Mars II takes playoff series
CRANBERRY TWP — Pitcher Josh Rape had the lead, but he was hoping for a bit more breathing room.
It was Andy Boggess who gave it to him.
With Mars II leading 1-0 in Tuesday's Eagle County League quarterfinal playoff at North Boundary Park, Rape was standing on third base in the top of the sixth inning when Boggess drilled a bases-clearing double to deep center, giving Mars II a 4-0 cushion.
The team would go on to beat the hosts 5-2 and take the best-of-three series two games to none.
Cranberry defeated Mars II in last year's quarterfinal series.
"We'd lost in the first round the last two years," said Boggess. "Cranberry's a good team and we've got a lot of friends over there, but I'm on cloud nine right now. I'm just glad to get out of the first round."
Rape began the top of the sixth with a single off Cranberry starter and eventual loser Adam Martin.
Doug Hart walked and Derek Ciafre followed with a sacrifice bunt before Matt Rovnan walked to load the bases.
Rape, Mars II's player-coach, had held Cranberry scoreless to that point in the game, but he was looking for more run support.
"I didn't think one run was going to be enough," he said. "I was hoping for more, just in case.
"Right when (Boggess) hit the ball, we knew it was a downer for Cranberry and a pick-up for us."
Boggess scored one batter later when he moved to third on Ryan Leonberg's single and came home on a throwing error to make it 5-0.
Through five innings, Cranberry's offense was held scoreless on six hits, but finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth.
<table width="300" height="275" border="0" align="right" valign="top" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><embed src="/assets/mov/BE51782730.MOV " width="320" height="250" autostart="true" loop="false" ></embed></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="http://www.apple.com/quicktime/" target="_blank"><span class="style11">Requires Quicktime Media Player </a><br><font size="1" face="Tahoma, Times New Roman">Video by Brandon Gerthoffer</font></span><td></tr></table>Greg Samson had a one-out base hit and Hugh Mulvey walked.After two outs, Keith Kubit drew a free pass and Shaine Patsilevas delivered a two-run single.Rape escaped the jam by getting Bill Stehle to pop out.In the bottom of the seventh, Samson came to the plate as the potential tying run with two outs, but he grounded out to end the game.In all, Cranberry (16-15) stranded nine baserunners in the game."I wasn't happy with the runners we left on base," said Cranberry player-coach Bill Clinefelter. "The same thing happened (Monday in a 13-12 loss). It's unacceptable."Rape's complete game included four strikeouts, three walks and two runs given up on nine hits.Martin struck out two and walked four in the loss, giving up the five runs on six hits.Mars II (18-11-1) awaits the winner of the Natrona Heights-Wexford series, which is tied at 1.If Wexford prevails, it will face top-seeded Mars I, while Mars II will battle Saxonburg.If Natrona Heights wins, it will play Saxonburg and Mars II will face Mars I, beginning at 6 p.m. Friday.<B>Mars II 000 104 0—5 6 1Cranberry Twp. 000 002 0—2 9 1W:</B> Josh Rape 7 IP (4 K, 3 BB). <B>L:</B> Adam Martin 7 IP (2 K, 4 BB).<B>Mars II (18-11-1):</B> Chet Shaffer 1B, Josh Rape 1B R, Doug Hart R, Derek Ciafre 2B R, Matt Rovnan 1B R RBI, Andy Boggess 2B R 3 RBI, Ryan Leonberg 1B<B>Cranberry Township (16-15):</B> Jim Burry 2-1B, Justin Patsilevas 1B, Justin Papania 1B, Greg Samson 1B R, Keith Kubit 2B, Shaine Patsilevas 2-1B 2 RBI, Chris Dubensky 1B, Mark Weimer Rn Natrona Heights' Phil Coffin and Chad Gourley smacked two-run singles in the fourth inning in a 4-0 victory over Wexford to even the best-of three Eagle County League playoff series Tuesday.Christian Necheff pitched a four-hit shutout, striking out six while walking two.<B>Natrona Hts. 000 040 0—4 4 0Wexford 000 000 0—0 4 0W:</B> Christian Necheff 7 IP (6 K, 2 BB). <B>L:</B> J. Shelleby 5Z\c IP (4 K, 5 BB).<B>Natrona Heights:</B> Phil Coffin 2-for-4, 2 RBI; Chad Gourley 1B, 2 RBI<B>Wexford:</B> 4 players with 1B
