Erminio drives in game-winning single for Belmont Inn
Belmont Inn's Nick Erminio receives congratulations from teammates after his eighth inning single drove in Eric Fudala to defeat Bud Murphy's 1-0 in the second game of the Fayette County Baseball League championship series.
Belmont Inn third baseman Evan Arison tags out Cole Lowman on a third inning steal attempt that was crucial in Belmont's 1-0 win in game two of the Fayette County Baseball League championship series.
HOPWOOD — On Friday night it was Evan Arison. On Sunday night it was Nick Erminio. And for the second straight game in the Fayette County Baseball League’s championship series, Belmont Inn edged Bud Murphy’s in an eight inning thriller.
Erminio singled to drive in Eric Fudala with the winning run as Belmont Inn won 1-0 to take a two-games-to-none lead in the finals with the third game scheduled for tonight at 5:45 p.m. at Breakneck Field in Bullskin Township. Belmont won 4-1 in the series’ opener on Friday.
Left handed pitchers Marty Fagler of Bud’s and Jeremy Molinaro of Belmont Inn matched up in a true pitchers’ battle.
Fagler surrendered just three hits and struck out nine batters. But a pair of walks proved to be his undoing in the eighth inning.
Molinaro had five strikeouts, and got out of jams in the third and eighth innings with the help of his defense and two double plays.
Bud Murphy’s (19-10) got three of its seven hits in the third inning from Cole Lowman, Casey Teagarden and Andy Schleihauf, but Lowman was caught trying to steal third base just before Schleihauf’s single, and Molinaro got a pop out to end the inning.
Belmont Inn (19-12) had a first inning threat when Fudala led off with a walk and Erminio singled one out later. But Fagler got a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.
Bob Madison and Nate Fike walked with two outs in the BI second, but Fagler got another strikeout to end the inning.
Both teams played well on defense in an errorless game, with Bud’s right fielder Geremy Hoover making a diving catch to rob Sam Beucher of extra innings in the sixth, and Fudala making a diving catch on a drive by Hoover with two outs and the bases loaded in the Bud’s eighth.
In that inning, Jason Greene walked with one out and Schleihauf was hit by a pitch. After both runners advanced on a wild pitch, Belmont intentionally walked Ben Herrington to load the bases. Brian Sankovich bounced into a force play at home plate for the second out before Hoover’s fly ball that was caught by Fudala to end the inning.
Nate Fike and Fudala walked in the BI eighth, and Arison bounced to Greene for a force play at third base. Erminio then bounced a single into left field and Fudala scored the winning run to send the series back to the Breakneck Field.
Belmont manager Steve Kezmarsky admitted that some strange decisions worked out for his team. “I walked the bases loaded (in the eighth) to get to Brian Sankovich; probably the best hitter in league history,” Kezmarsky said. “And I didn’t bunt in the eighth (with Arison at bat) and the fans were yelling at me. But Evan has been hot and has had several game winning hits. Nick came through and to me is the best hitter in the league right now.”
Kezmarsky added, “We have a bunch of winners on this team, and it makes this all worthwhile.”
Bud’s manager Lou Pasquale took the blame for having Lowman attempt to steal third base in the third inning and said, “The game is played between the lines no matter how old or how young a team is. Our offense stinks. Right now, they’re playing better than we are. We’ve just got to hit better.”