Smithfield-Fairchance stays alive in Legion tourney
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Smithfield-Fairchance’s Dylan Rush slides safely into second base as Connellsville’s Cole Shearer waits for the throw in the top of the third inning of Monday’s Region 6 American Legion Baseball Tournament game at Hutchinson Field.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Smithfield-Fairchance starting pitcher Nate Bricker releases the ball during Monday’s Region 6 American Legion Baseball Tournament game against Connellsville at Hutchinson Field. Smithfield-Fairchance remained alive in the tournament with an 8-5 victory.
Austin Bergman crosses the plate to score the third run in the bottom of the sixth inning in Monday's Region 6 American Legion Baseball Tournament game against Connellsville in Smithfield-Fairchance's 8-6 victory.
Connellsville starting pitcher Marc Prinkey follows through in his delivery during Monday's Region 6 American Legion Baseball Tournament game against Smithfield-Fairchance at Hutchinson Field.
Connellsville pitcher D.J. Farkas pushes off the rubber as he delivers a pitch in Monday's Region 6 American Legion Baseball Tournament game against Smithfield-Fairchance at Hutchinson Field.
Connellsville's Austin Petraglia makes contact for a ground out in the top of the second inning in Monday's Region 6 American Legion Baseball Tournament game against Smithfield-Fairchance at Hutchinson Field.
HOPWOOD — Connellsville had one final rally left in its bats Monday, but the last gasp fell short as Smithfield-Fairchance’s improbable tournament run continued with an 8-5 victory in the Region 6 American Legion Baseball Tournament at Hutchinson Field.
Connellsville scored three runs in the top of the seventh and had the bases loaded when relief pitcher Jace Cappellini got DJ Farkas to hit a lazy fly ball to center fielder Nate Bricker, who was the starting pitcher, to end the threat and preserve the victory.
Smithfield-Fairchance remains alive in the double-elimination tournament, a tournament it was a late entry into after Allegheny County was unable to field another team.
“We’re having fun,” said Smithfield-Fairchance manager Mike Simon. “We stay around for one more day. It’s been a lot of fun.”
“One hundred percent, we’re playing on that,” Simon said of how the team entered the tournament. “It was another opportunity to play together as a team one more time in a tournament.”
Smithfield-Fairchance seemed to have the game put away after it sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Michael Coll walked to open the inning. Chandler Goodwin doubled him to third. Austin Bergman walked with one out to load the bases.
Dylan Rush was hit by a pitch to drive home Coll, and then all three runners scored on Nate Bricker’s double down the left field line. Rush hustled all the way around from first, belly sliding across the plate for the fourth run of the inning.
Adam Simon popped out for the second out of the inning, but Jace Cappellini followed with a walk. Willie Palmer singled home Bricker.
Brody Bonadio came in to get the final out of the inning.
Mike Simon felt his team needed all the runs it could muster given the late-game heroics Connellsville displayed in the last two games.
“These guys made it a habit of winning late. This is the first time in the tournament we were on edge. We knew Connellsville put together great late innings,” said Mike Simon. “Give credit to them. They kept hitting the ball.”
Connellsville kept hitting the ball, moving runners station to station in its final at-bat.
Tanner Orndorff opened the seventh with a single down the left field line that eluded three Smithfield-Fairchance defenders.
Brody Bonadio was safe on an infield error and Cole Shearer’s single loaded the bases. Cade Warrick singled home Orndorff.
Bricker slowed the tide when he was able to get Nolan Porterfield swinging for the first out.
“The strikeout of Porterfield was big. It slowed down their momentum and slowed us down, too,” said Mike Simon.
Austin Petraglia and Kyle Ridley followed with RBI singles, making Ridley the tying run at first base.
Bricker was replaced by Cappellini after the Ridley single.
“Bricker ran out of steam. We had a very strong pitching effort from Bricker. We needed a complete game, but he gave us his best effort into the seventh inning,” said Mike Simon.
Bricker allowed five runs on eight hits. He struck out four and walked two.
Cappellini ended the game with fly ball outs to center and left fields.
“I told the boys we have three outs to go. Make it the toughest three outs of the season,” said Connellsville manager Joe Bonadio. “They battled. That’s all I can ask of them, especially with the ups and down of the last two days.”
Connellsville lost to Uniontown Saturday in walk-off fashion, but rebounded Sunday with a come-from-behind victory in the seventh inning against Blackhawk.
Connellsville starter Marc Prinkey survived the first two innings, but was pulled in the bottom of the third in favor of Farkas. He allowed two unearned runs, both coming on Rush’s two-run double in the third.
Smithfield-Fairchance added another unearned run in the fourth off Farkas on a Rush single.
Connellsville opened the game with a Brody Bonadio double and then didn’t get another hit off Bricker until Orndorff’s infield single in the fifth.
Connellsville scored twice in the sixth inning to pull to 3-2 on a sacrifice fly by Ridley and a run-scoring single by Brant Bonadio.
Connellsville’s season now comes to an end.
“I started playing baseball when I was seven and I’m 47 now, but only once in 40 years did the season end without a loss,” said Joe Bonadio. “So many of the kids grew and progressed as players through the season. There were a lot of games we won that were a complete team effort.
“Smithfield-Fairchance played a great game. It comes down to pitching. Smithfield-Fairchance got the timely hit when needed.”
Connellsville was without shortstop Jake Ansell. Ansell suffered a concussion at some point of the tournament and was unavailable.
“It was disappointing Jake didn’t play. We want to see the best players play and Jake is one of the best players,” praised Mike Simon. “That threw our kids off a little bit, but their shortstop (Brody Bonadio) played a great game.”