INDIANA – In what started out as a well played game early on, turned into somewhat of a mistake laden game later on, which cost the Curwensville Golden Tide baseball team in the first round of the PIAA Class A playoffs.
On a beautiful spring Monday afternoon the Golden Tide were defeated by District 6 champs, Homer-Center, 6-2, in Indiana, at the White Township Recreational Complex.
The loss ends Curwensville’s season with an overall record of 16-8 under second year coach Ryan Briskar. The Tide were the District 9 runner-up in Class A action.
Sophomore Sam Gardner took the mound for the Tide in place of an injured Ben McGary. McGary, the Tide ace, was hurt in a Legion game over the weekend when he broke his nose and received numerous stitches to his face when he ran into the outfield fence attempting to make a catch.
Gardner held the Wildcats scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when Homer-Center broke through with three tallies, all unearned.
Two errors by shortstop Brett McCracken, two balks by Gardner, a single by Wildcat Eric Cusimano and a double by designated hitter, Jordan Gazza of Homer-Center gave the Wildcats a 3-0 bulge after four innings were in the books.
Briskar did have praise for his sophomore hurler, saying, “I thought Sam(Gardner) pitched a great game for us. He did all we asked of him.”
About his team committing three defensive errors Briskar said, “Our defense played so well this year, what happened today was so uncharacteristic of us. It was just one of those days that mistakes cost us, just like all teams.”
The Tide would pick up a lone run in the top half of the sixth inning to cut the Wildcats lead to 3-1.
Trevor Horton, Golden Tide designated hitter, picked up a one out single with Shae Best coming in as a pinch runner. Best quickly stole second base, still with only one out. Mark Dell’Antonio singled moving Best to third. Catcher Cory Bloom then brought Best home with a single and the Tide seemed to be right back into the contest.
Curwensville did commit some very costly base running blunders which Briskar addressed, “We ran the bases smart and aggressive all year, but today, for whatever reason, that broke down and it costs us some runs.”
The Wildcats however, had other ideas of a Tide comeback as they put three more runs on the board in the bottom half of the sixth to increase their margin to 6-1. Four singles and another Gardner balk enabled Homer-Center to add the three runs.
Jed Greslick, who led off the game with a double for the Golden Tide in the top of the first, blasted a leadoff home run in the top of the seventh to set the final score at 6-2.
Greslick got the attention of his coach as Briskar mentioned, “Jed just continues to hit well. Today he really stung the ball. I am sure glad he is only a sophomore.”
Curwensville did strand eight base runners over the course of the game. Two in the first, with runners on second and third with one out. Second and third once again in the third. The sixth was even more disheartening as the Tide left the bases loaded with two outs.
Tim Kitner went six innings for the Wildcats to pick up the win. Garrett Sisak pitched the seventh inning for Homer-Center.
Kitner went behind the plate in the seventh, switching places with his battery mate, Sisak.
Briskar thanked all the patrons and sponsors for their assistance this season with Tide baseball and he especially was appreciative of all his coaches saying, “I have some terrific coaches working with the program and I would just like to recognize and thank them for all their hard work and effort.”
Golden Tide assistant coaches for 2008 were, Mike Sutika, Ryan Bilger, Cory Bailor, Adam McGary, Brett Hoover and Tom Harzinski.
NOTES: Homer-Center (12-6) will now face Carmichaels, a 10-0 winner over Keystone in the first round.
District 9 Class A champions Cameron County lost 3-2 to Serra Catholic, also in the first round on Monday.
CURWENSVILLE – 2 Jed Greslick cf 3121, Wes McGarry rf 4020, Brett McCracken ss 3000, Trevor Horton dh 4010, Shae Best pr 0100, Andrew Straw 3b 0000, Mark Dell’Antonio 1b 3010, Jesse Hoover lf 3000, Cory Bloom c 3011, Derek Dixon cr 0000, Brett Sutika 2b 2010, Anthony Starr pr 0000, Sam Gardner p 2000 TOTALS – 27 2 8 2
HOMER-CENTER – 6 Ryan Bernat cf 4012, Evan Bencic ss 4000, Tim Kinter p/c 3010, Matt Wilden 1b 3110, Garrett Sisak c/p 3000, Louis Caruso rf 2110, Eric Cusimano 3b 3220, Aaron Stultz 2b 2112, Jordan Gazza dh 3111, Ryan Mlakar lf 0000. TOTALS – 27 6 8 5
SCORE BY INNINGS R H E
CURWENSVILLE 000 001 1 2 8 3
HOMER-CENTER 000 303 X 6 8 1
ERRORS – Dell’Antonio, McCracken 2, Stultz. LOB -CURWENSVILLE – 8 HOMER-CENTER – 6 2B – Greslick, Sutika, Kinter, Gazza. HR – Greslick (solo, 7th.) SB -Greslick, McCracken, Best, Caruso. SAC – Stultz.
PITCHING IP H R ER BB K
CURWENSVILLE
Gardner 6 8 6 3 1 5 3 – Balks
HOMER-CENTER
Kitner 6 6 1 1 4 5
Sisak 1 2 1 1 0 0
WP – Kitner (2-2) LP -Gardner (2-1)