Coplay holds off Gabelsville to start final series right

By Bradley A. Huebner
Special to The Morning Call

 

Last year Coplay lost its playoff series opener before winning its best-of-five series for the Tri-County League championship.

Saturday at Scherersville, with a sore pitching staff that suddenly grew more so, the Reds needed their 7-6 Game 1 victory over visiting Gabelsville to feel good about their chance of repeating.

After grabbing a 5-2 lead with a five-run third inning, Coplay (30-4-1) tried to play keep-away.

''That's how it's been all year for us,'' said manager Steve Smull. ''We get nothing the first two innings then get a five spot or seven spot then don't score again for a few innings. Then we'll go wild again for a few innings.''

The Owls (27-8-2) caught up with Coplay with two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth for a 6-6 tie.

In the fifth, Adam Tsakonas (2-4, 2 RBIs, run) tripled in two runs off starter Brandon Leslie, sending him out of the game with a sore right shoulder. Leslie had struggled with shoulder pain earlier but persevered.

In the sixth, Gabelsville's Gary Hessler (2-4, run) doubled and scored on a groundout by A.J. Bohn. Shawn Betz (two hits, two runs) then reached after getting hit by a pitch from reliever Jarrod Ringer. He stole second and then tied the game on a single by Jon Kalejta (2-3, RBI, run).

Coplay reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning off Mike Furman.

Jesse Borden reached after getting plunked then moved to second on Leslie's sacrifice bunt. Pinch-hitter Matt Monti flared a single to right field for the game-winning RBI. A ground-rule double by Dan Borden put two runners in scoring position.

Gabelsville kept the game close when center fielder Bohn caught a line drive and threw out Monti tagging up from third. Ultimately, it proved meaningless as closer Dan Fassl retired the side in the seventh.

In all, Coplay needed three pitchers. Those three entered Saturday with a combined record of 15-1 with six saves. The Reds' ace, Caleb Calarco at 6-0, may not pitch much or at all in the series. In the league semifinals, he hurt his elbow throwing a curve ball in the sixth inning.

''Maybe I can do some relief appearances this series,'' he said. ''I'll see how it feels. Today when I woke up it didn't feel too good, so I didn't pitch.''

The availability of both Calarco and Leslie remains in question.

The offense picked up the slack, starting with Calarco. The leadoff batter and third baseman banged out three of the team's 10 hits. He also made a diving stop and throw on an infield assist.

Dan Borden went 2-3 with a double, two RBI and a run. Six other Reds contributed a single each. Jesse Borden and Mike Bortz scored twice apiece.

For Gabelsville, ninth batter Mike Ziemak had two singles and a sacrifice to sustain rallies.

In the loss, the Owls banged out 13 hits.

''They're the hardest team in the league to put away,'' said Smull. ''They use all 21 outs. I never feel comfortable with them until the game's over.''

The same can be said of the series, which is why Coplay needed to take the opener.

The series resumes today in Gabelsville at 5 p.m. After a one-run opener that saw the Gabelsville scorekeeper get ejected and a few fans quarrel with the umpires en route to the parking lot, the series figures to entertain.



Gabelsville Owls   101 022 0 -- 6 13  1

Coplay Reds         005 011 x -- 7  10 0


Matt Kelly, Todd Stapleton (3), Mike Furman (6) and Matt Danner; Brandon Leslie, Jarrod Ringer (5), Dan Fassl (7) and Jeremy Faust. W: Ringer, L: Furman.

Bradley A. Huebner is a freelance writer.

From The Morning Call -- August 12, 2007

Copyright © 2007, The Morning Call