WILLIAMSBURG — The early part of the season has not been the greatest on the baseball diamond for Curwensville. A late start to the year, lack of runs, and even a game that was halted due to darkness have been the highlights. It also has been a season that was lacking a win, and Tuesday was another opportunity to get in that column as the Golden Tide made the trip to Williamsburg for a battle against the Blue Pirates.
The hits came in a timely fashion, even if the runs didn’t. What was key on this day was pitching, with Curwensville only giving up a pair of hits to take a 4-1 win and get in the win column for the first time.
A pitching battle is what the fans got on this spring afternoon, as Andrew Pentz took to the hill for the Tide, while Rowan Gorsuch got the start for Williamsburg. It was Gorsuch that yielded the first runs of the day. A third inning single by Cael Butler followed by a walk to Logan Kunkle put a pair of runners on base. Lincoln Hoyt then got to the box for Curwensville, and blasted the first pitch he saw on a liner into left field. The hit brought Kunkle in from second to get the first score on the board. One batter later, Pentz helped his own cause with another double, this time into right field, to bring Hoyt across the plate. Two RBI-doubles made it 2-0 in favor of the Tide.
Pentz then went to work on the mound, and did so flawlessly thanks to strong pitching, and excellent defense. He would ultimately pitch the entire game for the Golden Tide, giving up only two hits while striking out seven.
The two runs Gorsuch gave up in the second were the only runs he would yield on the afternoon, as he continued on the mound for the Blue Pirates through the fifth inning. He would take the loss on the day despite a seven-strike out performance.
Curwensville added two more runs in the final inning, doing so literally in a near exact-same fashion as it got its prior two.
With two outs on the board, relief pitcher Ethan Reffner suddenly found himself looking at a bases-loaded situation with a pair of singles plus a fielding error. With Pentz back at the plate, the Tide pitcher stared down a 1-0 pitch and lined the ball over the infield into center field. The blast was far enough where both Kyler Nelen and Butler each crossed home. The two-RBI double, the third double of the afternoon for Curwensville, made the score 4-0 and gave the visitors a bit of a cushion heading into the bottom of the inning.
If doubles were what were getting runs across home, Williamsburg soon got in on the action. Preston Long would single to lead off the inning, then stole second to put a runner in scoring position. Gorsuch then looked at a full count, lining Pentz’ pitch into center field to bring in Long. With no outs, the Blue Pirates suddenly felt good about getting back in the game, possibly stealing away the victory.
That was halted quickly when Andrew Clark and Logan Brantner each struck out, then Reffner ground out to first, closing out the first win of the year for the Tide.
It is not a time to savor the win because Curwensville (1-3) must get ready to get back on the field in just a matter of days. Weather dependent, the Tide will play host to long-time rival Brockway on Thursday afternoon. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.
SCORE BY INNING
Curwensville 002 000 2 – 4 7 2
Williamsburg 000 000 1 – 1 2 2
Curwensville – 4
Logan Kunkle-ss 3100, Lincoln Hoyt-c 4111, Andrew Pentz-p 4023, Merek Sutika-rf 4000, Hunter Tkacik-dh 3010, Gavin McDermott-cf 3000, Lawson Neiswender-1b 2000, Kyler Nelen-lf 3110, Cael Butler-2b 3120. TOTALS 29 4 7 4.
Williamsburg – 1
Luke Uplinger-c 3000, William Lower-rf 2000, Preston Long-ph 1110, Rowan Gorsuch-p/2b 3011, Andrew Clark-ss 3000, Logan Brantner-2b/3b 3000, Ethan Reffner-3b/p 3000, Sam PArks-1b 1000, Evan Becker-1b 1000, Anthony Neri-cf 2000, Latrell Barroner-lf 1000, Cadynce Hughes-lf 1000. TOTALS 24 1 2 1.
- 2B: Pentz-2, Hoyt/Gorsuch
- SB: Long
- CS: Butler
- E: Pierce-2/Brantner, Reffner
PITCHING
- Curwensville: Pentz-7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 7 SO, 0 BB.
- Williamsburg: Gorsuch-5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 7 SO, 2 BB; Reffner-2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 SO, 0 BB.
W-Pentz (1-1)
L-Gorsuch (0-2)