California rallies past Colonial 3, 8-7
Holly Tonini
Colonial 3’s Cole Novotney (12) slides safely into second before California’s Mike Luketich can get the ball during Monday’s Fayette American Legion Baseball League game in California.
Colonial 3's Taylor May is safe at first as California's Ian Malone leaps to catch the ball during Monday's Fayette American Legion Baseball League game in California.
Colonial 3's Taylor May is safe at second before California's Ron Baron can apply the tag during Monday's Fayette American Legion Baseball League game at California.
California's Mike Luketich makes the catch for an out against Colonial 3 during Monday's Fayette American Legion Baseball League game at California.
COAL CENTER — About a dozen games behind in its Fayette American Legion baseball slate, California is trying to play catch-up.
It served them well on Monday night.
California rallied from a six-run deficit and got a workhorse start from Brian Fisher en route to an 8-7 victory over Colonial 3.
“If they’re not hitting right off the bat, they’ll settle in. It’s what they did in high school,” new California coach Brian Previsky said of his team, which is behind on its Legion schedule due to its recent PIAA playoff run. “They bide their time and when it is right, they come through.”
They certainly picked the right time on Monday.
The march through WPIAL and states that saw Cal score runs in bunches, and this game was no different: The team finished with seven hits, most coming from the middle innings on as it rallied back from a 6-0 hole.
Colonial 3 starter Jacob Bevard held California in check early, throwing a no-hitter through three innings.
But things began to change in subsequent trips though the lineup, starting in the bottom of the fourth. California (1-1) opened the frame with a pair of walks and soon followed with back-to-back RBI singles from Brian Fisher and KC Zajicek. Michael Luketich later added a two-run infield hit to swing a 6-1 deficit to 6-5 by inning’s end.
“We were getting hits, but we were needed to get them (in bunches) and we did,” Previsky said.
Colonial 3 made it 7-5 in the top of the next inning after California dropped a can of corn fly out in center, but the miscue didn’t faze the hosts.
Cal failed to dent the scoreboard in the fifth, but came all the way back the next half inning. Robbie DeFranco worked a lead-off walk, Josh Luko ripped a one-out single and Luketich was hit in the lower back to fill the bases.
And Ronnie Baron made sure they didn’t stay loaded for long, as he smacked a liner to shallow right for a two-run hit that knotted the game at 7-all.
California would take command for good in the eighth.
Baron and DeFranco drew walks, and Ian Malone drove in Baron for the game-winning win with a single through the middle right between a diving shortstop and second baseman.
California’s rally coincided with its starter finally finding his groove on the mound.
Fisher, who pitched the high school team to the PIAA semifinals and logged heavy innings along the way, got stronger as the game went on.
The left-hander allowed six runs in the first two innings, but only one through the next seven. He closed the contest by retiring 14 straight batters, five via the strikeout and four on grounders.
In all, he allowed seven runs (five earned) — none over the final four innings — on seven hits in nine innings, while striking out eight and walking four.
“Brian hung there tight on the mound for me. I kept asking if he was OK and he said yes. He just wants to win,” Previsky said.
Noah Saxon’s two-RBI single in the second paced a four-run second inning for Colonial 3.
California plays three more games this week with the next game is Wednesday at Belle Vernon.