CURWENSVILLE — The season is drawing closer to a conclusion with each passing day, and it seems the Curwensville Golden Tide has found a late surge in their campaign with their last two victories. The Tide have plated 34 runs in the last 12 innings, an average of almost three runs per inning. On Wednesday afternoon, hoping to keep the scoring going, they welcomed the Glendale Vikings in for competition under the sun-filled skies below the Curwensville Junior-Senior High School.
Although Curwensville did not get into double-digits for scoring, they did get the scoring going early, and held on for a 7-3 victory to increase their winning streak to three games.
Starting for Curwensville on the hill was Andrew Pentz, and he would retire the first three batters to give Curwensville the chance to start with the lead. With runners on first and second, Logan Kunkle got the second hit of the game on a line drive to left field., bringing Pentz across the plate for the opening run. Designated hitter Hunter Tkacik would ground out to short during the next at-bat, but it would bring Lawson Neiswender across home, and Merek Sutika brought in the third run on a grounder into right to give Curwensville a 3-0 lead after one inning.
Those initial runs made it easier for Pentz on the hill, as he would keep the Vikings off the scoreboard in four consecutive innings. He would go four and a third innings to earn his fourth win on the season.
Curwensville continued rolling in the second inning with a pair of runs scoring on a fielding error by Devin Kaufman at third. A two-RBI single in the third by Cael Butler made it 7-0, which would be all the runs needed for the Tide on this day.
Despite the seven runs, the Vikings elected to keep starter James Jenkins on the hill for the entirety of the afternoon. He would give up the initial seven runs, five of them earned, but only struck out two batters, while walking another six.
Glendale got on the scoreboard in the fifth. The Tide elected to pull Pentz off the mound and moved Kunkle in with one out on the board. He would give up a bases-loaded walk to Brody Matish to let the Vikings get their first run. One batter later, Levi Hamilton flew out to center to plate Ethan Gilbey. It wasn’t until the seventh when an error by Butler allowed the final run across the plate. Unfortunately for the Vikings, a line out following the run would conclude the afternoon and give Curwensville the win.
A much-needed break is here for Curwensville (8-9) as they will not be back on the diamond until Monday afternoon. That day, the Tide will have a chance to take the rubber match against the Williamsburg Blue Pirates. Curwensville got to avenge their 12-2 loss in the Curve Invitational this past Monday with a 14-1 rout. Both those games went just five innings.
The final showdown between these two will be on the Tide’s home field, with the first pitch set for 4:30 p.m.
SCORE BY INNING
Glendale 000 020 1 – 3 5 3
Curwensville 322 000 X – 7 8 3
Glendale – 3
James Jenkins-p 4100, Ethan Gilbey-rf 1100, James Shaw-cf 4010, Brody Matish-1b 3011, Levi Hamilton-ss 3111, Devin Kaufman-3b 3020, Kaiden Franks-cr 0000, Lucca Noel-lf 2000, Dom Kaufman-2b 4000, Hayden Kohn-c 1000, Mike Venslosky-cf 2000. TOTALS 27 3 5 2.
Curwensville – 7
Cael Butler-2b 3132, Andrew Pentz-p/ss 2200, Lawson Neiswender-1b 3100, Logan Kunkle-ss/p 3111, Hunter Tkacik-dh 4001, Merek Sutika-cf 2011, Hunter Barney-ph 0000, Lincoln Hoyt-c 4010, Cooper Haag-cr 0100, Cayden Pierce-3b 3110, Kyler Nelen-lf 3010. TOTALS 27 7 8 5.
2B: Kunkle
HBP: Hamilton, Gilbey/Kunkle
SB: Jenkins/Sutika, Pentz-3, Butler-2
CS: Venslosky/Butler
E: De. Kaufman-2, Shaw/Sutika, Bloom, Butler
Pitching
- Glendale: Jenkins-6 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 2 SO, 6 BB.
- Curwensville: Pentz-4.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 SO, 4 BB; Kunkle-2.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 SO, 2 BB.
W-Pentz (4-3)
L-Jenkins
Curwensville Golden Tide Scoreboard
03/17: HARMONY ppd. 0 – 0
03/18: at Mount Union 2 – 12, 0 – 1
03/19: HARMONY 12 – 2, 1 – 1
03/20: JUNIATA VALLEY 4 – 3, 2 – 1
03/25: at Moshannon Valley 8 – 9, 2 – 2
03/28: at Johnsonburg ppd. 2 – 2
03/29: at Johnsonburg 16 – 0, 3 – 2
03/31: REDBANK VALLEY ppd. 3 – 2
04/01: at West Branch 2 – 14, 3 – 3
04/04: REDBANK VALLEY 2 – 6, 3 – 4
04/08: WILLIAMSBURG ppd. 3 – 4
04/10: at Harmony ppd. 3 – 4
04/11: at Purchase Line ppd. 3 – 4
04/14: at Glendale 12 – 0, 4 – 4
04/16: at Claysburg-Kimmel 2 – 5, 4 – 5
04/21: at Marion Center ppd. 4 – 5
04/22: at Juniata Valley 6 – 8, 4 – 6
04/24: vs. Williamsburg 2 – 12, 4 – 7
Altoona Curve Invitational
04/25: vs. Mifflin County 0 – 13, 4 – 8
Altoona Curve Invitational
04/29: MOSHANNON VALLEY 5 – 2, 5 – 8
05/01: WEST BRANCH 9 – 18, 5 – 9
05/02: at Marion Center 20 – 9, 6 – 9
05/05: GLENDALE ppd. 6 – 9
05/06: at Williamsburg 14 – 1, 7 – 9
05/07: GLENDALE 7 – 3, 8 – 9
05/12: WILLIAMSBURG
05/14: at Harmony
