Fantastic fourth
Seven-run inning leads Connellsville to victory in legion state tourney
MILCREEK TWP. — Connellsville broke open a close game with seven runs in the fourth inning to down host Milcreek Township, 9-1, on Saturday in the Pennsylvania American Legion State Tournament at David P. Hanlon Community Athletic Complex on the campus of McDowell High School.
Connellsville (19-0) will play Bushy Run (23-6-2) on Sunday night at 7:05 p.m. Bushy Run earned a 4-1 victory in its first game of the tournament against French Creek Valley.
“We left 10 guys on base, which is way too many, but I will take the win,” Connellsville coach Brian Sankovich said. “The key in this tournament is to survive another day, and that is what we did today.
Milcreek Township (3-13) will face French Creek Valley on Sunday at 1:15 p.m. in an elimination game.
Connellsville held a 2-0 lead heading into the top of the fourth inning when it scored seven runs on six hits. The visitors drew four walks to extend their advantage to 9-0.
Kace Shearer led off the inning with a double and Noah Zawislan walked before Jonathan Kelly reached on a fielder’s choice while Shearer was forced out at third.
Zawislan and Kelly scored on Gradin Hodge’s triple down the left-field line for a 4-0 lead. Hodge scored on Ethan Porreca’s base hit to left centerfield for a five-run advantage.
Grayden Gillott singled, and he and Porreca moved to second and third before Chase Sankovich walked to load the bases with one out.
Porreca scored on Alex VanSickle’s single to centerfield for a 6-0 lead. Gillott scored when Matt Firestone walked with the bases loaded.
Sankovich scored when Shearer singled to right field for his second hit of the frame and an 8-0 advantage. VanSickle crossed home plate when Zawislan walked with the bases loaded.
“Even our balls that were outs were solid hits,” Brian Sankovich said. “We have a veteran team that is going to score. It’s just a matter of how much and when. If the game is close, we expect to win.”
Milcreek got on the scoreboard in the fifth inning when Robbie Grygier scored on Joey Stephan’s sacrifice flyout to centerfield. Grygier had two singles. Shawn Chludzinski and Owen Stranko had two hits apiece for the home team.
Connellsville scored an unearned run in the first inning and added a run in the second when Zawislan singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and third on Kelly’s sacrifice bunt before scoring on Hodge’s groundout to third base for a 2-0 lead.
“What got us rolling was the bunts,” Sankovich said. “We are a team that plays fundamentals, and the bunts actually got us our first two runs. I coach to put pressure on the other team, and you put pressure on by forcing a team to make plays. When you force a team to make plays, they either make them, or they make mistakes and we score. Our kids thrive off that.”
Mason Miller started for Connellsville and didn’t allow a run on three hits over three innings. He struck out four and didn’t walk a batter while throwing 45 pitches.
Gillott relieved Miller and earned the win after yielding one earned run on three hits over three frames. He had two strikeouts and no walks in throwing 26 pitches.
VanSickle threw two scoreless innings and gave up two hits. He had four strikeouts and no walks in throwing 20 pitches.
“Our pitching was excellent today,” Sankovich said. “They dominated, and we have our arms lined up pretty good.”
VanSickle also doubled, and the Indiana University of Pennsylvania commit moved from second base to shortstop to pitcher. He struck out the first four batters he faced.
“I was mixing up my pitches, but the key was to throw strikes because we didn’t want to get our pitch-count up too high,” VanSickle said. “My college coach from IUP was here watching, so I was glad to have a solid game. I am familiar with the players from Bushy Run. They are mostly kids from Penn-Trafford, but I have played them before in Junior Legion. It should be a good game.”
In Game 1 on Saturday, North Parkland edged Stripes and Strikes, 2-1. Bristol defeated Paxton, 12-7, in Game 3.
The tournament runs through Wednesday, and the top two teams will advance to the Mid-Atlantic Tournament on Aug. 6-10 at Joe Cannon Stadium in Hanover, Md.