Bats alive: Falcons’ outslug visiting Yough, 14-8
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Brownsville’s Derrick Tarpley slides into second base for a stolen base before Yough second baseman Blake Ulander can apply the tag in the bottom of the first inning in Monday’s Section 4-AAA game at Redstone Field.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Yough’s Korvyn Johnson nearly collides as Brownsville catcher Cole Rankin attempts to catch a throw from the outfield in the top of the third inning in Monday’s Section 4-AAA game at Redstone Field.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Brownsville starting pitcher Davey Timko throws a pitch in the top of the third inning in Monday’s Section 4-AAA game against Yough at Redstone Field.
Brownsville's Derrick Tarpley signals to the bench after hitting a triple in the bottom of the third inning in Monday's Section 4-AAA game against Yough at Redstone Field.
REPUBLIC — Brownsville looked like it was going to cruise to an easy Section 4-AAA win Monday afternoon after scoring seven runs in the bottom of the first inning.
However, visiting Yough kept the game alive by outscoring the Falcons in the final six innings with the home team emerging with a 14-8 victory.
The two teams combined for 22 runs, 21 hits and nine errors. The fifth inning was the only inning not to have a run scored by either team.
“When you score 14, it’s supposed to be easy. We gave away too many freebies,” said Brownsville coach Skooter Roebuck. “Hopefully, we can clean it up.”
The Cougars (0-1, 1-3) led 1-0 after their first at-bat on the combination of a walk, hit batter, misplayed infield fly and error.
Brownsville stormed back in the bottom of the inning with seven runs.
Derrick Tarpley drove in a pair of runs and scored once as the Falcons sent 11 batters to the plate.
Tyler Wible, Hunter Pelehac and Rylan Johnson also had run-scoring singles. Brownsville was helped by two Yough errors.
The Falcons extended their lead to 9-1 in the bottom of the second inning. The Cougars had two more errors in the inning, allowing one of the two runs to score. The other scored on Nolan Konopka’s ground out.
Yough (0-1, 1-3) fought back in the top of the third inning, helped by a couple Brownsville miscues. Korvyn Johnson and Allen John Novacek both scored when a throw from the outfield was wide of the plate.
The Falcons came right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
Tarpley tripled with one out. Davey Timko walked and stole second, and Wible drove both runners in with a single.
Gavin Roebuck’s double over the third base bag drove home Kaden Bizzozero to cut Yough’s deficit to 11-4 in the top of the fourth inning.
The Falcons once again responded with offense in the bottom of the inning with an unearned run.
Yough pieced together four hits and a walk after two outs in the top of the sixth inning to knock Brownsville starting pitcher Davey Timko out of the game.
Jack Sampson’s two-run triple plated the first runs of the inning. Carson Pasinski and Christian Park followed with run-scoring singles.
Tarpley struck out Bizzozero to end the threat.
“I’m glad how we responded when we got down,” said Yough coach Craig Spisak. “It’s early in the season. We will improve as we go along.”
Brownsville had a little bit of energy left in its bats in the bottom of the sixth inning for two runs.
Rylan Johnson, Trenton Wible and Geno Thorpe loaded the bases to start the inning. Tarpley drove in his third run of the game with a single.
Timko flew out to left field, not deep enough to score a run.
Tyler Wible smacked a ground ball to third base. Roebuck stepped on the bag for an out, but his throw to the plate was not in time to get Trenton Wible.
Tarpley walked two batters in the top of the seventh inning, but struck out side to preserve the win.
Roebuck was happy to see the Brownsville offense so active early in the season.
“I’m very pleased. If something happens and we get down four or five runs, we should be able to come back,” said Roebuck. “We’re seeing the ball well and swinging the bats.”
The two teams meet this afternoon at Yough.
“This is the second year (with back-to-back section games). We have to learn how to plan for a two-game series,” said Spisak.
The back-to-back games puts a premium on pitching, which, often, in turn, places an importance on shortening games as much as possible with lots of runs.
“I hate to be a jerk and run up the score, but the way the pitch count is, you want to save an arm and get out as quick as possible,” said Roebuck. “I have three (pitchers) I can run out there (Tueday against Yough), if need be.”
Roebuck acknowledged there’s few days off in Section 4-AAA competition.
“In this section, everybody’s good. It’s going to be tough,” said Roebuck.