Masontown topples Bud Murphy’s … again
BREAKNECK – Until Thursday, only one County Baseball League team had been able to get the edge on Bud Murphy’s, and nobody had scored more than three runs in one game against the Cokers. Today, Masontown is still the only opponent to measure the defending champions so far this year, and now the Wolfpack is also the only one with more than three runs in one game. And they did it while on the way to a one-game scoring high of their own.
Masontown broke a 2-2 tie with seven runs in the third and went on to a 16-7 win over Bud’s in a free-swinging affair at the Breakneck Field, only the second loss all season for Bud’s, and both have been to the Wolfpack, which won 3-1 earlier in the season.
Manager Clint Zvolenski said, “For many years it has been difficult to play here at this field, and I think it’s just a mental thing, but a win like this today should help get that mental block out of the way. We had good hitting, good pitching good defense, everything you need to do to win; we did it today.”
Brent Baker went the distance for the Wolfpack, allowing nine hits, including a homer and two singles by Greg Beucher, a two-run shot by Jack Smarslak, and a double and single by Joe Bonadio.
Bud’s threatened every inning and left the bases loaded in the second and fifth.
Baker said, “My change-up worked very well today and helped keep them off balance. Andy (catcher Patrick) called a good game for me, mixing up the pitches very well. I think I shook him off twice. They got two runs in the first on a double and a home run, both off sliders, and then Andy came out and adjusted the pitches a little bit and got them to hit more ground balls.”
Zvolenski called Baker “a very poised pitcher. He’s not a fast worker, and he thinks about every pitch.”
Masontown had 16 hits off three pitchers, including Jim Kubina’s three-run homer and single, Scott Van Sickle had two doubles and a single, Patrick three singles, Joel Yednock a double and two singles, Cole and Zvolenski a double apiece and Brad Baker a brace of singles.
Zvolenski said, “This was our highest game all year. Early in the season we had some good offense, then we slacked off, but recently we have started to hit again.”
Bud’s manager Tom Sankovich said, “We had not given up more than three runs in any game until today. We hit the ball well, but today Masontown was the best hitting team for one game I have seen all season. There are so many ifs in baseball; for instance, if we had been able to pull the double play we missed in the fifth when the score was 12-6, who knows but what we might have come back. But that’s baseball, and we will bounce back.”
Masontown led 2-0 in the first on singles by Baker and Van Sickle, a hit batsman and an error. Bud’s came right back to tie on Bonadio’s leadoff double and Beucher’s high shot into the trees in left.
The visitors went ahead for good, 9-2, with seven runs in the third. Van Sickle, Cole and Yednock hit successive doubles to start the rally, and Patrick and Shaneyfelt singled. With one out, Zvolenski walked, and another run scored as Jason Rosner grounded to first. Brad Baker singled, and Van Sickle hit his second double to end the scoring.
Bud’s got one in the third on Shipley’s single, two walks and Josh Delander’s fly ball.
Masontown made it 12-3 in the fourth as Yednock, Patrick, and Kubina singled around a walk and Zvolenski’s fly ball.
Bud’s offset those runs in its fourth as Bonadio and Beucher’s singled, Shipley hit a fly ball and Smarslak drove one over the right-center fence.
Masontown’s scoring ended with four runs in the fifth on a force play, singles by Yednock and Patrick and Kubina’s high drive to left.
Bud’s got one back in the fifth on a force, Beucher’s single and two walks.
Masontown plays at 1 p.m. Saturday at Brownsville (Republic), while Bud’s will be at Mill Run at 2 p.m. Sunday.