Win puts Mitch's in league finals

July 29--For the first time since 2012, Mitch's Bail Bonds will play for the Fayette County Baseball League championship.

The top-seeded Mermen (19-3) broke open a one-run game with seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning en route to an 11-5 win over No. 4 seed New York Pizza at Charleroi's Vets Field.

The seven-run explosion came after the Mermen got out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the fifth.

"I'll tell you what, it was close," Mitch's manager Ryan Encapera said of the inning. "We were one bad hop, hit, passed ball ... anything could have happened that we could have lost the lead."

For Mitch's, the top four batters, Louden Conte, Adam Jacko, Jason Greene and Joe Monica, combined to go 8 for 12 with seven runs scored and five RBIs.

"The key to this whole deal is that we have a lot of guys that just love the game. They love to play baseball," Encapera said. "Last season, we had a lot of young guys that didn't always show up, but this season we've had a pretty consistent lineup throughout the season. That's helped a lot."

In the bottom of the sixth, Zach Skatell got things started with a double that glanced off the glove of NYP centerfielder Ty Dillinger. Ryan Coles followed with a shot back to pitcher Bobby Madison, but Madison threw it away at third trying to get Skatell. He scored and Coles went to second base.

Conte, Jacko and Greene followed with RBI singles. Monica walked to load the bases, then Tyler Delval followed with a bloop single down the right field line to make the score 8-3. Eric Holt drew a bases-loaded walk, Steve McCaw smacked an RBI single and Josh Miller added a sacrifice fly for the Mermen's final run.

"That inning was huge for us. We had McCaw come in and pitch the last two innings," Encapera said. "He did a great job in relief of Josh Luko. Luko pitched a great game for us and gave us a great five innings."

A former California Area product, Luko allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits and struck out seven. His pitching allowed the Mermen to overcome seven errors -- six in the first five innings.

"We have to play better defensively ... and I know we will," Encapera said. "It was a weird field today, real hard but a lot of powder. The ball was doing some crazy things."

NYP (9-12) scored two runs in the top of the seventh on a two-run double by Dillinger before having its season end.

The Mermen got off to a hot start, scoring three times in the first. Conte led off the game by reaching on an error by NYP first baseman Jim Cales. Jacko followed with a single to left. Conte and Jacko moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Greene. Monica hit a liner to center that scored Conte and moved Jacko to third. Madison's next pitch was wild, allowing Jacko to score. With two outs, McCaw lined a screamer that hit third baseman Kenny Musko's glove and skipped to the outfield, scoring Monica.

Mitch's added a run in the second on an RBI single by Jacko.

The Mermen await the winner of the series between No. 2 Mill Run and No. 3 Economy Electric. Mill Run forced a deciding game three with a 10-2 win Tuesday. Game three will be played at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Mill Run.

"We had some huge hits, and with our team speed we were able to take advantage of some things and take the extra base," Encapera said. "This was the goal all along. Honestly, anything less that a trip to the finals, in my eyes, would have been a disappointment. Now we have to go win it."

Encapera said he anticipates the best-of-three league finals will start Friday. Game One will be at Vets Field in Charleroi because Mitch's earned home-field advantage.

NOTES: NYP committed five errors of its own ... The Mermen left 10 runners stranded; NYP left eight on base. ... Pegg finished 3 for 3, and Musko and Nick Erminio each had two hits for NYP. McCaw went 2 for 4 for Mitch's.

Jeremy Sellew is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at [email protected].

___

(c)2015 The Valley Independent (Monessen, Pa.)

Visit The Valley Independent (Monessen, Pa.) at www.triblive.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.