CURWENSVILLE – It has been said many times that it is difficult to beat a team three times in one season. Well, the Curwensville Golden Tide baseball squad did just that Friday afternoon in defeating the Ridgway Elkers 5-0 in the District 9 Class A Quarter-Finals. The Tide had edged the Elkers earlier this year 9-8 and 8-6.
Junior Ben McGary pitched a walk free three hit shutout to move the Tide into the semi-finals and picked up his seventh win.
McGary gave up three harmless singles. One each in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings.
Coach Ryan Briskar of Curwensville was impressed with his pitcher, “Ben (McGary) was great. He pitched with a lead and followed the game plan. Going into the 7th inning he had thrown only 63 pitches.”
The Tide scored quickly, picking up two in the first and another pair in the second to jump out 4-0.
McGary reached on an error by Ridgway pitcher Hudson Rees in the top of the first to lead off. Right fielder Wes McGarry, who had two hits on the day, followed with a single. Brett McCracken drove in McGary with a single and catcher Cory Bloom grounded into a double play that plated McGarry to put Curwensville in front.
In the second inning for Curwensville, designated hitter Trevor Horton lead off with a single but Mark Dell’Antonio got on hitting into a fielder’s choice, wiping out Horton. Sam Gardner reached on a single followed by McGary being hit by a pitch which loaded the bases. It was Wes McGarry’s turn again and he promptly delivered a two RBI single.
Curwensville picked up a lone run in the fifth to set the final score at 5-0 and improve their season record to 15-6.
Briskar commented on beating Ridgway, “It’s always hard to beat the same team three times in season, but our kids showed up and got the job done.” Then the Tide skipper added, “We played great defense except for a couple of plays. We put the bat on the ball and stayed aggressive by running the bases very well. When we had the chance, we stole bases.”
Horton also had two hits to help lead the Curwensville attack.
Next up for Curwensville will be the eighth seed Keystone who upset number one seed Coudersport 5-4 in eight innings. The Tide and Keystone will battle at 4:30 pm in Brockway.
Coudersport beat the Golden Tide in last years District 9 playoffs with a 12-11 win in the first round.
NOTE: The Curwensville Lady Tide will also be in action on Tuesday at Brockway. The Lady Tide will take on Elk County Catholic in the first game of a doubleheader at 2:30 pm.
RIDGWAY – 0 Barry Wilson 1b/2b 3000, Jerico Weitzel ss 3010, Mike Miraglia cf 3010, Joe Chittester c/1b 3010, Joe Renaud 3b 3000, Hudson Rees p/c 3000, David Casolo lf 2000, Alex Bradshaw rf 0000, Derek Gaffey dh 2000, Sam Skraba 2b/p 2000. TOTALS – 24 0 3 0
CURWENSVILLE – 5 Ben McGary p 3100, Jesse Hoover cr 0000, Wes McGarry rf 4122, Jed Greslick lf 3000, Brett McCracken ss 2001, Cory Bloom c 3001, Brett Sutika 2b 2110, Andrew Straw 3b 0000, Trevor Horton dh 2020, Shae Best pr 0000, Derek Dixon pr 0000, Mark Dell’Antonio 1101, Sam Gardner cf 3110. TOTALS – 23 5 6 5
SCORE BY INNINGS R H E
RIDGWAY 000 000 0 0 3 1
CURWENSVILLE 220 010 X 5 6 3
ERRORS – Bloom, Sutika 2, Rees. LOB – Ridgway – 3 Curwensville – 10. SB – McGary, McGarry. SAC – Dell’Antonio HBP – McGary (by Rees)
PITCHING IP H R ER BB K
RIDGWAY
Rees 1 1/3 4 4 4 2 0 1 – HB
Skraba 4 2/3 4 1 1 4 3
CURWENSVILLE
McGary 7 3 0 0 0 6
WP – McGary (7-1) LP – Rees