Pratt dominates as Copperheads roll past Mudcats in Game 1
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Dom Colarusso and Alex VanSickle played key roles in three of the four innings Carmichaels scored on Wednesday.
Only the first was actually needed with Gavin Pratt on the mound.
Pratt fired a two-hit shutout as the Copperheads rolled to an 8-0 victory over host Potomac Valley in Game 1 of the Fayette County Baseball League finals at Garrett College.
Carmichaels took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-5 series. Game 2 was slated at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in Carmichaels.
“Of course, it’s a huge win, but we have to be ready again tomorrow and carry over the intensity we had,” Copperheads manager Dickie Krause said after Wednesday’s game.
It only took two batters for Carmichaels to plate the only run it would actually need.
Colarusso drew a lead-off walk and VanSickle brought him in by bashing a triple to center field.
Pratt took charge from there, allowing three walks while striking out five in a dominating performance.
“It all started with Gavin on the mound,” Krause said. “He had great command of all his pitches throughout the game. We ask a lot from him, but he really delivered tonight. He has been so consistent throughout this season.”
The top-seeded Mudcats (18-3) advanced only one runner to third base against the right-hander.
Potomac Valley starting pitcher Conner Tingler looked strong also in the first two innings, striking out five, but the Copperheads knocked him out of the game in the third thanks to some small ball.
Tyler Richmond drew a lead-off walk and Colarusso and VanSickle both laid down perfectly placed bunt singles to load the bases. Santino Marro made it 2-0 with a walk, Noah Mildren followed with an RBI single and Luke Camden stroked a two-run double.
Suddenly Carmichaels (19-2) was up 5-0 and Tingler was gone, replaced by Tyson Shumaker.
The Copperheads added two more runs in the sixth to make it 7-0.
Hunter Mamie started the rally with a lead-off walk and one out later Richmond was hit by a pitch. Colarusso followed with a run-scoring single to left and VanSickle also laced an RBI single to left.
“Alex played like a veteran tonight,” Krause said of the recent Waynesburg Central graduate. “He had the triple in the first to open the scoring and then the bunt single. We have two younger guys at the top of our order, and he and Dom Colarusso are doing a great job for us.”
Colarusso was 2 for 3 with an RBI, two runs, a stolen base and a walk. VanSickle was 3 for 4 with two RBIs and one run.
The Copperheads tacked on one last insurance run in the top of the seventh when Mildren singled, took third on Camden’s single and scored on Andino Vecchiolla’s sacrifice fly.
Mildren and Camden each had two hits for Carmichaels.
Tingler was roughed up for five runs on five hits with four walks in two-plus innings in taking the loss. Shumaker surrendered three runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts in five innings.
Conner Blake had both hits, including a double, for the Mudcats.