Hopwood pulls away late in victory over Charleroi
Hopwood scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to breathe a little easier in an 9-2 victory over Charleroi on Sunday in Fayette County Baseball League (FCBL) play at Veterans Memorial Field in Charleroi.
With his team clinging to a 4-2 lead, Tate Musko hit a three-run home run on a line drive to center field for a 7-2 advantage. Santino Marra was hit-by-pitch following Musko’s blast, and with two outs, Chad Petrush drove in Marra with a double to right field.
Winning pitcher Justin Brestensky allowed a lead-off single to center field from Lazer Glasser, but forced a flyout to left field and Marra, Anthony Piasecki and Musko turned a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.
Brestensky yielded two runs (one earned) on six hits over seven innings. He struck out three and walked one in throwing 104 pitches (70 strikes).
Hopwood (9-5) opened the scoring in the top of the first inning when Chase Sankovich walked to lead off the contest, stole second and third base prior to scoring on Musko’s groundout to first base for a 1-0 lead.
Petrush drove in his first run in the top of the fourth frame when he singled on a line drive to left field for a 2-0 advantage.
Andino Vecchiolla walked, and with one out, raced to second base on Marra’s base hit. Vecchiolla advanced to third on a fielder’s choice prior to scoring on Petrush’s hit.
Charleroi (6-7-1) cut the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the inning when Tyler Sankovich trotted home when Manny Stitch walked with the bases loaded.
Tyler Sankovich opened the half-inning with a single to his cousin, Chase Sankovich, in center field. He advanced to second on Chad Behrendt’s base hit to right before Spencer Behrendt was safe at first base on a fielder’s choice to load the bases. Chad Behrendt and Sankovich stole second and third in the frame.
Hopwood extended its lead to 4-1 in the top of the sixth when Marra and Musko scored on RBI singles from Matthew Firestone and Brestensky.
Musko singled to right field to lead off the inning prior to advancing to second on Marra’s base hit to left. Firestone’s RBI was on a ground ball to right field and Brestensky reached first base safely on a bunt single.
Tyler Sankovich singled and scored in the bottom of the sixth when Spencer Behrendt was safe at first as the result of an error.
Marra, Musko, Petrush and Chase Sankovich had two hits apiece for Hopwood. Sankovich stole two bases.
CARMICHAELS 7, OAKLAND 0 — The league-leading Copperheads plated three runs in the top of the first inning and cruised to a victory over Oakland at Garrett College in McHenry, Md.
Aaron Previsky doubled with one out, and with two gone, scored on Ben Shields’ two-bagger to right field for a 1-0 lead. Brock Bonadio and AJ Vanata walked prior to courtesy runner Jacob Rush and Bonadio crossed home plate on Phil Pacarcik’s base hit to right field for a three-run cushion.
Shields pitched five scoreless innings before Kevin Bender threw the last two. Shields allowed three runs, struck out seven and didn’t issue a walk. Bender yielded one hit with two strikeouts and no walks.
Dom Colarusso sent Robbie Jones-Wilso home with RBI singles in the second and sixth innings.
Pacarcik’s single to right field plated Bonadio in the third, and Alex Vansickle scored on Vanata’s sacrifice flyout in the fifth.
Bonadio had two hits and drew two free passes.
Jacob Nething tripled and Cameron Lynch doubled for the home team.
Carmichaels improved to 10-2-1 while Oakland fell to 7-8.