Wilkins fans 11 in Cranberry win
CRANBERRY TWP — Cranberry Township coach Matt Baic had seen this script before.
Five of his team’s six losses this Butler County Area Baseball League season have been by a combined eight runs. And Pine Richland was whittling away at a 3-0 deficit in the sixth inning Tuesday night at Graham Park.
“Death by a thousand paper cuts ... that’s how it’s been going for us,” Baic said.
Not this time.
Pine Richland pushed across two runs in the sixth and had the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position with one out. But Connolly Barrett took a called third strike and Camden Smalley flew out deep to left as Cranberry pitcher Casey Wilkins escaped further damage — and was the winning hurler in a 4-2 victory.
Wilkins — son of former Pittsburgh Pirate pitcher Marc Wilkins — struck out 11 and walked five over six innings, allowing only three hits. He threw 113 pitches, including 27 in that sixth frame.
“I was done,” Wilkins admitted. “My legs were feeling tired and my pitch count was high. The coach made a good decision in getting me out of there.
“I was confident my teammates would get the win for me.”
Michael Waitlewitch didn’t waste much time doing so. He threw only six pitches in the seventh, recording three infield outs to notch the save.
“We needed this one and Casey was fantastic tonight,” Baic said. “He gave us everything he had.”
Cranberry scored three runs in the third inning. Conor Carney and Waitlewitch drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks after Seth Baic blooped an RBI single into right field. Pine Richland pitcher Austin Woodward threw 38 pitches in the frame, walking six. He worked 2.1 innings overall, throwing 72 pitches.
Left-hander Ryan Griffith replaced Woodward on the mound and held Cranberry (3-6) at bat the rest of the night. The hosts pushed across an unearned run in the sixth when Waitlewitch walked, stole second and scored when Wilkins’ ground ball rolled through the second baseman’s legs.
“Walks in one inning, the error in the other ... those things klilled us,” Pine Richland coach Brad Ansell said. “But we had opportunities to score in this game. We couldn’t get the big hit.
“Ryan pitched great for us in relief. He gave us a chance. We just didn’t get it done.”
Wilkins walked the leadoff batter in each of the first three innings. Pine Richland (3-7) stranded three runners in scoring position in those innings.
Brett Jones began Pine Richland’s sixth with a walk. Woodward doubled to deep left. Jones scored on a wild pitch, Woodward crossed the plate on Noah Bender’s infield single.
But Wilkins survived.
“My curveball was working tonight,” Wilkins said. “I probably got half my strikeouts on that pitch, particularly against left-handed batters.
“My dad has worked with me quite a bit. He’s always watching my shoulder, giving me advice. He’s been there for me my whole life.”
Pine Richland is the defending league champion, but has struggled this season.
“We’ve been up and down all year,” Ansell said.
“Cranberry has played nine games And this is the seventh week of the season.
“We play on Wednesday (at Freeport) and again on Thursday (at Butler Township),” Coach Baic said. “That’s what we need. We need to play a few games in a week and get some consistent reps at the plate.”
Pine Richland 0000020 — 231
Cranberry 003001x — 431
W: Casey Wilkins X6IP (11K, 5BB). L: Austin Woodward 2.2IP (2K, 6BB)
Pine Richland (3-7): Austin Woodward 2B, Noah Bender 1B RBI, Camden Smalley 1B
Cranberry (3-6): Seth Baic 1B RBI, Ethan Staudt 1B, Conor Carney RBI, Michael Waitlewitch RBI, Connor Dague 1B
Wednesday: Cranberry at Freeport
Thursday: Pine Richland at East Butler
