Errors doom Towanda baseball at Edison.
By: The Review | Towanda Daily Review | April 8, 2012 | Photo courtesy The Review
2012 NTL and District 4 News
ELMIRA HEIGHTS, N.Y. - The Towanda offense was clicking on all cylinders, getting 12 hits and 12 runs against Thomas Edison on Friday night, however, a shaky defense proved to be the Black Knights undoing as they fell, 13-12.
Towanda led 7-0 in the game, but 10 errors by the Black Knights allowed Edison to scored five in the third, runs in the fourth and fifth, four in the sixth and two in the seventh to get the victory.
"The only positive thing on the day was our offense," Towanda coach Bill Sexton said. "Offensively our kids hit well. I thought we took pitches. I thought we had pretty good command of the strike zone. On the offensive side we had a good day. Anytime you score 12 runs and bang out 12 hits you should win a game.
"The other side of the game was just ugly. 10 errors speaks for itself. It's a learning experience and we need to get better."
Towanda got off to a quick start in the first inning as Edison's pitching struggled with command early.
With two outs Zack Ripic drew a walk and Mason Roof followed with a walk. A double steal put the two on second and third and Austin Markel then drew a walk. Ripic scored on a wile pitch which moved up Markel and Roof and Roof also scored on a wild pitch.
Towanda had a five-run second inning to build the lead. Sawyer Strope singled and stole second and Casey Huff singled home Strope. Brandon Dinelli followed with a walk and Ripic doubled home Huff. Roof grounded out to bring hom Dinelli and Ripic scored on a wild pitch. Markel walked, took second on a passed ball, third on a wild pitch and scored on a Nick Place single.
Edison got five runs in the third inning, helped by five straight Towanda errors, to cut the deficit to 7-5, before Ripic led off the fourth inning with a home run to center.
"Zack's had a good start to the season," Sexton said. "Hopefully he will keep that up. He ended last year hitting pretty well for us. He has settled into that third spot. He's hitting the ball to all fields and hitting with authority."
Edison quickly got the run back in the bottom of the fourth to cut the deficit to 8-6, but Towanda answered with two runs in the fifth. With two outs Huff doubled and stole third. Dinelli walked and Ripic was intentionally walked to load the bases and Roof's two-run single brought in Huff and Dinelli and put Towanda up 10-6.
Again Edison got one run back in the bottom half of the inning to make it 10-7.
Towanda went up by four in the sixth as Markel singled and Place doubled. Markel scored on a Grady Robinson ground out.
Edison had a big four-run sixth inning to tie the game at 11, but Towanda again took the lead in the top of the seventh. With one out Dinelli reached on an error and he moved to second on a Ripic singled. A wild pitch put him at third and he scored on a Roof sacrifice fly.
Down one in the bottom of the seventh, Edison got a lead off single from Jared Cosegrove. After an out was recorded, Tyler Troccia reached on an error and Dylan Belllinger hit a fly ball to right that was misplayed. Cosegrove scored to tie the game and Troccia reached home at the same time as the ball. During the collision at the plate the ball came free and Edison got the victory.
Huff finished with three hits, a double, a stolen base, an RBI and two runs scored and Dinelli scored three times in the game.
Ripic was 3-for-3 with three runs scored, two RBI, a double, a home run and a stolen base. Roof had a hit, a run scored and four RBI and Markel had a hit and scored two runs.
Place had two hits, with a double, and an RBI, while Robinson had an RBI and Strope had two hits, a run scored and a stolen base.
Roof started, working four innings. He struck out six, walked two and allowed seven hits and six runs, just one earned. Strope pitched 1 2/3 innings, striking out one, walking one and allowing four hits and five runs, four earned, while hitting a batter.
Ripic took the loss, going 2/3 of an inning and allowing one hit and two runs, neither earned.
Kyle Michaud picked up the win in relief for Edison, working the sixth and seventh innings.
Tyler Ungerland had a 3-for-4 day with two runs scored for Edison and P.J. Spallone had two hits, with two RBI and a run scored.
Towanda hosts Canton to open up NTL play at 4:30 p.m. Monday.
