Jul 20, 2009 3 min read

Mario’s put up nine runs in the top of the first inning Sunday, and Nick Damico and Chad Rice did the rest on the road for a 14-0 Fayette County Baseball League victory against Watson & Sons. With the nine runs in hand, Damico allowed only Adam Swinchock’s single that led off the top of the second inning. Swinchock was erased with a double play, and then Damico faced the minimum number of batters. Damico (5-0) pitched the first five innings, striking out seven with no walks. Rice earned his first save, striking out four and walking one over the final three innings.

Rice blasted a two-run shot in the sixth for the final two runs for Mario’s. Jeff Lapkowicz, Drew Denham and Zach Patterson all finished with two hits. Jason Greene and Patterson drove home two runs, and Jared Lapkowicz added a double to the 11-hit attack.

Mario’s (20-2) hosts Mill Run today at 6 p.m. at Wana B Park.

Blue Mountain 10, Bud Murphy’s 10, 8 innings – Blue Mountain tied the game with two runs in the top of the seventh, and then both teams scored single runs in the eighth before the Fayette County Baseball League game was called due to darkness.

Trailing 9-7 after six innings, J.W. Kayla led of the seventh for Blue Mountain with a double. He scored on Charlie Humes’ single with Humes advancing to second on an error. After a ground out, Novak plated Humes with a single to tie the game.

Blue Mountain moved ahead for the first time when George Taylor led off with a walk, moved to second on Chuck Gasti’s single, and then both runners moved up a base on a ground out. Humes walked to load the bases, and Taylor scored on Gene Franks’ fielder’s choice.

Bud Murphy’s tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Rich Means walked with one out. With two outs, a walk and hit-batsman loaded the bases with the tying run scoring when Ben Herrington walked.

Humes hit a three-run home run in the top of the fourth, a six-run inning for Blue Mountain, to finish with four hits and four RBIs. Novak had a double and two singles, as did Kayla. Aaron Thompson added three singles.

Rich Schleihauf belted a three-run home run in the first, a six-run inning for Bud Murphy’s, and finished with three hits. Ben Herrington had a solo home run in the third inning, a double and single. Andy Schleihauf and Means both had two-hit games, and Dave Gonos added a double.

The starting pitchers had a tough time, neither pitching through the fourth inning. Blue Mountain’s Derek Fritz went three innings, allowing seven runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. J.C. Myers started for Bud Murphy’s, going three-plus innings with six runs allowed on 11 hits while striking out two and walking four.

Blue Mountain (12-9-2) hosts Watson & Sons Tuesday in the regular season finale. Bud Murphy’s is 9-12-1 with the tie.