Stayin’ alive: Charleroi Legion shuts out Wesleyville, 8-0
Photos: Jim Downey/For the Observer-Reporter
Charleroi’s Chad Behrendt executes a safety squeeze bunt in the top of the fourth inning in Wednesday’s loser’s bracket game in the Pennsylvania American Legion Baseball Tournament against Wesleyville at Latrobe-Derry Teener League Rosa-Oglietta Park.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Jim Downey/For the Observer-Reporter
Charleroi second baseman Danny Verscharen applies the tag for a caught stealing on Wesleyville’s Jake Manendo in the bottom of the first inning in Wednesday’s loser’s bracket game of the Pennsylvania American Legion Baseball Tournament at Latrobe-Derry Teener League Rosa-Oglietta Park.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Jim Downey/For the Observer-Reporter
Charleroi’s Ben Shields releases a pitch in the top of the fifth inning in Wednesday’s loser’s bracket game of the Pennsylvania American Legion Baseball Tournament against Wesleyville at Latrobe-Derry Teener League Rosa-Oglietta Park.
LATROBE – Charleroi’s ride through the Pennsylvania American Legion Baseball Tournament has been a rollercoaster.
Charleroi opened with a 10-0 win over Falls and then fell to Quakertown, 10-0.
Facing elimination, Charleroi rode Ben Shields’ pitching and a 9-hit attack for an 8-0 victory Wednesday afternoon against Wesleyville at Latrobe-Derry Teener League Rosa-Oglietta Park.
Charleroi advances through the loser’s bracket and is scheduled to play Paxton no matter the outcome of a winner’s bracket game against Quakertown Wednesday night.
The game time will be either 3:40 p.m. or 6:45.
The pairings for Thursday’s two games could not match previous opponents against each other unless no other option remains.
“Ideally, we want to stay in the bracket we’re in,” said Charleroi manager Luke Mollis.
Charleroi put the game away with five runs in the top of the fifth inning and threatened to invoke the mercy rule.
Hunter Mamie opened the inning off reliever Heath Betza with a single and he took second when the ball was mishandled. Mamie hustled home on Ashton Ray’s single, after two failed bunt attempts, with Ray taking second on the throw.
Brock Henderson walked and Lorenzo Glasser laid down a sacrifice bunt, but was safe on an error. Ray scored on a passed ball.
Chad Behrendt kept the inning alive with a one-out walk.
Reilly Brown came on for Wesleyville and was greeted by Colton Brightwell’s RBI single. Shields dumped a two-run single over the first baseman’s head. Remi Lessman walked.
Charleroi was poised to enact the mercy rule with the bases loaded and one out, but Mamie’s fly ball to right field was not deep enough and Ray’s sharply-hit ball carried out to center field to end the rally.
“When you get in these elimination games, it’s tough to come back sometimes,” said Mollis.
Charleroi scored in its first at-bat without a hit.
Behrendt started the game with a walk. Colton Brightwell also walked. Lessman walked with one out to load the bases, and Ray was hit by a pitch with two outs for the run.
Ryan Vaughn limited the damage after he struck out the side.
Charleroi went down in order in the second inning.
Charleroi left the bases loaded in the top of the third inning. Shields had a one-single that deflected off the pitcher. Lessman was hit by a pitch.
Ray kept the inning alive when his grounder bounced off first base for a single. The rally ended with a fly ball to center field.
Charleroi didn’t allow its chance to add to the lead escape in the top of the fourth inning.
Glasser singled to open the inning. Danny Verscharen bunted, but was safe when the throw to first was mishandled. The error allowed Glasser to take third.
Behrendt executed the safety squeeze perfectly to bring Glasser home. Shields’ two-out single scored Verscharen.
Charleroi went down in order in the sixth inning and stranded two runners in the seventh inning with Behrendt thrown out at home on a fly ball to center field for an inning-ending double play.
Shields threw 94 pitches in the complete-game victory. He scattered five hits with eight strikeouts and just one walk.
“There was no possibility of saving Ben today. He pitched great. His arm has been a little sore. I was worried early,” said Mollis, adding, “He gutted it out.”
Mollis still has a couple veteran pitchers available.
“Remi is available and Ashton comes back tomorrow,” explained Mollis.
Mollis shuffled his starters a bit with Gianni Cantini still on the shelf with an injury and Shields on the mound.
“We had a little bit of a different lineup. I started Danny to get a little spark plug. He’s that guy that gets us going. I wanted to get Danny in the lineup,” said Mollis, adding, “We went to our field and work on guys in different positions. Gianna plays everywhere.”