Mar 28, 2003 By Jim Kriek For The 4 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – It was a day of winning “firsts” for Waynesburg High’s baseball team. First off, the Raiders became the first team to score against host Geibel Catholic, secondly the Raiders were the first team to defeat the Gators this year, and most important to the winners, it was their first victory of the young scholastic baseball season.

The win came in a big “first” for Raider coach Chris Haines. It was the first time he had ever faced Geibel since becoming Waynesburg’s coach.

Waynesburg (1-2) broke up a scoreless affair with three runs in the fourth inning and went on from there behind some strong pitching and timely defense to defeat Geibel, 6-3, with Derek Gifford and Mark Smith combining to pitch a five-hitter. They lost their bid for a shutout when the Gators (2-1) scored all their runs in the fifth inning.

Gifford went the first five, allowing all three runs and five hits, then Smith mopped up with two double-zero innings. Gifford struck out nine, and until the fifth, he ceded just three singles, and only one Gator runner advanced beyond first base against him. Losing pitcher Jeff Baluch singled to lead off, Rob Ramsey walked, then Gifford got three outs in a row.

For the day, other than corralling the five hits, the Raider outfielders could have taken the day off. They had only two putouts all game, to right and to left, both in the sixth.

Meanwhile, the Gator pitchers weren’t being exactly generous. Baluch worked a one-hit shutout until Waynesburg reached him for three of each in the fourth, and to that point, only one WHS runner had advanced past first. In the first, Eric Churney was aboard on a force play and went to third on Smith’s single after which Baluch retired seven in a row, six to first base and one by strikeout. The Gator outfielders had only three putouts all game, to center (2) and right.

Haines said, “We hit the ball better today; we played good defense, and we got to move some players around. We have been working on our hitting and defense, and it paid off today. Now if we can keep our pitching and defense like it was today and make the routine plays on defense that will all be a big step toward our winning goal.

“Gifford pitched very well. He’s a hard thrower, but we are still going to have to work some more with him on his off-speed pitches. He did well against a good, disciplined Geibel team. We have a lot of juniors and sophomores that have practiced hard, play together very well, and they learn from each other, all of which showed here today.”

Recalling that old adage about the bear on some days, Geibel coach John Leonard said, “Today, the bear got us. Waynesburg is a very good, well-coached team, and they got some good pitching today. We didn’t hit the ball at all until the fifth inning.

“We got off on the wrong foot, and by the time we got back on the right one, it was too late. But overall, I’m pleased with the way Jeff (Baluch) and Rob (Ramsey) pitched. We did play better in the field today, except for a couple little fundamental mistakes that hurt us. But hopefully we got all that out of our systems today.”

Of the five hits allowed by Gifford and Smith, Ramsey had two. Waynesburg counted seven hits, two each by Smith and Ricky Stansberry, a double by Gifford and a triple by Aaron Carpenter.

Waynesburg took a 3-0 lead in the fourth. Kellen Haines was aboard on an error and came around on singles by Smith and Stansberry, scoring the first run the Gators allowed in 17 innings. Gifford’s two-out double sent in Smith and Stansberry.

The edge went to 5-0 in the fifth. With one out, Matt Tuttle singled, Smith was aboard on an error and catcher Carpenter helped his batterymate with a two-out triple up the left-center alley.

Geibel struck in the home fifth, to make it 5-3. With one out, Ramsey singled, Dean Lewandowski walked, Phil Gratchic forced Ramsey at third, Zack Leonard was alive on an error, Andy Stroh was hit by a pitch and Jordan White singled for two.

Waynesburg got one back in the seventh when Eric Churney walked to lead off and moved around on a passed ball and Stanberry’s single.

Waynesburg’s next outing will be at home Tuesday with Albert Gallatin, while Geibel is off until Monday.