Connellsville runs table in Section 2-AAA
FARMINGTON – Connellsville didn’t wait long to start equaling a unique page in the school’s standout baseball history. The Falcons took a six-run lead their first time at bat and went on to a 10-6 win over host Uniontown, in their Section 2-AAA game here Saturday. And while the weather might have been on the chilly side, the action on the field was anything but that.
With their 14th win in a row, Connellsville (17-1) completed a sweep of all 10 section games, only the second time in the school’s history that such an achievement has been recorded. The 1988 team, coached by Tom Sankovich, swept its section slate on the way to a 19-0 regular season record, plus 2-2 in the playoffs.
Coach Bob Renzi said of the sweep, “I told our team that it is never an easy thing to do, to go unbeaten in our section. To do something like that, you need mentally tough players. There are always games that you can lose. But to do something like this is a big achievement, and everybody had a hand in it today.”
Anthony Smith gave up 10 hits, including three-fourths of the cycle by starting and losing pitcher Jared Early, and three singles by Brandon Mallick. Connellsville had a dozen hits, with Brandon Bryner (double, two singles), and Jon Stutzman (three singles) sharing half of them. Smith added a single and double in his own behalf and Andy Beucher hit a double.
Renzi added, “Anthony had a lot of poise on the mound. We made errors behind him and he just kept going, didn’t let them bother him. (Uniontown coach) Mark (Edenfield) does an outstanding job with his team, they never quit. We led them 9-0 at one point and they came back on us, for a while looking like one or two hits, and they would catch us.”
Matt Greene worked a strong pitching effort after relieving Early in the second, and going the rest of the way. After the second, Greene allowed just three hits and one run.
Edenfield said, “Greene did a good job for us, keeping them off balance with his pitches. What killed us was bad first and second innings. We tried to catch up, but just came up short.”
Connellsville led 6-0 in the first. Tony Marciante, Chris Marsinko and Smith singled for a 1-0 lead. With one out, Corey Fox drove in Marsinko with a flyball and Bryner doubled in Smith. Stutzman then singled and Eric Luckey’s bouncer was thrown wild to first, leaving runners on second and third, for Joe Kooser to single them in.
Renzi said, “Kooser’s single was a key hit. It took us from a four-run lead to a six-run lead, and at the same time it had to be a bit of a letdown for them, when a No. 9 batter gets a big hit like that.”
Three more runs crossed in the second. Marsinko walked and was forced at second by Smith, who then scored all the way from first on Beucher’s double. With two down, Bryner singled Beucher in, and Greene came on in relief. Stutzman singled Bryner ahead and he scored on an error.
Uniontown got three in the third on Early’s one-out double, a walk to Gary King, and Howie King’s single, coupled with an error and a fielders choice.
Connellsville completed its scoring in the fourth. Fox was aboard on an error and moved around on Bryner’s bunt and Stutzman’s single.
Uniontown added two in its fifth on Nate Lewis and Mallick singles, a fielders choice and three Falcon errors. The final run crossed in the sixth when Gary King was safe on an error and came around on Howie King and Mallick singles.
Uniontown closes section play on Monday, playing Laurel Highlands at the Hutchinson field (4:30), while Connellsville is home to North Allegheny Tuesday and travels to Franklin Regional Thursday.