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Pirates stun Owls in extras,7-6
ICC pounds out 14 hits en route to a
tough, 8-inning win and 2-1 series lead.
GABELSVILLE -- The ICC
Pirates worked overtime to pull ahead 2-1 in a wild Game Three of the best of
five semifinals. The Pirates took a 4-0 lead in the first, then fell behind 6-5
before tying and winning the game.
ICC got the
first of four runs on A.J. Peracchia's RBI single. Chad Stecker had walked to
lead off the inning, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Peracchia scored
on Erik Ruff's home run to right field. Chad Waelchli and Dave Stauffer
followed with singles, giving the Pirates four straight hits off Kyle Brobst,
then Cory Schneck walked to load the bases. Kyle Ruff lofted a fly ball into
left field that was deep enough for Waelchli to score.
What looked like
the beginning of a blowout got interesting in the bottom half of the inning as
Gabelsville came right back with two runs of their own. A.J. Bohn led off with
a walk, then moved to second on Al Fitch's single to right. A Greg Gilbert
sacrifice bunt moved the runners over, then Jeff Evans popped a fly into center
to bring Bohn home. Drew Hoffman blooped a single into center field for another
run, then Bob Graber hit a fly to left to end the inning.
Jon Eidle relieved
Brobst in the second, then traded scoreless innings with Dan Smith until the fifth
inning. Eidle gave up a one-out infield single to Dave Stauffer, who then took
second on Fitch's errant throw from third to first. Schneck dropped a single
into right field, and Stauffer slid home under the tag to put ICC ahead 5-2.
Smith got
touched for four runs and lost the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Rodney
Miller led off with a walk. After Bohn grounded back to the mound, Smith issued
a walk to Fitch, then an RBI single to Gilbert. Evans walked to load the bases,
then Hoffman walked and Fitch scored, making it 5-4. Eric Baran took the mound
in relief, and promptly surrendered a two-run single to veteran Bob Graber.
After hitting Dave Pence with a pitch, Baran got Todd Stapleton to hit into an
inning-ending double play.
ICC tied the game at six apiece in the sixth
inning on three straight hits. Josh Mohlmann singled to right with one out,
then took third on Peracchia's double. Erik Ruff singled to left, scoring
Mohlmann and chasing Eidle from the game. Game Two's starter, Justin Konnick
relieved him and got Waelchli to end the inning with a double play.
Baran threw a 1-2-3
sixth, then retired Ed Reilly for the first out of the seventh. Evans walked
for the third time, then was replaced by Jeff Chillot. Chillot moved to second
on another Drew Hoffman single. Scott Stewart came onto the field and took over
for Baran. Graber hit a liner to Erik Ruff at third base, who threw to second
to double up Chillot to get out of the inning.
Stecker scored
the winning run in the eighth after getting hit by Konnick (1-1). He stole
second, but since no one was covering the bag, he also took third when the
throw went into center field. Mohlmann grounded out to second, but Stecker came
home to put the Pirates up 7-6. Peracchia hit another double, but the inning
ended when Erik Ruff grounded out to the pitcher.
Stewart (2-1) struck
out Pence to start the bottom of the eighth, then allowed a single to Stapleton.
After Miller hit a fly to center, Stapleton was forced out at second to end the
game.
ICC had five batters with multiple hits. Peracchia had four hits, two doubles, a
run, and an RBI. Mohlmann had three hits, a run, and the winning RBI. Erik Ruff
had two hits, a home run, and three RBI. Schneck and Stauffer each chipped in
two hits. For Gabelsville, Drew Hoffman had two hits and two RBI.
Game Four will
be held Tuesday evening at 5:45 in Bethlehem Township. A home win would put the
Pirates in the finals. A win by the Owls would force a Game Five back at
Gabelsville on Thursday at 5:45.
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