Tight tussle
Pitching, defense shine as Copperheads top Hopwood in Game 1
Pitching and defense took center stage during Game 1 of the Fayette County Baseball League finals on Sunday.
Carmichaels’ Matt Bamford out-dueled Hopwood Village Plaza’s Matthew Firestone as the Copperheads squeezed out just enough offense to come away with a 2-0 victory at Carmichaels Area High School.
Carmichaels’ Ben Shields had the only RBI of the game, which included two outstanding defensive plays, one by Copperheads left fielder Aaron Previsky and one by Hopwood center fielder Justin Brestensky, that helped keep the score close.
“Both teams played well,” Hopwood manager Buddy Marra said. “Carmichaels has a nice team. I definitely respect those guys. I was proud of how our kids fought.”
“From a pitching and defensive standpoint it was a game very worth of the finals,” Copperheads manager Dickie Krause said. “The two pitchers just shut everything down.”
Bamford fired a three-hit shutout with two walks and 11 strikeouts while throwing 109 pitches. Firestone limited Carmichaels to four hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
“Firestone and Bamford both pitched really well,” Marra said. “It’s a shame we couldn’t put any runs up for Matthew. He pitched better than I’ve ever seen him pitch, and was very efficient.”
Firestone threw just 73 pitches in his six innings of work.
Krause lauded Bamford.
“He’s pitched really well all season for us,” Krasue said. “He didn’t disappoint. He threw a great game.”
Hopwood’s best chance at scoring came in the top of the first inning. Chase Sankovich walked and Santino Marra smashed a deep fly ball to left field that sent Previsky back to the fence.
“Aaron had a bead on it the whole way.” Krause said. “You could see him positioning himself and he reached out. The ball was over the fence and he caught it and brought it back in.
“Just amazing.”
Marra was impressed as well.
“Basically, Santino hit a ball out of the park and their left fielder scaled the fence and brought it back in,” Marra said. “I saw him go back and I said that’s gone. It would’ve been a two-run home run. I have to tip my hat to him.”
Krause cited the catch as the key play in the game.
“You don’t know that in the first inning but the way the game went, those two runs would’ve changed things a lot,” Krause said.
Hopwood would turn the tables on Carmichaels in the third inning on a play that, ironically, involved Previsky, who hit a lead-off double. Robbie Wilson-Jones followed with what looked like a sure hit into right-center field.
Brestensky made a diving catch that not only robbed Wilson-Jones of a hit but also resulted in a double play with his throw doubling Previsky off second base.
“Justin laid out and made an unbelievable catch,” Marra said. “It was like he was running down the boat dock and diving into the water. Their runner was already crossing home plate so we got a big double play on that one. He made similar catch the other day against Charleroi.”
Krause, who coaches third base, blamed himself for the double play.
“We had a guy at second and nobody out and we dumped a ball in the outfield and I didn’t see it well,” Krause said. “I thought it hit the ground but he caught it and doubled us off at second. Tremendous catch.”
The lone runs of the game came in the fourth inning.
Brodee Latoucha led off with a single to center and took second base on a wild pitch. Dom Colarusso followed with a perfectly place bunt single and Latoucha came around to score on the play when Firestone threw high to first base. Colarusso took second on Noah Mildren’s ground out and scored on Shields’ single to left.
Bamford didn’t allow a runner to reach third base in closing out the game from there for the Copperheads.
While he was satisfied with his team’s pitching and defense, Krause voiced concern about its hitting.
“Offensively, we have got to start hitting,” Krause said. “We need to compete more at the plate and just get better at-bats.”
Buddy Marra, who only had nine available players, was upbeat despite the loss.
“We had five starters out,” Marra said. “We have Wyatt Nehls, Tate Musko and Jarod Hough on vacation, and Erik Streussnig and Ryan Covelens, neither of them could make it. So we struggled to get nine on the field.
“I expect a couple guys to be back for Game 2 so I think we’ll be in a little better shape. I think if we can pull a win out in Game 2 we can make this a very close series.”
The tentative starting pitching matchup for Monday’s game was Brestensky for Hopwood and Gianni Cantini for Carmichaels.