DUBOIS — It has been a week of crazy weather that has caused a lot of havoc for baseball across the area. Most teams were electing to postpone and look ahead to the next contest on the schedule.
Curwensville, as luck would have it, found a way on a day where weather again was effecting many area teams to get on the diamond. Originally slated to be played on the diamond at the Curwensville High School, the Golden Tide were to host the Cardinals of Dubois Central Catholic. However, field conditions from the rain and snow that fell earlier in the week left conditions difficult to play on. Instead of look to postpone the third game in four days, there was another option that has already been done once before with a previous game.
The two schools decided to swap the dates for their two league games. Originally, Curwensville was to travel to DuBois on May 16. But, the schools swapped dates and instead it was Curwensville making the trip on Thursday to face the Cardinals on the turf at Showers Field.
Being able to get back on the field was certainly a benefit for both, as Curwensville was rolling coming off their victory on Saturday, but also knew they had a tough task at hand. The Cardinals entered the contest undefeated, and looked to pin the first loss on Tide ace, Bryce Timko.
This time, however, it was Timko getting the nod thanks to strong defense from Curwensville, who went the entire game on the mound and held the home team to only four hits, shutting out the Cardinals, 3-0.
Neither side got on the board until the fourth inning. Timko had a no-hitter through the first three innings. Not to be outdone, Cardinal starting pitcher Thomas Grecco had the same effort going.
Unfortunately, Grecco’s efforts began to go awry in the top of the fourth.
Despite a ground out by Ralph Evans to lead things off, Avery Francisco ended the no-hitter effort thanks to a shallow single into left field. He then moved to second due to a wild pitch, and then to third when Timko reached base on an error.
Francisco made it to home plate on another fielding error by the Cardinals, putting the Tide on top, and Timko managed to follow his teammate to the plate, giving Curwensville the 2-0 lead.
Timko’s no-hitter concluded in the bottom half of the inning thanks to a single by Garrett Prosper. But, a fielder’s choice and a strikeout kept the shutout intact.
Curwensville managed one more run in the top of the sixth inning to gain a bit of a cushion. This one, however, came in an unexpected fashion.
With Evans in scoring position on third and Timko at first, Grecco decided to try and pick off Timko to get the second out and give the Cardinals more options should Noah VonGunden get the ball in play. But, his pick attempt was mishandled, and Evans took the opening to make his way to the plate, giving Curwensville the three-run advantage. A pair of strikeouts ended the inning for Curwensville, but they felt good heading into the bottom half of the frame.
Timko gave up two hits in the inning, a double to Justin Miknis and a single to Domenic Toretti, but both were abandoned on base thanks to a strike out and fly out to center field.
Peter Downer came in for the final inning, hoping to keep DuBois Central Catholic close enough to prepare for a comeback in the bottom half of the seventh. Despite giving up a single with his first at-bat, the Cardinal defense stepped up huge thanks to Damon Foster’s play of the day.
Josh Terry hit a line drive to Foster at second, and unfortunately for Jeremiah Farley, his run to tag back up at first was too far gone, as he was picked off in a 4-3 double play to close out the inning, and giving the Cardinals a chance to come back.
Timko remained on the mound for the final inning, but it was the man that scored the final run that had the glory of closing out the game.
Evans had his time to shine as he would grab each of the Cardinals’ attempts to get on base, earning all three groundouts and closing the complete game victory for Timko and the Tide, handing the Cardinals their first loss on the 2018 season.
Curwensville (5-2) has no time to rest ad they return home on Friday afternoon to face off with the Punxsutawney Chucks, with first pitch slated for 4:15 p.m.
SCORE BY INNING
Curwensville 000 201 0 – 3 4 1
Dubois C. Catholic 000 000 0 – 0 4 2
Curwensville – 3
Terry CF 4000, Evans 2B 3110, Francisco C 3120, Timko P 3100, VonGunden SS 2000, McCracken LF 3000, Brewer 1B 3010, Gasper 1B 0000, Farley 3B 2000, Bakaysa PH 2000, Heitsenrether PH 1000. TOTALS 26 3 4 0.
Dubois Central Catholic – 0
McIntosh CF 3000, Walker RF 3000, Miknis C 2020, Toretti LF 2010, Prosper 1B 3010, Grecco P 3000, Edwards PR 0000, Bloom SS 3000, Kness 3B 3000, Foster 2B 3000. TOTALS 25 0 4 0.
LOB:Â Cville – 4; DCC – 6. E:Â VonGunden/Kness, Bloom. 2B:Â Miknis.
PITCHING
Curwensville:Â Timko-7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 6 SO, 2 BB.
Dubois Central Catholic:Â Grecco-6 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 12 SO, 1 BB; Downer-1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 SO, 1 BB.
WP-Timko (4-0). LP-Grecco (2-1)
Golden Tide Scoreboard:
Date Opponent Score Record
3/23 @ Broadalbin-Perth, NY 1 – 2, 8 inn. 0 – 1
3/24 @ Friends Select School, PA 9 – 2 1 – 1
3/27 BROCKWAY ppd. 1 – 1
3/29 @ Punxsutawney ppd. 1 – 1
4/05 @ Elk County Catholic ppd. 1 – 1
4/06 @ West Branch 3 – 0 2 – 1
4/09 @ Johnsonburg ppd. 2 – 1
4/10 ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 5 – 3 3 – 1
4/14 JOHNSONBURG 2 – 5 3 – 2
4/14 JOHNSONBURG 5 – 0 4 – 2
4/16 @ Glendale ppd. 4 – 2
4/17 @ Kane ppd. 4 – 2
4/19 @ DuBois Central Catholic 3 – 0 5 – 2
4/20 PUNXSUTAWNEY
4/23 CLEARFIELD
4/24 @ Brockway
4/26 MO VALLEY
4/30 BROCKWAY
5/01 @ Elk County Catholic
5/07 @ Harmony
5/10 KANE
5/15 @ Clearfield
5/16 DUBOIS CENTRAL CATH.