Mustangs overcome slow start in downing rival Red Raiders, 8-4
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Laurel Highlands first baseman Mason McManus waits for the throw from second baseman Josh Burns to turn a double play during Tuesday’s non-section game against Uniontown at Hutchinson Field. The Red Raiders’ Connor DeMoss slides hard into second. The Mustangs weren’t able to turn the double play.
Laurel Highlands' Nate Zimcosky leads off first during Tuesday's non-section game against Uniontown at Hutchinson Field.
Laurel Highlands starting pitcher Justin Brestensky throws during Tuesday's non-section game against Uniontown at Hutchinson Field.
Laurel Highlands' Ian Edenfield looks toward his coaches after reaching first base during Tuesday's non-section game against Uniontown at Hutchinson Field. The Red Raiders' Connor DeMoss keeps his foot on the bag at first base.
Laurel Highlands head coach Scott DeBerry takes the ball from Mustangs starting pitcher Justin Brestensky in the sixth inning of Tuesday's non-section game against Uniontown at Hutchinson Field.
Laurel Highlands' Travis Sankovich races to second base for a double during the seventh inning of Tuesday's non-section game against Uniontown at Hutchinson Field.
Uniontown's Jeremy Saliba completes a pitch against Laurel Highlands on Tuesday in non-section play at Hutchinson Field.
Laurel Highlands overcame an early deficit to rally past cross-town rival Uniontown, 8-4, on Tuesday in non-section play at Hutchinson Field.
Mustangs sophomore Justin Brestensky started and won his first varsity game. The lefty allowed four unearned runs on three hits in 5 2/3 innings pitched. He had three strikeouts and walked two with 81 pitches thrown.
Brestensky retired 14 Red Raiders in a row before issuing a walk in the fifth.
“I thought he (Brestensky) was outstanding,” Laurel Highlands coach Scott DeBerry said. “In the first inning, we gave them six outs, and you just can’t do that. I don’t think he gave up an earned run.
“It was a great atmosphere. It was a sloppy game, but an interesting game. I thought their pitcher was very good, threw well and probably deserved better, too.”
Laurel Highlands (13-1, 15-2) is normally a strong defensive team, but had four errors, including three in the first, that allowed Uniontown (7-7, 9-9) to take a 3-0 lead.
“We can’t play defense like we did tonight moving forward,” DeBerry said. “Our defense is usually one of our strong points. You get to the point sometimes where you take the defense for granted, but they battled back and never quit, so that was big. I think it is a shock when the defense doesn’t show up.”
Red Raiders starting pitcher Connor DeMoss had two of his team’s three hits, including an RBI single in the first. Kaine Frye had Uniontown’s other hit.
The Mustangs scored two runs in the second with two outs. Nate Zimcosky started the rally with his second of three hits with a single to left field before Richie Mehall’s base hit. Greg Lancaster walked and Zimcosky and Mehall scored on Tan Erminio’s single.
DeMoss and Brestensky were locked in a pitcher’s duel until the sixth when Laurel Highlands scored three runs on two hits and benefited from an error for a 5-3 advantage.
Ian Edenfield singled and advanced to second on a groundout. Alec McLay came on to run for Edenfield and moved to third on Zimcosky’s base hit.
DeMoss recorded the third strikeout, but the ball got away and McLay and Zimcosky scored for a 4-3 LH lead.
DeMoss was lifted from the game due to the pitch-count rule. The senior yielded five runs (two earned) on eight hits in 5 2/3. He had eight strikeouts and walked one in throwing 101 pitches. Fellow senior Jeremy Saliba came on for DeMoss.
Erminio’s double to left field scored Lancaster.
Red Raiders coach Ken Musko praised his team’s pitching, but mistakes were once again costly.
“I was happy with our pitching,” Musko said. “It was our strong point this year. We didn’t make as many errors as last year, but we made them at the wrong time.”
Uniontown got a run back in the bottom of the inning when DeMoss singled, was out at second on a fielder’s choice, but pinch runner Cole Waligura scored when a ball hit by Brandon Swaney was misplayed in the outfield.
“I will say that I liked the way our team battled back,” Musko said. “We really fought to the end in every game this season, but it is so tough when you lose games like this, especially when it happens so much in a season. You can look back at all these games that we thought we had but couldn’t finish them out.”
Brestensky was lifted after Swaney reached, but Mason McManus came on and got the Mustangs got out of the inning.
Laurel Highlands added three insurance runs on one hit. Travis Sankovich led off with a double, his second hit of the game, and Bernie Yocabet came on as a pinch runner.
Yocabet moved to third on a groundout, and after Edenfield was intentionally walked, scored when a ball hit by Chad Petrush was misplayed for a 6-4 lead.
Petrush stole second and Zimcosky was intentionally walked to load the bases before Edenfield scored on Mehall’s fielder’s choice. Petrush scored the Mustangs’ final run as the result of a double steal.
McManus was able to pitch a 1-2-3 seventh to preserve the win. He didn’t allow a hit in 1 2/3 with a strikeout and no walks.
Laurel Highlands played Hempfield on Wednesday night in its final non-section game before the playoffs. The pairings will be announced Friday.
“Whatever seed you are, it really doesn’t matter, you just have to keep going,” DeBerry said. “It is out of our control, so there is no use worrying about it.”