Hopwood edges Charleroi in FCBL playoff opener
Mother Nature wiped out Game 1, but Hopwood and Charleroi were able to begin their best-of-three series in the semifinals of the Fayette County Baseball League (FCBL) playoffs on Wednesday evening at Hutchinson Field in Hopwood.
The two squads combined for three runs in the first two innings, but turned into a pitchers’ duel, as Justin Brestensky got the better of Lorenzo Glasser in Hopwood’s 2-1 victory.
Brestensky yielded one earned run on two hits over seven innings. He struck out seven and walked two in throwing 90 pitches (56 strikes) in securing the win.
Glasser allowed two earned runs on six hits in six frames. He had two strikeouts and walked three in throwing 79 pitches (49 strikes).
Charleroi (8-8-1) opened the scoring in the top of the first inning that began with Tyler Sankovich being hit-by-pitch. Colton Brightwell walked prior to him and Sankovich advancing to second and third base on Chad Behrendt’s groundout to Brestensky.
Sankovich scored on Remington Lessman’s line drive to left field for a 1-0 lead before Brestensky recorded a strikeout and forced a popup to shortstop Anthony Piasecki to end the top-half of the first.
Hopwood (11-6) tied the game in the bottom of the first when Chase Sankovich stole home. Sankovich smacked a line drive to left field to lead off the inning, stole second and advanced to third on Tate Musko’s infield single. Musko moved to second on defensive indifference while Sankovich swiped home.
Hopwood took the only lead Brestensky would need in the second when the former Laurel Highlands star scored on Erik Streussnig’s sacrifice flyout to center field for a 2-1 advantage.
Brestensky singled to lead off the inning prior to Andino Vecchiolla drawing a walk to put runners at first and second with nobody out.
Brestensky and Vecchiolla advanced 90 feet on Piasecki’s sacrifice bunt prior to Streussnig’s RBI.
Tyler Sankovich had the Magicians’ other hit.
Musko had two base hits and Streussnig doubled to center field in the fifth inning. Santino Marra singled on a line drive to left field to lead off the fourth for the home team.
Game 2 was played Thursday evening at Veterans Memorial Field in Charleroi. That result was not available at press time, but will be available at www.heraldstandard.com