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Pile outduels Konnick in 2-0 win
Luke Pile fashions a 5-hitter to lift
ICC to victory and force a Game 3 at Gabelsville.
BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP
-- Justin Konnick and Luke Pile swapped five-hitters, but the ICC Pirates made
better use of theirs, besting the Gabelsville Owls 2-0 to even their
best-of-three playoff series at a game apiece. A deciding game three will be
played Sunday at Gabelsville. The Owls were shut out for the first time in
recent memory.
Pile was sharp, controlling the corners, and mixing his fastball, curveball, and
some off-speed stuff to keep the Owls off balance. He struck out seven, but ran
into trouble in the third inning. Steve Gabel led off with a single, and after
Todd Stapleton struck out, Rodney Miller was aboard at first with a swinging
bunt single. Pile balked the runners ahead, but struck out Jason Irey swinging
and Greg Gilbert looking to put down the rally.
The Pirates used that as inspiration and scored what proved to be the game
winner when Todd Brosious doubled to lead off the bottom of the third inning.
Chris Raber dropped a bunt to move him to third, and then a Josh Mohlmann sac
fly to center field brought in the run.
Gabelsville threatened again in the fifth inning, loading the bases before Pile
worked out of the jam unscathed. With one out, Stapleton hit a ground ball back
to the mound but Pile threw the ball past Dave Stauffer at first base. Miller
hit a single to center field to put two men on base, and Gilbert walked to load
'em up for the Owls. But after a brief conference with Doc Moyer, Al Fitch
tapped a soft grounder to second to end the inning.
The Pirates added an insurance run in the fifth inning when Stapleton misplayed
Brent Bowman's line drive single into a triple. Raber dropped a perfect bunt to
squeeze in the run, but Bowman left the game after running into Owl's catcher
Matt Danner at the plate.
Gabelsville brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh inning, but again
couldn't muster anything against Pile. Irey finally solved him, chopping a
ground ball to Brosious that took a bad hop and went into right field for a
single. Gilbert struck out again, this time on a pitch that got away from
backstop Kyle Ruff and allowed Irey to take second base. Faced with another
potential run-scoring situation, Fitch faltered again, grounding out to first
base to end the game.
For the Owls, Rodney Miller and Steve Gabel each had two hits, and Jason Irey
had the team's other hit. Justin Konnick pitched well in the loss, allowing the
Pirates just two runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked two in six
innings of work.
For the Pirates, Dave Stauffer led the way with two hits. Brent Bowman, Todd
Brosious, and A.J. Peracchia had the rest of their hits. Game three is Sunday at
5:00 at Gabelsville.
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