1-run
wonders
WEXFORD — Too close for comfort?
Not if
Junior pitcher Mark Gross gave up just one unearned run over six
innings in the Golden Tornado’s 2-1 win over host North Allegheny on a brisk
Wednesday evening.
Butler improved to 3-0 in Section 1-AAAA, with all three
victories coming by one run.
“It’s a great learning experience,” said Tornado coach Todd
Erdos. “We’ve had some close games to start the season. The more wins you can
get in games like that, the team’s confidence continues to grow.”
With the game tied at one in the top of the seventh, Butler found
a way to score the eventual winning run against NA reliever Tyler Saundry.
After one out, Nick Reamer and Kyle Campbell managed back-to-back
singles to put runners at first and third. Garrett Goslaw walked to load the
bases. Two batters later and with two outs, Ryan Denny was hit by a pitch,
scoring Reamer.
Jesse Savisky came on in the bottom of the inning to shut the
door on the Tigers (3-2, 1-1). With two outs and runners on first and second,
he induced Dan Trettel to foul out to end the game.
Despite collecting just three hits, Butler found a way to win a
key section contest on the road.
“There’s a lot we still need to do with our bats,” said Erdos,
“but we are being disciplined at the plate and trying to score runs any way we
can.”
Butler took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning when Nick
Patten reached on a fielding error and eventually scored on a throwing error on
a ball off the bat of Reid Werth.
The Tigers tied things up in their half of the sixth. With one
out, Trettel walked and reached second base on a fielding error. He came home
on Mitch Machi’s double to left.
After an intentional walk to Jason Monper loaded the bases, Gross
got Dan McCauley to hit into a 1-4 double play.
“He was running out of gas,” Erdos said of Gross, “but he did a
great job forcing the double play to get out of that jam. It was an outstanding
performance tonight. He worked ahead in the count and kept us in the game. What
more can you ask for?”
Gross struck out four, walked four and gave up just three hits to
the Tigers.
“I was hitting my spots with all four of my pitches (fastball,
curveball, change-up and cutter),” said Gross. “The cold didn’t bother me. It’s
so much warmer than it’s been.”
“I tip my hat to him (Gross),” said NA coach Andy Maddix. “He has
a deceptive fastball and consistently threw it by us tonight.”
Monper started on the mound for the Tigers and matched Gross with
four scoreless innings to begin the game. He was pulled in favor of Saundry at
the start of the sixth frame after striking out six, walking three and allowing
one unearned run on one hit.
“He had a rough outing against Norwin last week,” Maddix said of
Monper, “but made some adjustments. He definitely pitched well enough to win
tonight.”
Butler won just two games all of last year, but now finds itself
atop the section standings.
“The overall attitude is so much better this year,” said Gross.
“Everybody is focused and the intensity is there.”
Butler 000 010 1 — 2 3 2
North Allegheny 000 001 0 — 1 3 2
W: Mark Gross 6IP (4K, 4BB). L: Tyler Saundry 2IP (3K, 1BB). S:
Jesse Savisky 1IP (1K, 1BB)
Butler (6-2, 3-0): Ryan Denny RBI, Nick Patten 1B R, Nick Reamer
1B R, Kyle Campbell 1B
North Allegheny (3-2, 1-1): Matt Muslin 2-1B, Dan Trettel R,
Mitch Machi 2B RBI