May 22, 2002 By Jim Wexell For The 4 min read

PLUM – The best Connellsville baseball season in 10 years came to an early end, but not an abrupt end. It took every bit of nine innings for North Allegheny to win the WPIAL Class AAA first-round playoff game, 6-3. “This was an outstanding playoff game,” said Connellsville coach Bob Renzi. “It was a great game by both teams. There was a lot of clutch hitting and there was some clutch pitching at various times in the game.”

There was also some clutch defense, but most of it was done by North Allegheny, which ended Connellsville threats in the fifth, seventh and ninth innings with some fancy glovework.

“We made some great plays in the outfield and that was the difference,” said North Allegheny coach Tim Banner. “Our infield made the routine plays, but our left fielder made a great play when they had the bases loaded and (Matt) Butler ran one down in center field. Those were two huge plays there.”

Butler not only robbed Chris Marsinko of extra bases in the ninth inning, he was 4 for 5 at the plate with three doubles, a triple, two RBIs and two runs scored. In fact, the only out Butler made would’ve been a home run had Marsinko not run back and reached above the fence to make a catch in center field.

“He killed us,” said Renzi. “He killed us to left center, center field, down the right field line. He started their rallies and he drove in their key runs.”

Butler’s double in the top of the ninth inning put North Allegheny runners at second and third with nobody out in a 3-3 game. Clint Karcher drove in the eventual winning run. It was followed by another run-scoring single and a suicide squeeze bunt for the third North Allegheny run of the second extra inning.

“That squeeze play was a big play for them,” Renzi said. “Scoring two runs is a lot easier than scoring three.”

After Connellsville was set down in the ninth, it would look back on another big bunt play with regret.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Falcons appeared ready to grab the game. Brad Livingston led off with his third single of the game, and pinch-runner Jason Goodwin advanced to second on Marsinko’s bunt single. Eric Luckey then attempted to move the two runners up with another bunt, but freshly inserted relief pitcher Paul Anderson fielded the ball and threw to third base to record the first out of the inning. Andy Beucher then flied out, Anthony Smith walked to load the bases and Tony Marciante was robbed in the left-center field alley by Tony Allis for the third out. It was the closest Connellsville came to winning the game.

“That was still only one out,” Renzi said of the failed sacrifice. “We still had (our) three, four and five (batters) up and it still takes a base hit. I don’t want to say it killed us. The bunt’s helped us all year. But it’s a dirt infield and we got it back to the pitcher. It’s part of the game. You can’t dwell on that one play.”

North Allegheny appeared as if it would blow Connellsville out early. The Tigers took a 3-0 lead behind hard-throwing Adam Dobies, but the Falcons rallied to tie the game in the third inning. Marsinko’s two-run homer was the key blow. Luckey then doubled and scored on Beucher’s single to knot the score.

North Allegheny loaded the bases in the top of the fourth against Connellsville starter Brent Wilson, but Renzi brought in Beucher to put out the fire. The reliever didn’t allow a run until the ninth inning.

“My relief pitcher came in and did a tremendous job for us,” Renzi said. “He just held them down the whole game. You’ve got to score some runs for him, though.”

The loss ended Connellsville’s season at 18-3. Undefeated in Section 2-AAA, Connellsville was not upset to draw North Allegheny, a perennial powerhouse.

“This is probably the strongest field of playoff teams I’ve seen,” Renzi said. “There are, without a doubt, eight or 10 teams that can win this thing. North Allegheny was 10-9 and it was just the way the seeds fell. Nah. You’ve got to win four games. You’re going to have to beat somebody.

“Hey, they’re no better than we are. They just got some key hits today and we didn’t.”