Swatsky, Tri-City romp 14-3

Ben Swatsky blasts two HRs and collects 6 RBI during a 17-hit attack to avoid elimination.

By Mark Bentz

    BERLINSVILLE -- Even in the major leagues, it is a well-known fact that in order to have success against a top-line starting pitcher, a team must get to them early. It is no different in the Tri-County League. Whatever the offense gets early might be all it gets.

    That proved true tonight. Veteran Dennis Kinney, perhaps the best pitcher in the league, allowed a three-run home run to Jeremy Bartha in the first inning.  But, he held down the potent Brewers’ offense the rest of the night as the Tri-City Fleetwings rode Kinney’s pitching and red-hot bats to a 14-3 victory over Lehigh Township to stave off elimination. The Brewers still lead the best-of-five series two games to one.

    Kinney struck out eight batters and scattered six hits in a complete game effort. After the Brewers’ first inning he only allowed four more hits and zero runs. Josh Friebolin started and took the loss for Lehigh Township. Friebolin worked into the fifth inning before giving way to Jedi Gonzalez and Joe Bubba.

    “I wish I knew why they’ve scored off me in the first inning. It could be a combination of a lot of things. That’s been the story of my season, big innings. Often I’ve gotten the ball up in the first inning, and that’s hurt. Tonight I came inside on a 1-2 pitch to Schmitt and hit him, and Unger fought off a tough pitch and singled. The pitch to Bartha was a curveball that I didn’t get down enough and he hit it out. Today I was down a lot more than I was against Banko [in Game Three]. There I was up in the zone the whole inning compared to just a few batters tonight. Tonight was big for us though,” said Kinney.

    In this series the Fleetwings have scored in the first inning of each game, but Lehigh Township has come roaring back. After the first inning tonight, it looked like more of the same. Paul Santay led off with a double against Friebolin. Matt Marcks flew out and Justin Godusky popped out to bring to the plate Ben Swatsky. The “Sultan of Swat”sky, who will probably be league MVP, launched a 1-1 fastball from Friebolin out of Bryfogle Park to put Tri-City up 2-0 after one.

    Lehigh Township battled back with two away in the bottom half. Remember it was with two outs that the Brewers scored ten runs in the third inning of Game Two. Kinney came in too far with a 1-2 pitch to Eric Schmitt and drilled him on the elbow. Then Steve Unger looped an inside fastball into the outfield for a single. Bartha took care of business by launching a breaking ball over the left field wall to put the Brewers ahead 3-2.

    Unlike the other games though, Tri-City immediately came fighting back. Dillon led off the second with a single and moved to second on Matt Hlay’s fielder’s choice. Teague Fatzinger followed with a walk, but Jeremy Arner grounded into another fielder’s choice. Dillon and Fatzinger each advanced a base. It would turn out to be the Fleetwings turn to do the scoring with two outs. Santay lined a two-run single to score Dillon and Fatzinger to put Tri-City ahead. Marcks stepped to the plate next and hammered an 0-1 pitch for a two-run homer. Through an inning and a half, Tri-City led 6-3.

    Despite the early trouble, both pitchers settled down through the third and fourth innings. There was no scoring again until the top of the fifth. Marcks led off with a screaming double. Godusky grounded out, but Swatsky doubled home Marcks. That hit chased Friebolin as manager Shawn Andrews elected to bring in Jedi Gonzalez. Gonzalez enticed a groundout from Dave Toth, but then gave up an RBI single to Dillon to put the ‘Wings ahead 8-3.

    After Kinney set down the Brewers with relative ease in the bottom of the fifth, it was time for Tri-City to strike again in the sixth. Fatzinger led off with a single and then stole second. Arner drew a walk, but Santay grounded into a fielder’s choice to erase Fatzinger from the bases. Marcks followed with a hard single, but it turned out to be too hard as the runners  each advanced  only one base. Godusky popped up to second, leaving the bases juiced for Swatsky. He wouldn’t get his chance at a grand slam though, as Gonzalez balked, allowing Arner to score and Santay and Marcks to move up to second and third. Swatsky didn’t seem to mind though, as the Sultan absolutely crushed the next pitch out onto the soccer field way over the left field fence for a three-run home run to put the icing on the cake for a Fleetwing win. All told in the game, Swatsky was 3-for-5 with two home runs, a double and six RBI on the night.

    Bubba relieved Gonzalez in the seventh and wouldn’t fare much better against the red-hot bats of Tri-City. Dillon led off with a long home run to center field to put Tri-City ahead 13-3. Hlay followed with a single, but pinch-hitter Scott Garger struck out. Arner singled, as did Santay, to bring Hlay home with the fourteenth run of the night. Marcks grounded out, but Godusky singled to left. It loaded the bases again for Swatsky, but his attempt at a third home run fell short as Bowen hauled in his fly ball to right.

    Four Fleetwings had three hits or more. Marcks was 3-for-5 with a double and home run. He drove in two runs and scored three times. Santay was also 3-for-5 with a double and drove in three runs and scored three times as well. Dillon was 4-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. The last two games have brought quite a bit of success for Dillon, who went hitless in the entire series against the Banko Athletics as well as in Game One against Lehigh Township.

    “I actually came home one night and my mom said that I was looping my swing,” said Dillon. “The last two games I just concentrated on not looping and driving down through the ball.”

    Swatsky has had an unbelievable regular season and has continued that success in the post-season.

    “Actually in the playoffs my swings feels a little weird. I’ve only had three extra-base hits in the playoffs, and they were all tonight. It’s much tougher in the playoffs against the best pitching, but I’m keeping my eye on the ball and swinging,” said Swatsky.

    Game Four will be Tuesday night back at Tri-City’s home field, Scherersville #1. Game time is 5:45 p.m. It looks like Ryan Palos will hurl for the Fleetwings and probably Jeff Erschen for the Brewers. If Lehigh Township wins, they will advance to the championship series against either Gabelsville or ICC. If Tri-City wins, the two teams will meet again Thursday night back in Berlinsville in the fifth and deciding game.