Jul 9, 2003 By Jim Kriek For The 3 min read

REPUBLIC – Many hands can make light work as the old adage says, but many hands can also add up to victories in baseball. Connellsville proved that Tuesday in Fayette County Baseball League action by nailing Redstone, 7-1, on a four-hitter by Chris Lewis and an offense led by Bill Gabonay, Brian Sass and Ray Alekson.

Lewis had a shutout going until the sixth when Redstone scored to escape the collar.

But before the sixth, only three Red Dogg runners got past first and just one of them reached third.

Warrior manager Len Kolencik called the win “as complete a game as we have played all year. All phases of the game came together today, the pitching, the hitting, offense, defense – everything you have to do to win.

“Chris was great on the mound. He’s now 2-1 for us, and I would call this his best effort of the season. He was in control right to the end, plus we made some good defensive plays back of him, and Bill Gabonay led the offense.”

Gabonay was 3-for-3, including a double,

Sass added a double, and Alekson a home run.

Lewis ceded a one-out single to Craig Rechichar in the third, a one-out double to Casey Kupets in the fourth, a two-out single to Rechichar in the fifth and a leadoff double to Jim Cales in the sixth.

Until the sixth, Kupets was the only runner to reach third, moving over on an out after his double.

The only other runner to reach second was Sam Petko who was aboard on a force play in the second and stole second.

Redstone manager Dan Kupets said, “You have to hit to score runs. Our pitcher did well, but we made a couple of errors that hurt. It was a case of their getting runners on base and hitting the ball, and us not doing that.”

Connellsville (5-15) took the lead for good in the third.

Andy Shinsky singled with two out, went to third on an errant pickoff try, and after Sass walked, Dan Gratchic singled to score Shinsky.

The edge went to 5-0 in the fourth. Gabonay hit a leadoff double to left-center and went to third on a passed ball.

With one out, J.W. Eddy walked and went to second as Kolencik grounded out with Gabonay holding third.

Bob Keslar then got the big hit of the inning – a two-out single – to score both of them.

Shinsky walked, and Sass doubled both in, but he was cut down at third trying for three bases.

Redstone made its move in the sixth. Cales hit a leadoff double, held second on a groundout and strikeout before scoring when Skooter Roebuck’s grounder was booted.

Connellsville is in action today at Carmichaels, then plays Mario’s on Sunday at Leckrone.

Redstone is at Perryopolis today, then has home games with Masontown on Thursday and Friday.