CARROLL TOWNSHIP – When it comes to pitchers, ninth-year Ringgold High baseball coach Scott Henson calls Dan O’Rourke ‘the best overall.’ He won’t get any argument from Laurel Highlands. O’Rourke, a senior righthander headed to Ohio University on a baseball scholarship, blanked the visiting Mustangs, 4-0, on a four-hitter in a Class AAA Sec. 2 opener Thursday. ‘He’s the pitcher I’m most comfortable with,’ added Henson. ‘You know every time he goes out there, you’re going to get a quality start.’ O’Rourke, who’s accounted for both of the Rams’ victories this season, struck out 14 and walked two. Two of the four hits O’Rourke allowed were successive bunts in the third inning when the Mustangs loaded the bases with none out in a 1-0 game. O’Rourke pitched out of the jam by striking out Brian Semans and David Landman, the No. 2 and 3 hitters, and getting Danny Cindrik to pop up to second baseman Jason Cypher in shallow right. The only other time the Mustangs threatened was in the sixth inning when with two out Cindrik was hit by a pitch and Santino Sloboda walked. After an errant pickoff attempt moved the runners up, O’Rourke fanned pinch-hitter Jeremy Lucas. ‘I was happy with my performance,’ said O’Rourke. ‘I didn’t feel 100 percent when the game started. My arm didn’t feel like it wanted to loosen up.’ O’Rourke wasn’t concerned when designated hitter J.W. Eddy singled up the middle and Andy Kaposko and Mike Miskanin bunted successfully in the third inning. ‘It didn’t bother me when they loaded the bases,’ he claimed. ‘I knew I had to get them out. I knew they’d start bunting and warned my third baseman.’ The Rams scored the only run they needed in the opening inning on Steve Walko’s sacrifice fly after Frank McLaughlin and Lloyd Price drew walks and O’Rourke flied deep to left. Ringgold tacked on two runs in the third on Adam Harkins’ RBI single and Brody Nichols’ infield grounder after loading the bases on singles by McLaughlin and Price and a walk to Walko. The Rams closed the scoring in the fourth on Price’s suicide squeeze after singles by Cypher and McLaughlin sandwiched around a Gino DeRosa sacrifice. ‘This was a huge win,’ smiled Henson. ‘It’s been a long time since we started 1-0 in the section. Even when we went to the WPIAL championship game, we opened with a loss to Connellsville. It feels good to be 1-0.’ LEFTOVERS; McLaughlin and Cypher each had two singles. The Rams had seven hits, all singles. Ringgold visits Connellsville Saturday at noon with either Evan Kaskie, Cypher or Walko scheduled to pitch. Connellsville downed Hempfield, 6-4, and Albert Gallatin beat Uniontown, 7-4, in the other Sec. 2 openers.

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