Geibel shuts out Frazier
PERRYOPOLIS – Dean Lewandowski drove in four runs and Rob Ramsey limited Frazier to three singles Thursday as Geibel Catholic beat the Commodores, 10-0, in a Section 7-A baseball game stopped after five innings by the 10-run rule. Lewandowski drove in the Gators’ first run, with a single to left in the first inning that scored Earl Gilbert, and brought in the last two with a towering home run to left-center field after Jordan Whetzel’s run-scoring double in the fifth inning.
All told, the Gators pounded out 16 hits and benefited from eight Frazier errors. Gilbert and Lewandowski had three hits each, while Ramsey and Matt Mascia added two apiece. Whetzel and Gilbert had doubles.
“This is two games in a row now that we’ve hit the ball pretty well,” Geibel Catholic coach Mark Riggin said.
The Gators (8-8 overall, 6-5 in section games) couldn’t have picked a better time to get on a roll. They are still in the playoff hunt with their last section game set Monday at section-leading California. Even though they faced a young, struggling Frazier (3-11, 0-10) team, Riggin knew they had to come out sharp.
“I told the guys that it’s another game, another chance to play baseball,” Riggin said. “I also told them that we have a realistic chance to get to the playoffs. We knew coming in that we needed to win our last two games and see what happens. Anything can happen.”
Geibel Catholic needs to finish ahead of Beth-Center to qualify for the WPIAL playoffs because the Bulldogs own a 2-1 edge over the Gators in head-to-head competition.
Speaking of head-to-head competition, Ramsey was in complete control throughout the game. He faced only three batters over the minimum 15 and benefited from one double play.
“Geibel was too much for us today and Mr. Ramsey pitched a very good game against us,” Frazier coach Ray Smitley said. “We’re a young team – we don’t have any seniors – and we’re struggling right now, but give Geibel their due.”
The Commodores are down in numbers and lost right fielder Paul Sabo to a freak injury during pre-game warm-ups. Sabo suffered a cut in his head that required stitches.
“We started off real well by beating Southmoreland, but since then it’s been one (problem) after another. We keep making errors and we can’t seem to hit the ball,” Smitley said. “But we’ll stick with it and go out there and get it fixed. We’ll do whatever it takes to turn it around.”
Frazier travels to Monessen for a non-section game today.