CURWENSVILLE — In a rare Saturday game, scheduled to make up from a rain out two weeks ago, the Curwensville Golden Tide returned to their home diamond with hopes of pulling off back-to-back victories for the first time this season. In order to do so, they had to find a way past the Glendale Vikings.
There was no doubt the Tide was rolling. Solid pitching from their best hurler, Bryce Timko, and timely hitting gave Curwensville the decisive 7-2 victory.
Although it was Glendale that got off to the early start, as it was Bailey Sinclair putting the Vikings out front in the opening inning thanks to an RBI-single that plated lead-off batter Josh Potuchnig.
However, that was the lone hit Timko gave up on the entire afternoon.
The sophomore pitcher found his groove and went lights out for almost five innings, striking out nine batters, bringing his season total up to 61, while only giving up a pair of walks.
Curwensville got that run back, and more, in the bottom of the second inning. Avery Francisco took an early 1-0 pitch to drive in both Devin Barrett and Noah VonGunden. Timko helped his own cause with his lone hit in the same inning, bringing Francisco to the plate on an RBI-double.
Over the next three innings, Ralph Evans, Timko and Francisco continued to assist in getting the Tide lead to a comfortable gap, each adding a run. A lot was to do with the pitching troubles of Glendale.
It made for a long afternoon for Viking pitcher Nick Blake. He lasted four innings, giving up five runs, all earned, and only striking out two. However, his nine walks were enough to bring in a pair of runs before he was relieved at the mound.
Curwensville gave up one final run in the top of the seventh inning to Tyler Hollen, who scored from second after stealing that base and rounding home on a fielding error by Zach McClure, one of five Tide errors on the afternoon.
With back-to-back wins for the first time this year, Curwensville (6-10) still has an outside chance of making the playoffs. However things are not going to be easy to start the week. Monday afternoon, for the first time all year, the Tide will have a double-header. Curwensville will play a pair of games against the Punxsutawney Chucks, one of which was to be made up last week but due to the severe storms the field for Curwensville was unplayable. The first game on Monday will be considered the road contest for the Tide, with a 4:15 p.m. start.
The second game will classify the Tide as the home team, and is slated for approximately 6:15 p.m. start following a short rest from game one.
SCORE BY INNING
Glendale 100 000 1 – 2 3 1
Curwensville 031 120 X – 7 5 5
Glendale – 2
Josh Potuchnig 1100, Bailey Sinclair 3011, Ethan Garcia 3000, Jarod Shultz 3000, Matt Yeckley 3000, Dalton Gondek 3000, Nick Blake 3000, Tyler Hollen 3100, Harvey McGarvey 3020. TOTALS 25 2 3 1.
Curwensville – 7
Noah VonGunden 2100, Ralph Evans 2002, Avery Francisco 2112, Bryce Timko 1112, Zach Brewer 4000, Zach McClure 3121, Austin Butlin 2000, Devin Barrett 0200, Christian Bakaysa 3000, Broc Heitsenrether 1000, Josh Terry 3000. TOTALS 23 7 5 7.
E: Yeckley/Brewer (3), Farley, VonGunden. LOB: 7/10. 2B: Timko. ROE: Potuchnig, Gondek, Hollen. FC: Shultz/Terry. SB: Potuchnig/Francisco (3), McClure (2), Timko, VonGunden. CS: Potuchnig. HBP-Francisco, Timko. PIK: Sinclair.
PITCHING
Glendale: Blake-4 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 K, 9 BB; Gondek-2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 K, 1 BB.
Curwensville: Timko-4.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 9 K, 2 BB; Bakaysa-2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 K, 3 BB; Butlin-0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 BB.
W-Timko L-Blake
Golden Tide Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 3/24 | PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA | 2 – 8 | 0 – 1 |
| 3/27 | @ Brockway | ppd. | 0 – 1 |
| 3/30 | @ Punxsutawney | ppd. | 0 – 1 |
| 4/03 | ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC | 2 – 6 | 0 – 2 |
| 4/05 | JOHNSONBURG | 5 – 8 | 0 – 3 |
| 4/07 | WEST BRANCH | ppd. | 0 – 3 |
| 4/10 | @ Brockway | 8 – 7 | 1 – 3 |
| 4/11 | @ Clearfield | 2 – 10 | 1 – 4 |
| 4/13 | @ Johnsonburg | 3 – 8 | 1 – 5 |
| 4/17 | WEST BRANCH | 7 – 2 | 2 – 5 |
| 4/18 | @ Mo Valley | 0 – 2 | 2 – 6 |
| 4/21 | @ DuBois Central Catholic | 0 – 10 | 2 – 7 |
| 4/24 | KANE | 16 – 6 | 3 – 7 |
| 4/25 | BROCKWAY | 11 – 13 | 3 – 8 |
| 4/27 | HARMONY | 6 – 0 | 4 – 8 |
| 5/01 | @ Punxsutawney | ppd. | 4 – 8 |
| 5/02 | @ Elk County Catholic | ppd. | 4 – 8 |
| 5/04 | @ Brookville | ppd. | 4 – 8 |
| 5/05 | GLENDALE | ppd. | 4 – 8 |
| 5/08 | @ Elk County Catholic | 3 – 6 | 4 – 9 |
| 5/09 | CLEARFIELD | 0 – 13 | 4 – 10 |
| 5/11 | @ Kane | 4 – 1 | 5 – 10 |
| 5/13 | GLENDALE | 7 – 2 | 6 – 10 |
| 5/15 | @ Punxsutawney (DH) | ||
| 5/16 | @ Brookville | ||
| 5/17 | DUBOIS CENTRAL CATH |