Connellsville loses first game in split with Masontown-Point Marion
CONNELLSVILLE — It turned out to be a case of “you broke my winning streak, so now I’m going to get even by breaking yours.” Connellsville and Masontown-Point Marion hooked up in an American Legion Baseball doubleheader at the Connellsville High School field and came out with an even break.
Connellsville won the opener, a 1-0 nailbiter that went right down to the last pitch on the last batter in the last inning to give the home team its 14th consecutive win, and at the same time snapped a five-game run by MPM.
The second game was a battle of bats and words, as MPM used a six-run fifth inning to clinch a 9-5 win and hand Connellsville its first loss of the year.
Chris Marsinko hit a home run in the third inning, and it stood the rest of the way in Connellsville’s winning opener, as Tom Cesario outdueled Craig Hriblan.
Then Josh Null went all the way in the nightcap, fashioning a winning seven-hitter.
Cesario allowed four singles in the opener, while Hriblan gave up six hits, including Marsinko’s homer and single and Zack Leonard’s double and single. With one out in the third, Marsinko hit the first pitch over the fence in left, and that was enough to get the win, although there were a couple of close calls before the win was assured.
Masontown-Point Marion got its first hits in the fourth. With one out, Hriblan singled. Alan Smodic followed with a single, but Hriblan was cut down as he tried to reach third.
In the seventh, Cesario got two quick outs, and then Null singled, Ken Cerny was safe on an error and Chris Buncic was hit by a pitch to load the bases. But Gratchic grabbed Scott Piper’s grounder to third and stepped on the bag for the game-ending out.
Connellsville manager Sherwood Hughes said, “This was a big win for us, but I’m not pleased overall with the way we played. We were not as aggressive as we can be. Chris has been solid all year, and today he got the big hit for us. Tommy did a fine job on the mound. He has a good fastball and he threw strikes, keeping the ball low which stopped them.”
Masontown-Point Marion manager Sean O’Neil said, “Craig gave us a real fine pitching effort, but we didn’t get him any hits. Everything about our game was good except the offense, although we did make a rush in the seventh. I thought we had a chance there in the seventh, but we came up short.”
The second game was a wild affair. MPM pulled away in the fifth, and then holding off a late rush by Connellsville to get the win.
Null went the distance, allowing seven hits, three by Bubba Fox, including a double, and Brandon Bryner’s double. After the first inning, Null faced only two over the maximum number of batters until the last home rush in the sixth.
Hughes, who was ejected in the fifth after a debate with the umpires, said, “We didn’t start to hit until it was too late. We didn’t hit early in the game, while they did, and they built up their lead. Their pitcher did a real fine job, and they played good defense back of him.”
Then he said, “Another lefty! Left-handers always give us trouble.”
A happy O’Neil said, “After that tough loss in the first game I think we were due for a big break. Josh threw a lot of strikes, and he was in real trouble only in the sixth, but I told him that Connellsville is a real hard hitting team, so just set your mind on getting outs.
“Our defense was great in both games, and we have been doing that lately. They have been making the plays they are supposed to make and that keeps us in the game. You know the old saying, if you want to be with the best, then you have to beat the best, and that’s what we did in the second game.”
Hriblan led the offense with a triple and two singles, Sean McCahill had a triple and single and Buncic, Piper and Cerny got two singles apiece.
Connellsville led 2-0 in the first. Fox singled, then beat the force try at second on Tony Marciante’s grounder. Bryner doubled in one run, and Leonard bunted in the other.
Masontown-Point Marion got a run in the second on a force play, a walk and Mike Budinsky’s single, then took the lead for good, 3-2, in the fourth. Cerny singled and moved around on Craig Santella’s bunt and Buncic’s single. Buncic stole second and scored on Piper’s single.
Then came the clinching fifth.
McCahill singled, Budinsky and Josh Franks walked to load the bases, Cerny walked to force in one run and Santella was hit by a pitch to send in Budinsky. Buncic grounded toward short, and the ball hit Cerny for the out with Franks scoring.
An argument ensued contenting that Cerny should not have scored, and after some debate his run stood and Hughes was thumbed. Then with two out, Hriblan tripled to right, and as he slid into third the ball was thrown high to the fence back of third and Hriblan was waved home on the overthrow. This led to debate number two, but the ruling stood.
Connellsville filed a protest on the plays, but what, if any, action is taken will be the decision of the league.
Connellsville made its last push in the sixth. Fox and Marciante singled, and Bryner walked to load the bases. Leonard singled for one run, leaving the bases loaded before Gratchic sent Marciante in with a fly to right, Bryner moved to third, and scored on Kevin Bell’s fly to left.
Both teams are home Monday, Connellsville to Farmington, and MPM to Colonial.