- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,242,934
- Reaction score
- 59
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Mainline Pharmacy lost a one-inning sprint in the completion of the Johnstown Collegiate Baseball League championship series’ second contest and fell behind Martella’s Pharmacy by three runs early in Game 3 Friday.
PHOTO GALLERY | Martella's Pharmacy takes Game 2 of JCBL championship series from Mainline Pharmacy with Lucas Oleska's walk-off RBI single
Manager Chance Osborne sensed his team was flat three innings into a potential season-ending contest. Neither Osborne nor the Mainline Pharmacy players panicked at Roxbury Park’s Dee Dee Osborne field.
“It was very big to rebound,” Osborne said after Mainline Pharmacy extended the series in a convincing 13-5 victory over Martella’s Pharmacy.
Martella’s Pharmacy still leads the best-of-5 series 2-1 with Game 4 at 1 p.m. Saturday at Forest Hills Junior-Senior High School field.
“Our backs were against the wall and we definitely needed a spark,” Osborne said. “I don’t know where the spark came from individually, but we could feel it in the dugout.
“We still have a lot of work to do, but we are very comfortable where we are with our pitching staff. If we can carry this into Saturday and do everything we can to force a Game 5, we think the series is far from over.”
Designated hitter Cayden Turner, a North Star High School graduate and Penn State Behrend outfielder, provided one of the “sparks.”
“Turner was injured all season and it seems like he is getting back on track,” Osborne said.
“His approaches have been good. He’s a big part of this team.”
Turner went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple and three RBIs. He contributed to a 13-hit attack that included Bryce Roberts’ three-run homer to left field in the eighth inning.
PHOTO GALLERY | Mainline stays alive in JCBL championship series, wins Game 3 over Martella's Pharmacy 13-5
A few hours earlier, Brody Roberts, the league MVP, led off the bottom of the first with a solo homer to right field. He finished with three hits and two runs.
“Both of them had big home runs,” Osborne said of the Roberts brothers.
Martella’s Pharmacy built a 4-1 lead in the top of the third inning, as Lucas Oleksa had a two-run single in the first, and Cainen Atherton doubled ahead of Jack Messina’s two-run single in the third.
Mainline Pharmacy posted a 12-1 advantage the rest of the way.
“They’re a very good baseball team and I don’t think anybody thought this series was going to be a sweep,” Martella’s Pharmacy manager Kerry Pfeil said.
“The things we got away with in Game 2, they took advantage of in Game 3.
“I believe between our errors, walks and hit batters, that put 15 guys on base. They scored 13 runs.”
Mainline Pharmacy reliever Dom Delio limited Martella’s Pharmacy’s production.
The right-hander from Penn-Trafford High School retired the first eight batters he faced. Delio struck out four, walked one and allowed three hits – one of those Steve Budash’s eighth-inning, solo homer.
“Dom consistently does a really good job working ahead in the count and throwing strikes,” Osborne said.
Turner returned to the Mainline Pharmacy lineup July 7 and has 43 plate appearances, with a .306 batting average.
“I got hurt the very last game of the season in college and was out for two months,” Turner said. “I broke my pinky. I was in rehab and got back into things.
“I’m just staying within myself and trusting in my abilities,” Turner added. “I believe in our team. I know what we’re capable of. We have to keep pushing.”
Martella’s Pharmacy 9, Mainline Pharmacy 8 (10): Steve Budash played Friday with a heavy heart, but plenty of inspiration from his late grandfather, Larry Elgin of Richland Township, who died Wednesday at age 81.
“Basically two hours after he buries his grandfather, he’s here,” Martella’s Pharmacy manager Kerry Pfeil said of his left fielder. “He comes up and strokes a big hit to tie the (early) game. He made a perfect read on (Lucas) Oleksa’s ball in play and he takes the game.
“This is one of those days where you look to the heavens and you see people like Matty Hohan, Mrs. Knupp and my dad from the heavens looking down on us to help us get a win,” Pfeil said of three late franchise supporters. “Steve’s grandfather up there today was probably leading the charge.”
Martella’s Pharmacy and Mainline Pharmacy completed Thursday’s contest suspended by darkness at Forest Hills Junior-Senior High School field with the score tied 7-all.
In the top of the 10th Friday, Mainline Pharmacy pulled ahead 8-7 on Bryce Roberts’ two-out, run-producing double down the left-field line.
In the bottom of the frame, Cainen Atherton doubled and Ben Ryan singled to put Martella’s Pharmacy runners on the corners.
Budash drove a ball to deep center field for a double that plated Atherton. He moved up to third when Ryan was thrown out at the plate. Budash then beat the throw home on Lucas Oleksa’s grounder to shortstop for the game-winning run.
“He was a good Johnstown man. A good man overall,” Steve Budash said of his grandfather.
“I’ve got a lot of family here tonight. It’s a big deal to me.
“They’re from all over, but mainly we’re from Johnstown.”
Members of the Budash family watched along the left-field line near the light standard and met the player after the second game.
“My dad played in this league. His brother played in this league,” Budash said. “My other grandfather played in this league. It’s a three-generation thing. We love Johnstown and this whole league means so much to me.
“All that coming together tonight and being able to produce means a lot,” Budash said.
“It was a tough day, but it was a good night.”
Atherton went 4-for-6 with two doubles and two runs scored in Game 2. Ryan had three hits, including a double, and three RBIs, but injured his leg on the 10th inning play at the plate.
He left Game 3 in the third inning.
Martella’s Pharmacy Jack Messina had a double and three RBIs among his two hits. Ethan Shank doubled twice, and Colby Rearick had two hits.
Mainline Pharmacy’s Bryce Roberts hit a solo homer in the eighth inning Thursday to tie the game at 7-all to go with his double. Trey Wingard had three hits, including a double, and Andrew Miko doubled and plated a pair.
Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at (814) 532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.
Continue reading...
PHOTO GALLERY | Martella's Pharmacy takes Game 2 of JCBL championship series from Mainline Pharmacy with Lucas Oleska's walk-off RBI single
Manager Chance Osborne sensed his team was flat three innings into a potential season-ending contest. Neither Osborne nor the Mainline Pharmacy players panicked at Roxbury Park’s Dee Dee Osborne field.
“It was very big to rebound,” Osborne said after Mainline Pharmacy extended the series in a convincing 13-5 victory over Martella’s Pharmacy.
Martella’s Pharmacy still leads the best-of-5 series 2-1 with Game 4 at 1 p.m. Saturday at Forest Hills Junior-Senior High School field.
“Our backs were against the wall and we definitely needed a spark,” Osborne said. “I don’t know where the spark came from individually, but we could feel it in the dugout.
“We still have a lot of work to do, but we are very comfortable where we are with our pitching staff. If we can carry this into Saturday and do everything we can to force a Game 5, we think the series is far from over.”
Designated hitter Cayden Turner, a North Star High School graduate and Penn State Behrend outfielder, provided one of the “sparks.”
“Turner was injured all season and it seems like he is getting back on track,” Osborne said.
“His approaches have been good. He’s a big part of this team.”
Turner went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple and three RBIs. He contributed to a 13-hit attack that included Bryce Roberts’ three-run homer to left field in the eighth inning.
PHOTO GALLERY | Mainline stays alive in JCBL championship series, wins Game 3 over Martella's Pharmacy 13-5
A few hours earlier, Brody Roberts, the league MVP, led off the bottom of the first with a solo homer to right field. He finished with three hits and two runs.
“Both of them had big home runs,” Osborne said of the Roberts brothers.
Martella’s Pharmacy built a 4-1 lead in the top of the third inning, as Lucas Oleksa had a two-run single in the first, and Cainen Atherton doubled ahead of Jack Messina’s two-run single in the third.
Mainline Pharmacy posted a 12-1 advantage the rest of the way.
“They’re a very good baseball team and I don’t think anybody thought this series was going to be a sweep,” Martella’s Pharmacy manager Kerry Pfeil said.
“The things we got away with in Game 2, they took advantage of in Game 3.
“I believe between our errors, walks and hit batters, that put 15 guys on base. They scored 13 runs.”
Mainline Pharmacy reliever Dom Delio limited Martella’s Pharmacy’s production.
The right-hander from Penn-Trafford High School retired the first eight batters he faced. Delio struck out four, walked one and allowed three hits – one of those Steve Budash’s eighth-inning, solo homer.
“Dom consistently does a really good job working ahead in the count and throwing strikes,” Osborne said.
Turner returned to the Mainline Pharmacy lineup July 7 and has 43 plate appearances, with a .306 batting average.
“I got hurt the very last game of the season in college and was out for two months,” Turner said. “I broke my pinky. I was in rehab and got back into things.
“I’m just staying within myself and trusting in my abilities,” Turner added. “I believe in our team. I know what we’re capable of. We have to keep pushing.”
Martella’s Pharmacy 9, Mainline Pharmacy 8 (10): Steve Budash played Friday with a heavy heart, but plenty of inspiration from his late grandfather, Larry Elgin of Richland Township, who died Wednesday at age 81.
“Basically two hours after he buries his grandfather, he’s here,” Martella’s Pharmacy manager Kerry Pfeil said of his left fielder. “He comes up and strokes a big hit to tie the (early) game. He made a perfect read on (Lucas) Oleksa’s ball in play and he takes the game.
“This is one of those days where you look to the heavens and you see people like Matty Hohan, Mrs. Knupp and my dad from the heavens looking down on us to help us get a win,” Pfeil said of three late franchise supporters. “Steve’s grandfather up there today was probably leading the charge.”
Martella’s Pharmacy and Mainline Pharmacy completed Thursday’s contest suspended by darkness at Forest Hills Junior-Senior High School field with the score tied 7-all.
In the top of the 10th Friday, Mainline Pharmacy pulled ahead 8-7 on Bryce Roberts’ two-out, run-producing double down the left-field line.
In the bottom of the frame, Cainen Atherton doubled and Ben Ryan singled to put Martella’s Pharmacy runners on the corners.
Budash drove a ball to deep center field for a double that plated Atherton. He moved up to third when Ryan was thrown out at the plate. Budash then beat the throw home on Lucas Oleksa’s grounder to shortstop for the game-winning run.
“He was a good Johnstown man. A good man overall,” Steve Budash said of his grandfather.
“I’ve got a lot of family here tonight. It’s a big deal to me.
“They’re from all over, but mainly we’re from Johnstown.”
Members of the Budash family watched along the left-field line near the light standard and met the player after the second game.
“My dad played in this league. His brother played in this league,” Budash said. “My other grandfather played in this league. It’s a three-generation thing. We love Johnstown and this whole league means so much to me.
“All that coming together tonight and being able to produce means a lot,” Budash said.
“It was a tough day, but it was a good night.”
Atherton went 4-for-6 with two doubles and two runs scored in Game 2. Ryan had three hits, including a double, and three RBIs, but injured his leg on the 10th inning play at the plate.
He left Game 3 in the third inning.
Martella’s Pharmacy Jack Messina had a double and three RBIs among his two hits. Ethan Shank doubled twice, and Colby Rearick had two hits.
Mainline Pharmacy’s Bryce Roberts hit a solo homer in the eighth inning Thursday to tie the game at 7-all to go with his double. Trey Wingard had three hits, including a double, and Andrew Miko doubled and plated a pair.
Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at (814) 532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.
Continue reading...
