Swavely stings Serpents

Adam Swavely dominates with a 2-hitter, striking out 10 as Bushkill wins 9-1.

By Josh Goodin

    SCHERERSVILLE -- Adam Swavely hurled a two-hitter, while Pat Higgins and Josh Johnson banged out three hits apiece as the Bushkill Cardinals cruised past the South Whitehall Serpents 9-1 on Thursday.

    The Cards took a slim 3-1 lead into the 7th inning before breaking the game open with six runs on five hits, including a Matt Butz three-run homer.

    Bushkill opened the scoring in the first inning. Higgins hit a one-out infield single to shortstop. Johnson followed by crushing a double off the top of the right field fence, but Higgins, thinking he was an Arizona Cardinal smashing through tackling dummies, was thrown out in a vicious collision at the plate. Catcher Vince Green was shaken up and later left the game. Todd Litts redeemed Higgins by lining an RBI single into left center.

    The Serpents' only tally of the game occurred when they answered in the bottom half of the inning. Leadoff man Joe Grazer drew a walk and took second on a textbook sacrifice bunt by Steve Smull. M.C. Bertolino singled to tie the game at a run apiece.

    Swavely found his groove in the second inning, striking out the side in order. He struck out Green to begin the third for his fourth straight. After another walk to Grazer, he struck out Smull and George Gillespie to strike out the side in consecutive innings.

    In the top of the third, Mike Petrucci continued to labor against Cardinal batters. Higgins led off with another infield single, this one off Petrucci's glove. Johnson followed with his second hit of the game, then stole second base, one of six swipes for the "Crazyleg" Cards. Litts walked to load the bases, then Heath Faust was hit by a pitch to bring in a run. Butz hit into a fielder's choice to score Johnson and give Bushkill a 3-1 lead.

    Swavely and Grazer, pitching in relief of Petrucci, traded zeros until the seventh inning. Dan Fassl took the mound for South Whitehall and hit Johnson to start the frame. After Litts went down looking, Brandon Youngkin dropped a pop-up to shallow right by Faust, setting the table for Butz's blast over the left field fence.

    With a 6-1 lead, the Cardinals began to look more comfortable at the plate. Pete Dyson walked to get things started again, then Chuck Scheibener followed with a single. Dyson took third on a wild pitch and scored when Terry Hoff hit a little dribbler to Grazer at shortstop for an infield single. However, Grazer's throw to first went out of play and the runners each took an extra base. Higgins collected his third hit of the night with two outs, a bloop hit to right off a diving Gillespie's glove for the final two runs. Johnson followed with his third hit, but the scoring was over as Litts hit a fly to Shawn Arrington in center field to end the long inning.

    For the Cardinals (3-6), Higgins and Johnson each went 3-for-4. Johnson scored three runs and Higgins drove in two. Butz finished 2-for-3 with four RBI and Hoff finished 2-for-4 with and run and an RBI. Swavely (1-2) struck out 10 Serpents' batters and walked four in his first career Trico win, a dazzling two-hitter. Bushkill next plays a tough Milford Pioneers team on June 1 at Milford Square.

    Bertolino and Youngkin both went 1-for-2 for South Whitehall's (2-5) only hits. The Serpents will host Lehigh Township on June 3 as the Brewers look to avenge a 6-5 upset win by the Serpents last week.