels in the second game a doubleheader to earn a split.

Carmichaels won the opener, 4-1.

Buncic led of the game with a solo home run well over the left field fence, but his fourth-inning single to center field was just as potent.

Jerome Manchas and Josh Null scored on Buncic’s base hit to give Masontown a 4-1 lead, an advantage his team would maintain the rest of the game.

“He makes us go,” said Masontown manager Shawn O’Neil. “We needed Chris to step up and he did. He just set the tone.”

The first-inning homer was Buncic’s third of the year, as he finished the game 2 for 3 with three RBI.

“He’s very consistent,” said O’Neil. “He is at the top of the order for a reason.”

As the center fielder for Masontown, Buncic recorded rare consecutive assists in the third inning. Buncic threw out Shayne Busti at second base when Jared Lapkowicz’s pop-up fell in for a single. On the next play, Buncic ran down Justin Corso’s line drive in the right-center gap, and threw out Lapkowicz retreating back to first to complete the double play.

The heads-up defensive play was absent on Carmichaels’ side, as four errors and five runs on just three hits plaque the team.

“I wasn’t too pleased with our defense,” said Carmichaels manager Jerry Kowalczyk. “You’ve got to play good defense.”

Masontown clean-up hitter Josh Franks scored twice on Carmichaels errors. After singling to lead off the fourth, Bob Epley knock Franks in from first base when Carmichaels pitcher Matt Fanase fielded a grounder and, from his knees, threw the ball down the right field line in foul territory. Franks scored again in the fifth on two Carmichaels throwing errors. He scored from third base, while Epley, who also reached on an error, stole second.

“It happens,” Kowalczyk said. “We are a young team, but everyone is giving 100 percent.”

Carmichaels faltered at the plate, as well, by leaving seven runners in scoring position, and 10 runners total. Masontown pitcher Craig Hriblan struck out Jayce Donley in the first and fifth innings with the bases loaded.

“One key hit and we are back in the game,” Kowalczyk said. “But no one came through with the big hit.”

Hriblan, who did not pitch for two weeks prior to the game, struck out seven, but allowed nine walks in five innings.

Busti was the only Carmichaels player to get to Hriblan, recording two hits.

Carmichaels scored its two runs on a bases loaded walk in the first inning, and Corso’s sac fly scoring Colby Giles in the fifth.

Matt Fanase pitched a complete game for Carmichaels, striking out three and walking two.

Carmichaels (2-4) won the first game behind Giles’ seven-strikeout, complete game. Fanase and Jamie Kowalczyk record two hits each, as did Masontown’s Hriblan and Mike Budinsky.

Masontown (4-5) hosts Colonial tomorrow, while Carmichaels travels to Charleroi for a 4 p.m. doubleheader.