Melancholy in Millcreek
Connellsville’s season ends in legion state tournament
MILLCREEK TWP. — Connellsville has seen some solid pitching this season, which started for most of its players in the high school campaign, but head coach Brian Sankovich believed the best hurler his team faced came on Monday afternoon in an elimination game during the Pennsylvania American Legion State Tournament at David P. Hanlon Community Athletic Complex on the campus of McDowell High School.
Gavin Perkosky threw a one-hitter over six shutout innings to lead Stripes & Strikes Post 76 of Hazleton to a 2-0 victory that ended Connellsville’s season.
“That kid was the best pitcher we faced, and it’s not even close,” Sankovich said. “My hat’s off to them.”
Connellsville’s season came to an end at 19-2, but it advanced to the state tournament for the first time in several decades after winning the Region 6 championship.
“I was fortunate to have these kids for a long time, and I’m going to miss them,” Sankovich said. “They are a special group of kids, and the parents were excellent. It has been a long time since Connellsville has gotten to this point. I also want to thank my coaches for their dedication.”
Sankovich was assisted by Mark Riggin, Greg Beucher, Ryan Firestone and Jake Lee. Scott VanSickle was the team’s official scorekeeper.
Perkosky, who struck out seven and walked one, was perfect through four innings before Matt Firestone drew a walk to lead off the fifth. Perkosky didn’t let his first bit of adversity get to him, as he recorded a strikeout and forced Connellsville to hit into a 6-3 double play to end the inning.
Ethan Porreca’s single to center field started Connellsville off on the right foot in the sixth, but a fielder’s choice to third base erased Porreca on a force out at second before back-to-back strikeouts ended the frame.
Perkosky was relieved after the sixth inning by Sam Miller, who pitched a 1-2-3 seventh frame for the save. Perkosky had plenty of pitches left, as he only threw 65.
“The name of the game in Pennsylvania American Legion Baseball is wooden bats,” Strikes & Stripes coach Keith Segedy said. “It’s the ultimate neutralizer. You get guys that pitch to contact. You don’t walk people, and as we’ve been all year, we are solid behind our pitching. We are not afraid to throw the ball down the middle. We had a good guy going for us today.”
Stripes & Strikes is primarily made up of players from the Hazleton Area, which is roughly an hour south of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Perkosky, Miller, Bryant Diaz and James Festa played for Hazleton in high school. The Cougars were the District 2 champions in Class 6A and defeated District 3 Hempfield in the PIAA playoffs before losing to North Penn in the quarterfinals.
Strikes & Stripes (25-2) scored the only run it would need in the fifth inning when, with two outs, Riley Katchur walked, stole second and scored on Byant Diaz’s base hit to left field for a 1-0 lead.
Strikes & Stripes added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning when Josh Witner doubled to left field, James Festa had an infield single and pinch runner Adam Frask scored on Katchur’s groundout to shortstop for a 2-0 advantage.
“That insurance run was really big for us,” Segedy said. “We came and scouted Connellsville last night, and I said, ‘Boys, that team’s solid. They are not going to hurt themselves,’ and they didn’t.
“A hit-and-run got our first run there, and then a kid just ran into one that almost went out of the park. We have those key elements on the bench, and we put a guy in there with speed, and we were able to get a big run there.”
Mason Miller took the loss for Connellsville, but he had a strong outing in allowing one earned run on three hits over five innings. He had two strikeouts and three walks. Grayden Gillott pitched the last two frames for Connellsville.
Stripes & Strikes play an elimination game against North Parkland on Tuesday in a rematch of Game 1 of the tournament, a 2-1 victory for North Parkland.
The Stripes & Strikes have reached day four of the state tournament, which is the furthest a team from Hazleton has ever gone.
“We gritted all year,” Segedy said. “We are a team that doesn’t come out real quick, and before you know it, it’s the fourth-fifth inning and 0-0, then we decide to put some balls in play.
“We have great at-bats. I can’t give enough credit to the kids for playing small ball and trusting in the program.”
Bushy Run (25-6-2) edged North Parkland, 5-4, on Monday night to clinch a spot in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament. Bushy Run, who is the only undefeated team in the tournament, will play Bristol on Tuesday, which is a must-win game for Bristol.