(Spencerport, NY) The Penfield Patriot JV baseball team started a three game road swing on a solid note with a hard-fought 5-2 win over Spencerport, riding on the steady performance of starting pitcher James Tantalo, who went the distance in pitching an 8-inning complete game victory. Runs were hard to come by for both teams until the visiting Pats capitalized erratic pitching in the top of the eighth inning to gain a three run-lead that they refused to relinquish.
The Patriots conceded the first run of the contest to Spencerport in the bottom of the opening stanza with a two-out single driving home the Rangers’ number two hitter – who reached on a single and advanced to second base on a steal.
Penfield answered back in their next opportunity in the top of the second, starting with a one-out single to center field by Paul Watrobski, who kept his at bat alive by fouling off four consecutive pitches after falling behind 1-and-2 in the count. Mark Huddle then followed with a perfectly executed hit-and-run, driving a single through the infield between the first and second basemen and sending Watrobski all the way to third. Huddle was then caught off first in a pickoff move, but stayed alive in the run-down play long enough before getting tagged out to allow Watrobski to speed home across the plate with the tying run.
Neither team could muster much of a challenge over the next three innings with Tantalo surrendering only a walk and double in the third inning and a hit batter in the fourth, while Penfield managed only a single baserunner over that stretch on a Robbie Mabee single to left field. Mick Ercole provided the defensive highlight over that span, spearing a grounder deep in the hole at shortstop with runners on first and second. With no other options, Ercole made a throw off his back foot that made it to third just in time for the fielder’s choice forceout.
Spencerport pushed the go ahead run across for a score in the fifth inning with the leadoff hitter reaching first after being plunked by Tantalo. A 1-3 sacrifice bunt moved him into scoring position and a single put runners on the corners. The Rangers picked up the run on a botched pickoff attempt. Tantalo caught the runner at first straying far from the bag, but the low throw got by the first baseman and beyond far enough for the runner at third to make it home safely.
The Patriots again answered straight away with a tying run in the top of the sixth after Brian Chernak led off with a single, but was erased on a perfect throw from the Ranger catcher on a steal attempt. Ercole then reached on an error when the throw from the shortstop went wide of the mark, but he too was erased on the next play with a fielder’s choice 4-6 groundout started by pinch hitter Anthony Flanagan. Continuing action on that same sequence with a double play relay attempt to first went sour for Spencerport as the overthrow out of bounds allowed Flanagan to move into scoring position at second base. Zach Cicero then dropped an RBI single into short right field, sending Flanagan across the plate with the tying Patriot run.
Spencerport went quietly in the bottom of the sixth inning and neither team seriously threatened in the seventh.
Penfield’s winning rally started with a walk to Chernak, a single by Ercole, and a walk to Tantalo to load the bases. A passed ball allowed Chernak to score the tie-breaking run and Cicero followed with a smash that went off the third baseman sending Ercole home. Mabee completed the scoring with a sacrifice fly to center field with Tantalo tagging up and scoring on the play.
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