Cranberry Twp. claims Game 5
CRANBERRY TWP — Any pitcher wants to find his groove, but it proved easier said than done against Cranberry Township Thursday evening.
The Captains sent four pitchers to the mound in the fifth and deciding game of the Eagle County League semifinal series. The only one who did not get knocked around was Luke Engel, who pitched the final inning in a lopsided, 11-5 loss to Cranberry at North Boundary Park.
Leading the win was Cranberry third baseman Justin Stewart, who collected five of his team's 18 hits.
“I was just trying to hit the ball on the screws every time,” said Stewart, a Butler High graduate and incoming sophomore at California (Pa.) University. “You can't let a game like this get in your head, though. You can't get cocky.”
The win sends Cranberry back to the best-of-5 title series against defending champion Mars. Two years ago, the two teams met in the final series, won by Cranberry.
“This was a very emotional series,” said Cranberry player/manager Bill Clinefelter. “To get back with a chance to win a championship, it's big.”
The biggest inning for Cranberry was the top of the third. Already leading 2-1, Evan Oswald singled in two runs before Bill Clinefelter turned a high fastball into a bases-clearing double for a 7-1 lead. It was the last inning for Captains' starter Dante Parente, who was tagged with seven runs on nine hits.
The Captains (20-6-1) responded with a 4-run third frame. Frank Cinicola and Hunter Alexander both singled in a run and though still leading the game 7-5 afterward, Cranberry pitcher Matt Gayda seemed on the verge of being pulled.
But Clinefelter stuck with his starter and Gayda rewarded him by pitching four scoreless innings on no hits to finish the game.
Gayda ended the game with nine strikeouts and no walks. He allowed the five runs on seven hits.
“This isn't the big leagues where you have nine guys behind your starter,” Clinefelter said. “That's why I don't like to make a move early in a game.”
“That (third inning) gave us momentum,” said Captains' player/manager Brandon Rossier, “but (Gayda) hit his spots the last few innings.
“Give credit to (Cranberry),” he added. “They stepped up in an elimination game.”
The Captains followed Parente with Zach Zeis, Joe Kozlina and Engel. But with their bats falling silent in the latter innings, who was on the mound became a moot point.
Cranberry added an insurance run in the fourth and three more in the seventh off of Kozlina.
Mars has lost just twice all season, both defeats coming against the Captains. But Cranberry (20-9-1) is entering the final series with confidence.
Said second baseman Ben Murray, “We're playing our best baseball right now.”
Evan Oswald had four hits and four RBI for Cranberry while Nash Matson had three hits, including a double.
Cranberry Township 205 100 3 — 11 18 2
Captains 104 000 0 — 5 7 1
W: Matt Gayda 7 IP (9K, 0BB). L: Dante Parente 3 IP (2K, 1BB).
Cranberry Township (20-9-1): Nash Matson 2-1B 2B 2R, Jesse Clary 2-1B 2R, Brandon Pouch 1B 2B 3R, Justin Stewart 5-1B R 2RBI, Evan Oswald 4-1B R 4RBI, Bill Clinefelter 2B 3RBI
Captains (20-6-1): Frank Cinicola 1B 2R RBI, Dante Parente 1B 2B R RBI
Monday: Cranberry Township vs. Mars, Championship Series, Game 1 at Callery Field, 6 p.m.
