Mikes advance with 10-2 win against Springdale
Joel Brewton
Carmichaels Ty Cole (3) hits a line drive to bring Ryan Zalar (in background) home for the first run of the game during Monday’s WPIAL Class A first-round playoff game against Springdale at Mount Pleasant High School.
Carmichaels' Reed Long gets in position to field the ball during Monday's WPIAL Class A first round playoff game at Mount Pleasant High School.
Alex Demonte (3) pitches for Springdale during Monday's WPIAL Class A first round playoff game against Carmichaels at Mount Pleasant High School.
Springdale's Alex Demonte (3) is struck out by Carmichaels starting pitcher Brandon Lawless during Monday's WPIAL Class A first round playoff game at Mount Pleasant High School.
MOUNT PLEASANT — Ringo Starr crooned “I get by with a little help from my friends.”
Well, the Carmichaels baseball team got by with a little help from Springdale Monday afternoon with six unearned runs as the Mikes advanced to the WPIAL Class A quarterfinals with a 10-2 victory at Mount Pleasant Area High School.
Losing pitcher Alex Demonte allowed six hits, but the defense behind him had five errors, including two in the Mikes’ 3-run first inning.
The Dynamos’ hand-outs allowed Carmichaels coach Scott VanSickle to follow his pitching plan for the first-round game.
“I started my Brandon,” VanSickle said of the Mikes’ starting pitcher Brandon Lawless. “I was hoping to get him out of the third inning. Lawless and Cory Fuller pounded the zone, and Bill Bowlen has been our relief guy.
“Now, everyone is ready for the next game. That’s my plan and it worked.”
The Mikes (12-2) are still on scheduled for Wednesday to fit into VanSickle’s master plan despite the postponement of all the other Class A playoff games, including their next scheduled opponent, either Avella or Western Beaver.
Lawless struck out the first two batters of the game on six pitchers and the third grounded out to second to get the Mikes rolling.
Ryan Zalar’s one-out ground ball to short was bobbled and Mike Blasinsky walked on four pitches. Third base umpire Bobby Renzi called a balk to move both runners up a base, and then Ty Cole ripped a shot into the outfield.
Zalar easily scored, but Blasinsky slipped after he rounded third base as Cole chugged into second.
The play was appealed at first base and Cole was called out for missing first base, so instead of second and third with one out the Mikes had a runner on third with two outs.
Billy Bowlen was hit and Joel Spishock was walked after he worked the count full.
Lawless ripped a 0-1 pitch up the middle to plate two runs for an early 3-0 lead.
“I’ll take any runs I can get,” said VanSickle. “We made our fair share of mental errors.”
The Dynamos’ Adam Locke opened the second with a single, but Lawless caught him off guard with a pickoff throw. However, Locke beat the throw to second for a stolen base.
Lawless was poised to get out of the second inning with consecutive strikeouts, but Michael Banachoski hit a 0-1 pitch into left field for an RBI single.
The Mikes got the run back in the bottom of the third inning when Lawless’ two-out grounder was mishandled, allowing Ty Cole to score.
Springdale (9-8) scored an unearned run in the top of the fourth inning during a light shower, but Carmichaels widened the gap in the bottom of the inning with four unearned runs.
After Brennan McMinn was hit by a pitch, Zalar made it 3-for-3 (three at-bats, three errors) and Cole’s grounder to short was bobbled to set up RBI singles by Bowlen and Spishock.
Fuller retired the side in the fifth and Bowlen came on with one out in the sixth. Bowlen picked off one runner and struck out another in the sixth and retired the side in the seventh, including striking out the final two batters.
Carmichaels added a pair of earned runs in the bottom of the sixth. Courtesy runner Josh Bogucki scored on the throw to first after Bowlen struck out. Spishock brought home the final run with an RBI single.
Cole went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI. Spishock also went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Lawless had a couple RBI.
Lawless went the first three innings, allowing three hits with five strikeouts and three walks. Fuller, who earned the win, pitched the fourth, fifth and one out of the sixth, allowing three hits with four strikeouts.
VanSickle said his senior-laded team understood what was at stake.
“I’ve been with these senior four years,” said VanSickle. “You have to be mentally strong. They understand what we want and what we have to do.”