MAC Cardinals power up to split with Three Rivers
PARK HILLS — The Mineral Area Cardinals seemed energized after their first game loss to the Three Rivers Raiders. The Cardinals sent 10 men to the plate in the first inning of the nightcap to score four runs on six hits including a solo home run. The energy continued in the second inning with three more runs scoring on a pair of home runs that set up pitcher Ivan Pyska for a 10-6 win after Mineral Area fell in the opener 6-5.
In the first game, the Cardinals fell behind early on a two-run home run by Travis Moe off of starter Dylan McEwin in the first inning.
It took until the third inning before Mineral Area answered back with one run on two singles and a hit batter. Lance Fields scored the run on a play which included the third out of the inning as the Raiders made a cut-off on the throw after the RBI single by Tyler Bunge to cut down Brad Matson, trying to advance to third on the play.
Five singles by the Raiders in the top of the fifth was helped out by a MAC defensive error, and the visitors plated four more runs which they would need in the final innings.
Mineral Area scored four runs over the fifth and sixth innings, compliments of the Raiders fielding. After a two-on, two-out liner was dropped by Three Rivers right-fielder, the Cardinals Ryan Bradshaw scored on the play, and two batters later Tanner Glore drove in two more with a single. In the sixth the right-fielder bobbled a one-hop ball to allow Bradshaw to score again.
For most all of the game, pitcher Alex Piontek was in control, despite his team’s errors, as he struck out seven batters before yielding the mound to Jonathan Lycan in the fifth inning. Closer Skylar Cobb took the mound for a 1-2-3 seventh inning and the save.
Lead-off batter hitter Brad Matson provided the motivational thrust for the Cardinals to start game two as he greeted Three Rivers pitcher Logan Morris with a solo home run. Batter after batter followed with drives into the outfield. Tyler Bunge and Brad Ridings singled with Glore driving Bunge in with a double. Cody Garlington and Ryan Bradshaw both hit sacrifice flies as the Cardinals grabbed their first lead of the day, 4-1.
Brad Ridings was hit by a pitch to start the second-inning rally and Glore made the Raiders pay for hurting his teammate with a two-run blast over right-center. Glore was 4-5 with two walks in the two games.
Two batters later Brad Wright hit a 380 foot bomb inside the pole in right to make the score 7-1.
The Raiders flashed some power of their own with Trent Wooldridge hitting a three-run homer in the top of the fourth. The Cardinals got all three runs back in the bottom of the inning as four free passes were issued by Morris, the last being Bradshaw who was hit by a pitch for an RBI.
Fields hit a sacrifice fly to score another run and Matson singled to bring in the Cardinals last run.
Wayde Roth took over for Pyska with two outs in the sixth, and the righthander picked up the save as he faced five batters over the one and a third innings, giving up only a double by Wooldridge.
FIRST GAME
Three Rivers 200 040 0 – 6 9 2
Mineral Area 001 031 0 – 5 7 3
WP- Alex Piontek 4 2/3i 4r 5h 4k 3bb 2hb.
SV- Skylar Cobb 1i 0r 0h 1k 1bb.
LP- Dylan McEwin 4 1/3i 6r 5h 2k 4bb.
HITTING:
Three Rivers – Trent Wooldridge 2-4, Bryce Neal 2-4, Travis Moe 2-4, Andrew Westfall 1-1, Alex Lang 1-3, Zach Bucci 1-4. HR- Moe. 3b- Wooldridge. (LOB -6)
Mineral Area – Tanner Glore 2-2, Ryan Bradshaw 2-2, Brad Wright 1-3, Lance Fields 1-3, Tyler Bunge 1-4. (LOB -5)
GAME TWO
Three Rivers 100 302 0 – 6 12 1
Mineral Area 430 300 x – 10 10 3
WP- Ivan Pyska 5 2/3i 6r 11h 7k 2bb.
SV- 1 1/3i 0r 1h 2k 0bb.
LP- Logan Morris 2i 7r 11h 1k 1bb.
HITTING:
Three Rivers – Trent Wooldridge 3-5, Zach Bucci 2-4, Dezmon Nunn 2-5, Alex Lang 1-4, Trevor Robertson 1-4. HR- Wooldridge.
Mineral Area – Tanner Glore 2-3, Brad Matson 2-4, Dylan McEwin 2-4, Lance Fields 1-3 Brad Wright 1-3, Brad Ridings 1-3, Tyler Bunge 1-4. HR- Matson, Glore, Wright. 2b- Glore.
