Hopwood edges Carmichaels in FCBL showdown
Hitting and pitching are two keys to baseball but there’s third phase that often gets overlooked.
Hopwood Village Plaza manager Buddy Marra was doing no such thing after watching his team win at Carmichaels, 3-2, in a showdown of the top two teams in the Fayette County Baseball League on Thursday.
“It was defense that won the game for us,” Marra said.
Hopwood improved to 7-3 and moved to within a game of the first-place Copperheads (6-2-1).
Hopwood got a strong performance from winning pitcher Justin Brestensky, who allowed one earned run on six hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Andino Vecchiolla pitched two scoreless innings of relief to earn the save.
Losing pitcher Gianna Cantini turned in a strong effort, pitching a complete game while surrendering five hits and two walks with 11 strikeouts.
Chad Petrush knocked in two runs and Matthew Firestone had two hits for Hopwood.
Marra put the focus on his team’s defense.
“Outstanding plays at first base from Tate Musko, and shortstop Anthony Piasecki when he elevated high to snag a line drive to end an inning,” Marra pointed out.
Piasecki’s catch of Robbie Wilson-Jones’ rope stranded the tying run on base in the sixth inning.
Marra continued the praise of his defense.
“Matthew Firestone handled a tough throw in the seventh on a back pick from Petrush,” he said. “Another great over-the-shoulder catch from Jared Hough in deep left-center with the bases loaded.”
The Copperheads trailed 3-1 in the fifth inning when they loaded the bases with one out after Dom Colarusso and Aaron Previsky both singled and Alex Vansickle was hit by a pitch. Ben Shields then sent a fly ball that Hough tracked down and caught. Colarusso tagged up and scored on the play but Hough’s catch prevented Carmichaels from taking the lead.
Hopwood took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Firestone led off with a single, stole second and scored on a hit by Petrush. Brestensky hit into a force out, then stole second and scored on Piasecki’s single.
Hopwood made it 3-0 in the fourth when Santino Marra walked, took second on a wild pitch, went to third on a passed ball and came home on a sacrifice fly by Petrush.
Carmichaels got on the board in the bottom of the inning when Shields singled, took second and third on passed balls and scored on Brock Bonadio’s single to center.
After the Copperheads pulled within one run in the fifth, manager Marra handed the ball to Vecchiolla to get the final six outs.
“Brestensky is a workhorse for us this year and team leader,” Marra said. “He gets our guys fired up with his high intensity attitude.
“And when we get deep in games, it’s always a great feeling having Dino to count on closing the game.”
Vecchiolla walked two in the seventh — one intentional to Vansickle after Colarusso had advanced to third on a passed ball and stolen base — before getting a game-ending pop out.
Marra praised his team’s overall effort.
“I wish I could cut the game ball into nine pieces to hand out to these men,” he said.