Evans' slam lifts Gabelsville to 2-1 lead in TriCo playoffs

Owls' 11-1 rout inches them one game from third straight title.


By Bradley Schlegel
Special to The Morning Call

 

Josh Gunkle thought he had the strikeout twice. But instead of ending the fourth inning, the Tri City pitcher gave up a hit.

Three batters later, Gunkle surrendered a grand slam that sparked Gabelsville to an 11-1 win in the Tri County League championship series Tuesday at Lee Mecherly Field.

Jeff Evans' homer helped propel the Owls to a 2-1 lead in the best- of-five series. They can clinch their third straight league title with a win Thursday over Tri City (33-8) at 5:45 p.m. at Scherersville Field No. 1.

"You can't give a team that good too many chances," Fleetwings manager Bob Fatzinger said. "Gabelsville is too talented. They've got too many good hitters."

The Owls (33-5) got a solid pitching effort from Shawn Betz. The righthander went the distance, allowing no earned runs and striking out five.

Gunkle, the Fleetwings starting pitcher, was in constant trouble. Gabelsville had baserunners in every inning against him.

The Owls broke open a 4-1 game in the fourth, stringing together a pair of two-out hits and a hit batsman to load the bases. Then Evans hit a low and inside slider over the left-field fence just inside the foul pole. Gunkle was satisfied with the pitch's location.

"I didn't think it was hit that well," the pitcher said. "It didn't sound good coming off the bat."

Evans, Gabelsville's No. 4 hitter, finished with two hits and drove in six runs.

But Bohn, its leadoff hitter, may have been more important. The lefthanded hitter finished with three hits and scored three runs.

And in the fourth, Bohn's patience helped begin the four-run rally. After taking two close pitches both of which Gunkle thought were strikes Bohn lined a single up the middle.

"A.J. is tough," Gunkle said. "He knows how to foul off good pitches until he gets the one he likes. He's the ideal leadoff hitter."

Bohn's effort highlighted a solid performance by the top of Gabelsville's order. He combined with Jared Trout, Greg Gilbert and Evans for eight hits and eight runs scored.

Rodney Miller, the No. 9 hitter, added a two-run double in the fifth. Gunkle called Gabelsville the best hitting team in the league.

"You got to give it to them," said Gunkle, who allowed 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings. "They can really play."

Gunkle pitched more effectively in his last outing against the Owls. He tossed eight innings in a game that ended 3-3 last week.

Tri City took a early 3-0 lead then but couldn't give Gunkle a similar cushion Tuesday.

The Owls scored three runs in the third to snap a 1-1 tie. Evans delivered an RBI single, and Matt Danner added a sacrifice fly.

"Getting those early runs made a big difference," Gabelsville manager Mike Moyer said. "We didn't have to scratch and claw just to get in it. Everyone seemed to have a better attitude."


Tri-City         100 000 0 -  1   5  3

Gabelsville    103 430 x - 11 10 3


W: Shawn Betz. L: Josh Gunkle. HR: G-Jeff Evans (4th, 3 on).



Bradley Schlegel is a freelance writer.

From The Morning Call -- August 15, 2001

Copyright © 2001, The Morning Call