PUNXSUTAWNEY — After a pair of rainouts put their season on hold, the Curwensville Golden Tide finally got the chance to hit the diamond on Tuesday afternoon. The road trip was a long one for a non-league contest, as they would take on the Punxsutawney Chucks.
The Tide started the afternoon looking as though the time away was helpful, going out to an early lead. But a disastrous collapse soon after spelled their doom as they fell, 14-4, to the Chucks in a mercy rule, five-inning game.
Curwensville got things going right away in the first inning as they got a pair of runs off Chucks starting pitcher Daron Byers. Those came on a strong two-RBI single by Broc Heitsenreather to center field, bringing Noah Von Gunden and Jake Mullins to the plate for the early 2-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the inning, Punxsutawney got one of those runs back as Adison Neal made it home on a fielding error.
Hoping to extend the lead, Curwensville added another pair of runs in the second. The first came on an RBI-single by Jake McCracken, as he brought Von Gunden home from second with two outs on the board. Avery Francisco then came home on McCracken’s single before a fielder’s choice ended the inning. Curwensville held the lead at 4-1 after two innings, and the Punxsutawney coaching staff then made some changes as Byers was pulled from the mound after giving up four runs, all earned.
But Punxsutawney got those runs back, and then some, as the bottom of the third was ugly for the visiting Tide.
Starting pitcher Jeremiah Farley was pulled after the first two innings, and Francisco then took over on the mound. His time on the mound was short, and not pretty. After an error by Mullins allowed Byers to reach second, Derek Huey flew out to right field. That out was the only one recorded with Francisco on the mound.
Dylan Ishman then singled to left field to put runners on the corners. Andrew Britton then got hit, which then loaded the bases against Francisco. Sheldon Young then brought home Byers in the easiest way possible, as he was walked with a full count on the board, cutting the lead down to 4-2. Ishman then came home on a wild pitch, while moving Britton to third. Britton then came home the same way, and the lead suddenly was down to only one run. Ethan Lainey then walked, and clean-up batter Aiden Johnson then was hit to load the bases.
The tying run came when Ishman scored on a wild pitch, and Britton moved to third. Neal then walked to put the Chucks ahead as Young came to the plate.
The final run came with Francisco on the mound as Alec Greenblatt singled to right field, bringing in Lainey.
At that point, Tom Harzinski made some moves, as Francisco was relieved of his duties and Christian Bakaysa came in. Francisco gave up five runs in his short time on the mound, and he was tagged with the eventual loss.
The luck did not change much as the Chucks added another three runs after the pitching change on a sacrifice fly, a deep single to right by Greenblatt, and a wild pitch. What was a 4-1 lead suddenly became a 9-4 deficit after the third inning.
Curwensville gave up another four runs in the fourth inning. Lainey hit an RBI-single to plate Britton, then Johnson did the same to bring Lainey in to make it 11-4. A pair of singles by Neal and Greenblatt loaded the bases, and then Huey was walked, bringing Johnson home. The 13th run came with the bases loaded as Ishman was hit on a 1-1 pitch that allowed Neal to score.
Huey, on the other hand, was ensuring Curwensville’s attempt at a comeback was not happening, as he would pitch three innings but only give up two hits while striking out three. He ultimately earned the win, his second on Punxsutawney’s season.
The fifth inning ultimately was the early exit for both squads.
By this time, Curwensville was on their fifth pitcher as Matt Brown was on the mound. With two outs on the board, Johnson was hit to put a runner on first. Neal then singled to the gap in left-center field, putting the game-ending run in scoring position. That quickly came as Greenblatt came to the batter’s box and blasted an 0-1 pitch to center field, bringing Johnson to the plate. At that point, the 10-run gap was set, and the umpires signaled the game’s end.
Curwensville (3-6) now has a quick turnaround as they will be back in action on Wednesday afternoon as they will make up the rain out that occurred a day earlier when they travel to take on the West Branch Warriors. First pitch is at 4:30 p.m.
SCORE BY INNING
Curwensville 220 00 – 4 7 3
Punxsutawney 108 41 – 14 10 0
Curwensville – 4
Von Gunden SS 3220, Mullins 2B 3120, Francisco RF/P/LF 1100, McCracken CF 2011, Evans 1B 3000, Heitsenreather 3B/RF 3012, Wilson DH 2000, Bakaysa LF/P 2010, Graham C 2000, Bressler PH 1000. TOTALS 22 4 7 3.
Punxsutawney – 14
Neal C 4322, Greenblatt SS 4132, Byers P/CF 3101, Huey 1B/P 3012, Ishman 3B 3111, Britton 2B 3210, Young RF 2101, Lainey DH/LF 2211, Johnston CF/1B 2310, Knarr CR 0000. TOTALS 26 14 10 10.
2B:Â Von Gunden, SF:Â Byers, HBP:Â Bakaysa/Ishman, Britton, Johnston-2, SB:Â Neal, Britton, Young
E:Â Francisco, Heitsenreather-2, LOB Cville – 8, Punxsy – 7
PITCHING
Curwensville:Â Farley-2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 SO, 3 BB; Francisco-0.1 IP, 1 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 0 SO, 2 BB; Bakaysa-0 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 SO, 1 BB; Vance-1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 SO, 0 BB; Brown-1.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 SO, 1 BB.
Punxsutawney:Â Byers-2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 SO, 3 BB; Huey-3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 SO, 1 BB.
WP-Huey (2-0)
LP-Francisco (0-2)
Golden Tide Scoreboard:
Date Opponent Score Record
3/22 Deer Lakes @ S. Carolina 5 – 9 0 – 1
3/23 Lakeview @ S. Carolina 4 – 9 0 – 2
3/26 DUBOIS CENTRAL CATH. 2 – 8 0 – 3
3/28 BROCKWAY 5-2, 10 inn. 1 – 3
4/02 HARMONY 11 – 1 2 – 3
4/04 @ Clearfield 2 – 5 2 – 4
4/08 ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 4 – 5 2 – 5
4/10 @ Kane 2 – 1 3 – 5
4/12 @ Mo Valley ppd. 3 – 5
4/15 @ West Branch ppd. 3 – 5
4/16 @ Punxsutawney 4 – 14 3 – 6
4/17 @ West Branch
4/18 @ Johnsonburg
4/22 @ Elk County Catholic
4/23 @ DuBois Central Catholic
4/25 @ Brockway
5/06 WEST BRANCH
5/07 KANE
5/09 GLENDALE
5/13 CLEARFIELD
5/15 JOHNSONBURG
