Connellsville downs Albert Gallatin
CONNELLSVILLE – This was another case of where figures can be so deceiving. For the game, visiting Albert Gallatin had the most hits (13-8) and the most-extra base hits (6-0), but Connellsville led the one stat that really means the most in any sport as the Falcons had the most runs, holding off a late AG threat to win, 8-5, in Section 2-AAA play Thursday.
Connellsville (16-1, 9-0) has one section game left, with Uniontown at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Farmington in a makeup of last Tuesday’s rainout.
The Falcons were happy they had to contend with only one Craig Hriblan. The AG sophomore pitched well enough to win a lot of games, allowing just eight singles, and walking only one batter (Jon Stutzman in the first). At bat, he led the Colonials’ offense with a home run and two doubles, his homer being the first hit over the new outfield fence by a visiting player, according to the Falcon coaches.
Connellsville got three runs in the first and four in the fourth to clinch, but other than that, the only inning they had any hits was the sixth (2), and the Colonial outfield had just three putouts.
In the latter case, winning pitcher Matt Rupp was even tougher. Two Falcon outfielders could have taken the day off, for the only outfield putout was Bob Epley’s fly to right for the first out in the seventh. Rupp faced four batters in the seventh, and then Brent Wilson came on to get two game-ending outs. Brandon Bryner and Brian Guynn split four of the Falcon hits with Guynn’s being his first in a varsity game.
Since this was the last home section game of the season for the Falcons, coach Bob Renzi went with an all-senior lineup and only three subs.
Renzi said, “We didn’t hit all that well today, but we got some key hits, and that was enough to win. When you couple key hits with defense, you have what you need to be a winner.
“Matt got some big pitches to get out of a couple innings when they were threatening, and then they got to him in the seventh. We had Brent fresh on the bench and he came in in a big situation, with the tying run at the plate and got two strikeouts.”
Albert Gallatin coach Shawn Chory was pleased with Hriblan’s effort, noting “he’s tough. He pitched good enough to win a lot of games, but we didn’t get enough key hits back of him. Until today, we haven’t hit all that well since Laurel Highlands no-hit us three weeks ago. We made a couple early mistakes, and they jumped on us, but that’s what good teams do to be winners.”
The Colonials (3-7, 8-9) also counted Mike Budinsky’s double and two singles, a double and single each from Josh Franks and Adam and Ryan Jenkins’ two singles.
Connellsville led 3-0 in the first. With one out, Chris Marsinko was safe on an error and Anthony Smith singled. With two down, Stutzman walked to load the bases, and Bryner singled for two with Stutzman going to third and scoring on a wild pitch.
The Colonials got two in the fourth on Jenkins’ single and doubles by Budinsky and Franks.
The Falcons clinched the win with four runs in the fourth. Stutzman was hit by a pitch, Bryner and Eric Luckey beat out bunts to load the bases, and with one out, Guynn and Tony Marciante singled and Marsinko sent in the fourth run with a fly ball.
Albert Gallatin tried to get something going in the sixth with two-out singles by Franks, Weakland and Sean McCahill for one run, but Rupp got a strikeout to end the inning.
Chory said McCahill’s single was “his first varsity time at bat. He’s another of our sophomore players, and he came through in his first try.”
The Colonials closed scoring in the seventh. Hriblan led off with a long, high homer to left, and with one down, pinch-hitter Scott Piper walked and Jenkins singled him to third. Wilson relieved Rupp, and after giving up a single to Budinsky that scored Piper, he ended the game with two strikeouts.
Chory closed the season with “thanks to my three assistants, Rob Chory, Jim Cole and Joe Brown for all the help they gave me with this team. We lose eight seniors, but we also have some good underclass players coming up. We lost today, but the future looks good.”