Uniontown outlasts Connellsville in seesaw Section 2 contest
FARMINGTON – Uniontown giveth and Uniontown taketh. The Raiders played giveaway through the first four innings, took the lead back, gave it up again, and took it back a second time, that time for good, to clinch a 10-9 win over Connellsville in frigid, windy Section 2-AAA baseball play Tuesday.
The win was the first in section play for the Raiders (1-3) and ended weeks of frustration for them, games in which they had come close, only to see the victory slip away in the late innings. This time UHS was the one making the move in the late innings, scoring three runs in the last of the sixth to come from behind and win.
Coach Mark Edenfield called the win “a real big one for us, one that we just had to get for our backs were to the wall. That’s why you play as hard as you can right to the last out. But considering the adversity we have had all season, and even in some spots today, I’m really pleased with what they did, plus the fact that we did it all in such cold weather.”
But the win didn’t come easy for the Raiders. They committed six errors in five innings to help put themselves in a hole, then dug out of it. Howie King swung the big bat, with a home run, double, and three runs batted in, and Ryan Guthrie had three singles.
Edenfield said, “John (Latsnic) came on in the fifth inning and gave us a strong relief effort, shutting them down in the last two innings. Then Howie had a tremendous day at the plate, and Ryan Guthrie was outstanding in left. Ryan Robowski started for us and did a fine job in four innings, but we made too many mistakes behind him. If we had not made so many errors, he might have been a seven-inning pitcher today.”
Connellsville coach Bob Renze said, “When you score nine runs you should be able to win, but we just gave them too many easy outs. We gave up eight walks, and our pitchers were working behind on almost every batter. Uniontown was also in the game with great enthusiasm, and we weren’t.”
Connellsville (6-8, 3-2) led 1-0 in the first after Justin Marsinko walked to lead off the game, went to second on an error and scored on Tony Marciante’s single.
It was 2-0 in the second after Wes Hughes was safe on an error, leading off, and moved around on a wild pitch and the first of David Show’s three singles.
Uniontown tied it in the second. Neil Kelly was safe on an error to lead off, and King lined one high over the 375 sign in left.
The Raiders went ahead for the first time in the third, 4-2, on walks to Gary King and Nathan Lewis, an out and Jeremiah Ditmore’s single.
Connellsville took the lead back, 5-4, with three in the fourth. With one out, Kevin Bell was hit by a pitch, and with two down, Marsinko singled, Corey Fox was safe on an error, scoring Bell and leaving runners on second and third.
Andy Beucher was intentionally walked to load the bases. Tony Marciante blooped a single into right, and all three runners, who were moving with the crack of the bat and two out, scored to put Connellsville on top.
Uniontown came right back with three after two outs in the fourth to lead, 7-5. Nathan Klingensmith walked, and with two out, Gary King walked, Lewis singled, Kelly’s grounder was booted and Howie King doubled.
Connellsville regained the lead, 9-7, in the fifth on singles by Zack Blackstone, Bell, Show and Corey Fox, around Marsinko’s fly ball.
But the Raiders taketh again in the sixth. This time for good, on Guthrie’s single, walks to Gary King and Lewis, an error, Nick Neratka’s single and H. King’s fly ball.
As he headed for the bench, Edenfield said, “We gave it away and then we took it back. Maybe this is a good sign.”