ROSTRAVER TWP- The Perryopolis baseball team saw its record drop to 2-7 thanks to a disastrous fourth inning which saw the Red Storm commit two errors and walk in a run with the bases loaded.
Perryopolis has been competitive in almost all of its games, but has displayed a penchant for suffering one bad inning that loses the game.
The four-run fourth inning was too much to overcome for Perryopolis in a game that was called after six innings due to darkness, as Rostraver cruised to a 5-1 Fayette County League victory.
"It's been the same thing all year," said Perryopolis manager Mike Matras. "One bad inning is killing us. We're really playing pretty well. We just aren't playing complete games."
Bill Calcagni pitched a complete game for Rostraver (7-2). He tossed a three-hitter with five strikeouts and three walks.
"He pitched an outstanding game for us," said Rostraver manager Dan Palm. "His thing is changing speeds and having command of the strike zone. That's exactly what he did for us tonight."
Rostraver scored the game's first run in the second. Brandon DePhillips singled, went to second on a bunt, and scored on Mike Welc's soft double down the right field line.
Perryopolis managed its only run in the third. With two outs, Matt Chilfant drew a walk and scored on Chris McManus' double to left center.
Denny Snow pitched the first four innings for the Red Storm. He recorded five strikeouts in the first three innings while allowing just one run.
Rostraver had runners on second and third with no outs in the third, but Snow pitched out of the jam, getting two pop-ups and a strikeout.
"His velocity was excellent," Matras said. "He didn't pitch a bad game. It was just that one inning that got us."
Brian Horner led off the bottom of the fourth with a single. He went to second on Ben Cieply's sacrifice bunt and to third on Bob Bowser's single to center.
Then came the game's most important play.
Snow jammed Greg Visnick with an inside fastball, forcing the shortstop to pop up into shallow right field. Second baseman Dustin Schwab called for the ball, but fell down as he made the catch, allowing Horner to tag and score from third.
"That was the biggest play in the game," Matras said. "That shouldn't have happened."
DePhillips followed with a run-scoring single, giving Rostraver a 3-1 lead. Perryopolis then committed two consecutive errors, as Schwab and shortstop McManus booted ground balls.
Snow then walked Justin Murphy with the bases loaded, and Welc produced his second big hit of the day, an RBI single making the score 5-1.
"That's how we score our runs," Palm said. "We hit a lot of singles, draw walks, run the bases, and find ways to manufacture runs."
Calcagni ended the game with consecutive strikeouts, and allowed just one base runner in his final three innings of work.
"We're winning games with pitching and defense," Palm said. "Bill was excellent tonight."
NOTES- Rostraver's next game is Wednesday at home against Locker Room/Masontown...Perryopolis hosts Carmichaels tonight.
