Bud’s smothers Connellsville as bat boom
CONNELLSVILLE – This was another one of those times when first appearances can be deceiving. Connellsville batted first and scored four runs. Bud Murphy’s came right back with five, and visions of a slugfest, runfest, began to form in the baseball minds present.
But after that, all the “festing” was on the part of Bud Murphy’s, as the Cokers rambled for 18 hits off three pitchers and a 13-5 win over visiting Connellsville, in Fayette County Baseball League play Thursday.
Manager Tom Sankovich said, “After that first inning, I thought we were in for a real slugfest. But then our pitchers shut them down at the plate.”
Then the veteran manager said, “If only we could have had a couple of these hits yesterday,” alluding to the 3-2 loss the Cokers (12-3) sustained to Carmichaels, a loss that snapped an 11-game winning streak.
Bud’s built up an 11-4 lead over the first three innings with Sankovich noting, “Today we hit the ball. Everybody played and everybody hit. Defensively we also pulled a couple double plays.”
Jason Halfhill and Chris Fisher combined to work a winning four-hitter, and except for fielding those four hits, the Coker outfielders could have taken the day off. They didn’t have a single putout. Only one fly ball went their way, in the first inning, and it was dropped. After that, all the outs were by the infield, around six strikeouts.
The Warriors had three hits in the first inning, and then were blanked until the seventh when Brian Sass got his second single with two out.
Connellsville coach Kevin McIntosh said, “We got off to a good start, but then we stopped hitting. We had one hit after the first inning.”
Bud’s counted among the 18 hits a home run, a double, two singles and three RBIs by Brian Sankovich, Jeff Lander’s two doubles for four RBIs, Greg Beucher’s home run and two singles, Brian Shipley’s double and single, Ryan Miscik’s three singles and Rich Means’ two singles.
Connellsville led 4-0 in the first on a leadoff walk to Andy Shinsky, singles by Sass, Dan Gratchic and Mike Miskanin and an error.
Bud’s answered with five to go ahead for good. With one out, Beucher was aboard on an error, Sankovich and Shipley singled, Jack Smarslak walked to load the bases, and Lander unloaded them with his first double, and then scored himself on an error and Means’ single.
Beucher led off the second with a homer over the fence in center. Sankovich singled, Shipley was hit by a pitch, Smarslak bunted them ahead, Lander doubled and Miscik singled.
Three more runs crossed in the third. Beucher hit a leadoff single, and Sankovich lofted a high shot into the trees in left. Shipley was alive on an error, Miscik was hit by a pitch, Means singled to load them up and Anthony Brown walked.
Beucher singled to open the fifth and moved around on a passed ball and Sankovich’s double. Shipley doubled and Smarslak singled to complete scoring in the sixth.
Connellsville scored in the fifth when Shinsky was safe on an error, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch, and after Sass walked, he scored in the front end of the double steal.
Bud’s is on the road today, playing at Rostraver.