Gratchic, Baluch key Geibel’s season-opening win
ALVERTON – Phil Gratchic ripped a long two-run homer and combined with starter Jeff Baluch to pitch a one-hit shutout as Geibel Catholic opened its baseball season with a 5-0 exhibition win at Southmoreland Saturday. Baluch, a freshman, allowed a baserunner in the first two innings (including Eric Adams’ lead-off single in the second), but let his defense bail him out of each inning with double-plays, as the Gators’ pitchers faced only one batter over the minimum.
The result made John Leonard a winner in his first game as Geibel Catholic manager.
“Our pitching was excellent, both Baluch and Phil,” Leonard said. “Both of them threw strikes, they threw the ball hard and they stayed ahead in the count.”
Leonard said the cold weather and the fact it was so early in the season kept him from sticking with Baluch beyond four innings. Both teams were rained out Friday.
“It’s early and he’s only a freshman,” Leonard said. “We want to take our time with him. He’s going to be a very good pitcher. We have more good pitching, too, and I don’t think any of our kids are in good enough shape yet to work more than four innings.”
The Gators scratched for a run in the top of the first inning. Dean Lewendowski singled, moved to second on a Southmoreland error and, after Zach Leonard was hit by a pitch, scored on Andrew Stroh’s double.
Geibel Catholic tacked on two more runs in the third, when Rob Ramsey reached on an error and scored on Stroh’s single. Zach Leonard, who again was hit by a pitch, scored the third run on Jordan White’s single.
In the top of the sixth, Lewendowski reached on a walk before Gratchic crushed the first pitch he saw for a two-run shot over the left field fence.
“Phil can hit the ball,” John Leonard said. “That’s why he’s the No. 3 batter. He’s an all-around good player.”
In fact, John Leonard said he has plenty of good all-around players. “I’m very satisfied for a first game. These kids are all working hard for us; they are giving 150 percent. Even the kids that didn’t get to play give us good effort in practices.”
For Southmoreland manager Brian Shipley, it was a frustrating day, but he vowed to work through it and make the Scotties a better team. Southmoreland committed five errors and Adams’ single was their only hit of the game.
“We committed five errors and we didn’t hit,” Shipley said. “You can’t win games without hitting the ball. Our pitchers threw well, but you have to hit the ball to win. I thought their pitchers threw very well and threw a lot of strikes.”
Shipley said his team’s attitude is a problem, “but I began working on that already. We had a little meeting after the game and we’ll get it straightened out.”
The errors proved costly for Southmoreland, but Shipley isn’t overly concerned.
“Overall, our defense is fine,” Shipley said. “A couple of positions are shaky, first base is definitely an issue for us, but that’s why we play these exhibition games, to get the kinks out.”
The Gators scored their runs on eight hits, with Stroh getting three of them.