One win away: M&R Transit takes 2-1 series lead with 7-5 victory
Photos: Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
M&R Transit’s Santino Marra (left) congratulates Nate Zimcosky after he hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning in Sunday’s Game 3 of the Fayette County Baseball League championship series against Carmichaels at Hutchinson Field.
M&R Transit shortstop Ty Sankovich makes the turn for a double play after making the out on Carmichaels’ Drake Long (8) in the top of the first inning in Sunday’s Game 3 of the Fayette County Baseball League championship series at Hutchinson Field.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Carmichaels’ Joe Chambers slides into second base for a double as M&R Transit’s Santino Marra gloves the throw from the outfield in the top of the fourth inning in Sunday’s Game 3 of the Fayette County Baseball League championship series at Hutchinson Field.
M&R Transit's Santino Marra releases the ball in the top of the seventh inning in Sunday's Game 3 of the Fayette County Baseball League championship series against Carmichaels at Hutchinson Field.
M&R Transit's Andino Vecchiolla unloads a pitch in the top of the third inning in Sunday's Game 3 of the Fayette County Baseball League championship series against Carmichaels at Hutchinson Field.
Carmichaels second baseman Drake Long throws on the run, but not in time for the out on M&R Transit's Wyatt Lepley in the bottom of the third inning in Sunday's Game 3 of the Fayette County Baseball League championship series at Hutchinson Field.
M&R Transit's Santino Marra throws a pitch in the top of the sixth inning in Sunday's Game 3 of the Fayette County Baseball League championship series against Carmichaels at Hutchinson Field.
Carmichaels' Nick Pegg sends the ball to the plate in the bottom of the second inning in Sunday's Game 3 of the Fayette County Baseball League championship series against M&R Transit at Hutchinson Field.
HOPWOOD — The first two games of the Fayette County Baseball League championship series had the visiting team cruising to a big shutout victory.
The trend was snapped in Sunday’s Game 3 with M&R Transit holding on for a 7-5 victory against visiting Carmichaels.
The series moves back to Carmichaels High School with M&R Transit positioned to clinch its second league title in a row.
“Personally, when you play a game like this, or coach a game like this, or watch a game like this, they’re great games,” said M&R Transit manager Buddy Marra, adding, “And, it’s a lot funner if you win.
“We’re going throw (in) the sink tomorrow. We’re going to try to finish out. Generally, we play pretty good down there.
“They’re never an easy team to play.”
Buddy Marra knows Carmichaels will not go away quietly.
“I was expecting to see Chambers today and we didn’t. We better get this game because we’ll see him tomorrow,” said Marra. “Tomorrow is three days and I like to go four, but we kept Justin Brestensky under a 100 (pitches). He’s a tough kid, so he’ll be able to go.
“We came into this tournament thin on pitching and we’re somehow making it work.”
Carmichaels manager Dickie Krause has been around long enough to understand what needs to be done to avoid elimination and force a Game 5, beginning with his starting pitcher, Joe Chambers.
“They’re the champs, they’re the top seeds, all the accolades,” said Krause. “It’s baseball. Their momentum is as good as our starting pitching tomorrow.
“If we get off the field in the first inning and we have a nice bottom of the first inning, it’s anybody’s ball game.
“Tomorrow, for us, the decision is a little easier because we’re playing an elimination game.”
After an inning-ending double play in the top of the first inning, M&R Transit jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the inning.
Ty Sankovich opened with a single and Santino Marra walked. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch.
Sankovich scored on Andino Vecchiolla’s ground out. Marra moved to third on a throwing error after third baseman Noah Mildren made a great stop on a sharp grounder hit by Nate Zimcosky.
Zimcosky stole second and Chad Petrush walked to load the bases. Jace Cappellini dumped a single into short right field to score Marra and Wyatt Lepley hit a sacrifice fly for the third run.
The home team’s lead grew to 4-0 in the second inning after Brestensky started with a single and Sankovich walked. Sankovich was forced at second on Marra’s grounder.
Andino Vecchiolla walked to load the bases.
Nate Pegg came on to face Zimcosky, but had a rough start when his pitch nicked Zimcosky for an RBI.
Back-to-back infield fly outs stranded the bases loaded.
The Copperheads started to claw their way back into the game by taking advantage of a throwing error on Pegg’s swinging bunt with one out in the third inning. Jim Sadler came through with a two-out, run-scoring single.
However, M&R Transit was able to get the run back in the bottom of the inning.
Wyatt Lepley legged out an infield single to start the inning. Sevi Vecchiolla bunted and was able to run through the tag, jarring the ball loose for runners at first and third.
Brestensky’s fly ball to right field wasn’t deep enough to score Lepley, but Sankovich’s ground out to short stop was able to plate the run.
“We were flat today after three innings,” said Carmichaels manager Dickie Krause. “To be honest, I’m proud about the way we fought back.
“In a game like that you have to get a tie. We just couldn’t get one more hit in that inning. It was a real uneven performance.”
M&R Transit’s lead grew to 6-1 in the fourth inning when Zimcosky launched a long home run over the left field fence.
Pegg settled in after the Zimcosky home run by retiring the next seven batters in a row.
Andino Vecchiolla and Zimcosky singled with two outs, and Vecchiolla scored when the throw to first in a pickoff attempt on Zimcosky skipped into right field.
“When Andino threw the ball away on the swinging bunt, that worried me a little bit. Then, when the catcher threw one away and we got that one back, I felt better going into the seventh inning up two,” said Buddy Marra.
Andino Vecchiolla gave way to Caleb Scott in the top of the fourth inning and Scott managed to strand Joe Chambers at second after he doubled to left field with one out.
“Andino gave us three innings. That was the plan. He’s on a certain plan he can’t go over for his college pitching,” explained Buddy Marra.
The fifth inning didn’t go as smooth for Scott.
JW Kayla, batting for an injured Luke Camden, and Liam Lohr walked to start the inning. Pegg’s single loaded the bases.
Anthony Romero drove in a pair of runs with a single off Jace Cappellini, who came on in relief after Pegg’s single, and Pegg scored when the throw skipped into the dugout.
“Caleb is coming off an injury and we threw him the other day. He wasn’t as sharp as he used to be,” said Buddy Marra.
Cappellini managed to retire the next two batters, but Carmichaels kept the inning alive when Mildren walked. Chambers came through with a run-scoring single to cut the deficit to 6-5.
Santino Marra came on in relief in the top of the sixth inning. He allowed Liam Lohr’s two-out single in the sixth inning and Romero’s inning-opening single in the seventh inning, but both runners were stranded to pick up the save.
Pegg pitched the final 4.2 innings in relief of Drake Long.
“Look what my backside pitching has done for us the last couple games. The starting pitching hasn’t really gotten us out of the second or third inning,” said Krause. “The guys coming out of the pen have been great. They’ve kept us in it.”