Apr 30, 2003 By Jim Kriek For The 4 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – The long and short of it all was that Geibel Catholic used the long and the short to clinch the section championship. A long pitching effort by Phil Gratchic and two key short bunts in the sixth inning featured play as Geibel collared California, 5-0, Tuesday and clinched the Section 7-A championship.

For the Gators, now 7-1 with the section schedule completed, this was the first time in 10 years they have been able to celebrate a championship.

The win left Geibel (11-5 season) two games up on the Trojans (8-3, 4-3) with the latter still having one section game left to play. But their only hope was to win Tuesday to force no worse than a tie.

Gratchic worked a fine four-hit shutout, and was behind on only one batter. He did not issue a walk and he got eight on strikes.

Coach John Leonard said of the winning effort, “It was a really good game by Phil. He consistently stayed ahead of the hitters, and there was only one time when they came close to scoring on him.”

Assistant coach Bob McGuinness, who also charts the pitchers, said, “Phil got behind on one batter, a three ball, no strike count, and he still came back and got him out.”

California’s biggest chance to score came in the fourth. With one out, and California trailing 1-0, losing pitcher Shane Tonkavich tripled to right center, the only time a Trojan runner would get past second all game. The squeeze was flashed, and Tonkavich broke for the plate, but the bunt was missed and Tonkavich was caught in a rundown. Bryan Dunn than singled past third and stole second, but was left stranded.

Andy Galis singled with two down in the third, and Parke Bongiorno got one in the sixth for the only other hits off Gratchic. The only other runner was Tonkavich, who was safe on an error to lead off the second.

Gratchic said, “My fastball and location were the two big factors for me today, and I used my curve for a strike three pitch. I felt going into the game that I had to throw strikes and with my catcher (Jordan White) calling a good game for me, that’s what we did.

“I was able to spot my pitches and that was a real big help, plus if they did hit the ball, the defense was there.”

California coach Don Hartman said, “Give Gratchic a lot of credit. He threw a really great game. At the same time, our pitcher gave us a good effort, and we were OK until the sixth, but we just didn’t execute when we had the chances. Geibel did everything they had to do to win. They executed well, they hit the ball, they played defense, whatever they had to do, and I congratulate them.”

The game was close until the sixth inning, Geibel managing just a 1-0 lead to that point. Rob Ramsey led off the home first with a single, and Dean Lewandowski walked. With one out, Zack Leonard forced Lewandowski at second, Ramsey moving to third, and when the ball was thrown wide at first trying for the double play, Ramsey continued around to score.

Coach Leonard said “we knew the game was going to be close and it was until the sixth. I was a little concerned with only a one-run lead, but Phil was doing so good on the mound that all I wanted to do was get a couple runners on base and then we could try some squeeze baseball.”

The chance came in the sixth. White singled to lead off and Chorba tripled to center. With Earl Gilbert at bat, the squeeze was flashed, and Chorba was in, then when the ball was thrown high at first, Gilbert wound up at second. Dave Menendez got a bunt single to put runners on first and third, and Ramsey’s flyball scored Gilbert, with Menendez moving to third.

With Lewandowski batting, the squeeze was flashed again, and Menendez scored as Lewandowski was thrown out at first. Gratchic followed with a single, and Chris Cox came on in relief to get the third out.

As his players celebrated their championship win, Coach Leonard added “it feels good to be champions. These players came out here early today and they were really ready for the game. They talked baseball all day and they had a good feeling toward the game. They even wore their uniforms to school today.”

From such “little” things come “big” championship wins.