Ruffs power ICC to 11-2 win

Brothers Erik and Kyle homer, combine for 5 runs and 5 RBI to lift Pirates to Game 1 win.

By Steve Smull

    BERLINSVILLE -– The Lehigh Township Brewers got “Ruff”ed up by brothers Erik and Kyle, who each homered and drove in all the runs in the decisive five-run third inning as the ICC Pirates steamrolled their way to an 11-2 Game One victory and a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five Finals.

    The Pirates struck quickly in the top of the first. Leadoff man, Chad Stecker, lined an 0-2 pitch just fair down the right-field line that got away in the corner, which enabled Stecker to get into third with a triple. Josh Mohlmann hit a routine chopper to second, but the ball bounded over Charlie Torres’ head on the rock-hard infield and Mohlmann had himself an RBI single. But the play wasn’t over. The ball then took another bad hop on the rock-hard outfield and caromed off right-fielder Bryn Lindenmuth, enabling Mohlmann to trot into third thanks to the two-base error. A.J. Peracchia flew out to medium-deep left-field, and Steve Unger made a great throw to the plate, but Mohlmann slid under the tag by inches to make it 2-0 Pirates. Erik Ruff walked, Chad Waelchli popped up, and then Dave Stauffer ripped a RBI triple to right to round out the scoring in the first, and ICC led 3-0.

    Lehigh Township answered immediately in their half of the first. Bryn Lindenmuth dribbled a slow roller to third for an infield hit. After he stole second, Bill Fatzinger ripped a ground-rule double to left-center to cut the deficit to 3-1. After a flyout, a Fatzinger steal of third and a strikeout, Jeremy Bartha got enough of an 0-2 pitch for a RBI double down the right-field line. A flyout ended the inning, but it was now 3-2, Pirates.

    After a pair of 1-2-3 innings in the second, ICC took command of the game in their half of the third. Mohlmann hit a hunch-back liner that nicked the glove of a leaping Jeremy Bartha and fell for a leadoff single. Peracchia laid down a sacrifice bunt toward third and the Brewers had Mohlmann dead at second, but nobody covered the bag, and then the throw got away at first for an error and the Pirates had runners on the corners with no outs. Before Lehigh Township could gather themselves, Erik Ruff blasted the next pitch well out of the park to right for a three-run homer, and the Pirates now led 6-2. Chad Waelchli then reached on another error, and after a Stauffer sacrifice, Kyle Ruff then hammered Kelowitz’s first offering deep to right for a two-run shot, and ICC was now in command with an 8-2 lead. Kelowitz then gave way to Jedi Gonzalez, who got around a walk and ended the inning.

    After each team went in order in their next at-bats, the Brewers looked to get back in the game in the fourth. Steve Unger singled and Bartha turned an 0-2 count into a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. But Lindley knuckled down and struck out Omar Torres and induced Nick Bowen into a routine 6-6-3 double play to end the threat.

    The Brewers never got a runner into scoring position after the fourth. But the Pirates were not done yet. In the fifth, Erik Ruff walked, took second on a wild pitch, and then moved to third when first-baseman Fatzinger robbed Waelchli of a hit on a diving stop for out number one. Ruff then scored on a RBI single to left by Stauffer for a 9-2 advantage.

    Things remained quiet till the seventh, when Erik Ruff got things started with a leadoff single to right. Waelchli stepped up and hit a shot to center that ended up being called a disputed home run, to make the score 11-2.

    There was no dispute, however, on who was the better team on Saturday. The Pirates came to play, while the Brewers sleepwalked their way through a performance reminiscent of last year’s first round, where they got pummeled by ICC and took an early exit.

    Erik Ruff went 2-for-2 with four runs scored and a three-run homerun, Kyle Ruff was 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, Stecker and Mohlmann were both 2-for-4 and Stauffer was 2-for-3. Steve Unger went 2-for-3 for Lehigh Township. The Brewers will send Brandon Leslie to the hill in Game Two to try and even the series, while the Pirates will counter with staff ace Scott Stewart. Game Two will start at 5:00 at Bethlehem Township.