Connellsville Legion tops Farmington in playoff opener
CONNELLSVILLE — For the second time in several weeks, Connellsville and Farmington were unable to play a full nine innings of Fayette County American Legion baseball on Monday. Unlike the previously suspended deadlock, Connellsville held an 8-5 lead after 7 1/2 innings when darkness ended the game, as the hosts took a 1-0 lead in their quarterfinal playoff series.
Connellsville took a 2-0 lead in the first when Austin Puskar walked with one out and scored on a triple by Garrett Brooks. Corey Fogle followed with a sacrifice fly to drive in Brooks.
Farmington cut the lead in half in the second when Garrett Fox led off with a single and eventually scored on a bases-loaded walk to Colby Simmons, before Connellsville pitcher Trevor Farrell got his third strikeout of the inning to leave the bases loaded.
Connellsville made it 4-1 in the bottom of the second with the help of two outfield errors by Farmington. A misplayed fly ball hit by Evan Onusko allowed Ty Henry to score. After a fielder’s choice out at home plate, J.R. Blocker scored from first base when Brock Bonadio singled and the ball was misplayed in the outfield.
Farmington cut the lead to 4-3 in the fifth as two Connellsville errors opened the door for a pair of runs after two outs. Zack Helisek singled to drive in Fox, and Simmons again walked with the bases loaded to drive in Tyler Frazee.
Farrell left the base loaded for the second time by ending the inning with his eighth strikeout.
Connellsville again extended the lead in the bottom of the inning by scoring three runs with the help of three throwing errors.
Blocker was hit by a pitch, stole second, and advanced to third on a throwing error. Bonadio’s infield hit drove in Blocker, and Bonadio moved to second a few pitches later on an errant pickoff attempt. Puskar’s single drove in Bonadio, and Puskar scored on a hit by Brooks and an errant throw on the play.
Trailing 7-3, Farmington scored twice in the sixth when Mike Lilley doubled and scored on a one-out hit by Danny Sparrow off relief pitcher Dakota McWilliams. Sparrow scored three batters later on a single by Tyler Frazee.
Connellsville’s final run came in the bottom of the sixth when Colby Shipley led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an infield out on a ball hit by Blocker.
After Farmington failed to score in the eighth, the umpires stopped the game because of darkness.
The teams will meet in the second game of the best-of-three series tonight at Farmington.
Acting head coach Tyler Onusko said Farrell, “worked out of some bases loaded jams. (Farmington) is a good-hitting team. Dakota (McWilliams) came in and made some big pitches, got key outs and held the lead.”
Onusko said Henry will pitch for Connellsville tonight and “the team that fields the ball and gets key outs will usually win.”
Farmington coach Chuck Fox said he was proud that his team has continued to battle.
“We played a great game,” Fox said. “We had a few early errors in the outfield but our pitching held us in the game. Mark Fike threw 103 pitches, but he did what he’s supposed to do. They only hit a couple of long balls. I’m proud of them.”
Fox said Frazee is tentatively scheduled to pitch the second game tonight for Farmington.