Golden Tornado find a way
Scrappy Butler scores timely runs in victory
By Derek Pyda
Eagle Staff Writer
HEMPFIELD TWP,
On Tuesday, the team employed it to advance in the WPIAL playoffs.
With the Golden Tornado and Norwin tied at 4,
After Fennell was replaced with courtesy runner Tyler Weist, Tanner Master put
down a sacrifice bunt that moved Weist to second base.
Tanner McCaw followed with a base hit to put runners at first and third before
Cody Herald delivered what proved to be the game-winning hit, a single to
center that scored Weist.
Butler reliever Joe Marak withstood a seventh-inning rally in a 5-4 win in a
Quad A first-round game at Hempfield's Spartan Field.
The Tornado (12-9) will face Bethel Park, a 3-2 winner over Woodland Hills, in
a quarterfinal game at a time, date and site to be determined.
Herald has been coming up with clutch hits all season.
"That's why he is in the leadoff spot, not because he's the fastest guy,
but because he makes consistent contact," said Butler coach Dave Florie.
"He's really been unbelievable for us."
"I was just looking for something waist (high) or below that I could get
the barrel on," said Herald. "I knew I just needed to get it in the
green and Tyler would score."
The Knights (10-11) did make things interesting in the top of the seventh.
Ryan Loutsenhizer smacked a two-out single before giving way to courtesy runner
Andy Cockeram, who promptly stole second base.
Anthony Maroadi walked to put the go-ahead run on base, but Marak got
designated hitter Nick Katko to pop out to end the game.
The Knights stranded nine baserunners, including leaving the bases loaded in
the second and fourth innings.
"Throughout the season, we've been able to get big hits with two
outs," said Norwin coach Mike Liebdzinski. "That didn't happen
today."
It was walks, not hits, that endangered Butler's chances of moving on.
Tornado starter Zac Sessa pitched a 1-2-3 first inning, but started having
control problems in the second.
With one out, he walked Loutsenhizer, which led to courtesy runner Cockeram
stealing second and scoring on Maroadi's double.
With two outs, Sessa walked Joe Antrilli and Cam Onderko before hitting Keary
Hoffman with a pitch, which scored Maroadi to cut Butler's lead to 3-2.
After watching Tyler Thomas lace a two-run single that gave the Knights a 4-3
edge, Florie brought in Marak.
Marak came on to pitch the final 5Z\c innings, striking out five, walking three
and not allowing a run in the win.
"Joe's a real emotional guy and he tries to pump everyone up," said
Florie. "But you still have to go out and get the job done, and he did
that today."
But even though Marak settled things down, the Tornado still trailed by a run
after 4Z\x innings.
Eric King's one-out single in the bottom of the fifth scored Dustin Uhlman to
tie the game, but, on the same play, John Crummy was thrown out at the plate by
Norwin's Hoffman from center field.
Butler took the lead for good in the next inning.
Loutsenhizer started for Norwin and surrendered three runs in the first inning.
King's triple to right-center scored Tyler Slepski and Crummy.
King then scored to make it 3-0 on Evan Oswald's base hit.
Loutsenhizer settled down, blanking Butler in the second, third and fourth
innings.
He was pulled in favor of Nate Ellwood after Herald's run-scoring single in the
sixth.
Norwin 040 000 0 — 4 5 0
Butler 300 011 x — 5 12 1
W: Joe Marak (5Z\c IP) 5 K, 3 BB. L: Ryan Loutsenhizer (5Z\c IP) 1
K, 1 BB.
Norwin (10-11): Keary Hoffman 1B RBI, Tyler Thomas 1B 2 RBI, Matt Palo
1B, Ryan Loutsenhizer 1B, Anthony Maroadi 2B R RBI, Joe Antrilli R, Cam Onderko
R, Andy Cockeram R
Butler (12-9): Cody Herald 1B RBI, Tyler Slepski R, Dustin Uhlman 1B R,
John Crummy 2-1B 2B R, Eric King 1B 3B R 3 RBI, Evan Oswald 1B RBI, Ryan
Fennell 1B, Tanner Master 1B, Tanner McCaw 1B, David Schmidt 1B, Tyler Weist R