Washington County bats boom in win over San Jose
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
M. J. Maruschak (21) stomps on home plate as his teammates greet his return from a two-run homer in the first inning of the Pony League World Series game Monday against San Jose at Lew Hays Pony Field.
Mark Marietta/For Observer-Reporter
Courtesy runner Cayden Laskosky makes it safely to second ahead of the tag by San Jose shortstop Marcus Garcia, putting himself in position to be driven in moments later by an M. J. Maruschak home run.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington County starting pitcher A. J. Andronas left the game with a 10-4 lead in the fifth inning.
Mark Marietta
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington County’s Ian Migyanko slides safely home, scoring the 12th run for Washington and beating the tag from San Jose’s Enrique Sotelo in the Pony League World Series game Monday at Lew Hays Pony Field.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
San Jose catcher Enrique Sotelo applies the tag to Washington County's Cayden Laskosky, holding off a potential Washington run in the fourth inning.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
M. J. Maruschak connects for a two-run home run for Washington County in the first inning of the Pony League World Series game Monday against San Jose at Lew Hays Pony Field.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington County's Sam Wade salutes his teammates in the dugout as he stands up with a double in the second inning of the Pony League World Series game against San Jose Monday at Lew Hays Pony Field.
Before the first pitch of the Pony League World Series, on the dirt practice fields of Canonsburg, Tyler Rubasky was proving to be a great prognosticator.
He said pitching is key to winning games in this double-elimination tournament at Lew Hays Pony Field in Washington Park.
Turns out the manager of the Washington County All-Stars was right on the button about that.
But it also helps relieve the pressure when you can swat a few into the gaps.
Washington had another strong showing on the mound but the bats came to life, too, in a 13-6 rout of San Jose, Calif., the West Zone tournament champion, Monday afternoon.
Washington plays at 12:30 p.m. today against a team to be determined. San Jose was eliminated.
Washington County pounded San Jose pitching for 13 hits, including a massive two-run home run blast by M.J. Maruschak.
“I’m happy. It was a great win for our guys,” said Rubasky. “They battled. They fought. They put (runs) up. They know it’s win or go home.”
Washington County jumped all over San Jose early, scoring three runs in the first and a whopping six runs in the second. The big shot in the three-run first was Maruschak’s home run, an arching blast that smacked into the netting that guarded the video board just beyond the left-field fence in the first inning that erased a 1-0 lead by San Jose.
Turns out Maruschak’s home run was the product of him paying attention to San Jose starting pitcher Ethan Williams.
“I hit an up-and-in curve ball,” said Maruschak. “Whenever he was ready to pitch one, I could see his hand shake in his glove.”
Maruschak said he felt the home run lifted the team.
“I think it got us all pumped up,” Maruschak said. “Our pitcher threw a gem, the team played good defense and we made plays behind him.”
Maruschak says hitting can be contagious.
“One kid goes out and hits,” he said, “then another one comes out. I think we have momentum on our side now.”
The six runs were the most allowed by Washington County in this world series. Washington County opened with a 6-1 victory over London, United Kingdom, the European Zone champion, then followed it up with a 1-0 loss to Palmview, Texas, the South Zone champion.
Until they allowed five runs over the last three innings Monday, Washington County pitchers had permitted only two runs over 18 innings.
“We talk all the time about baseball being a momentum sport,” Rubasky said. “We give up one in the top of the first, then M.J. comes up and puts us up.”
L.J. Zidek had two doubles, two RBI and two runs, Nico Patragas went 3-for-5 with two RBI and Maruschak went 3-for-3, had three RBI and scored three times. Sam Wade knocked in two runs and Ian Migyanko scored twice.
Tommy Moran and Toby Torres combined for going 4-for-6 and scored three runs for San Jose.
But Shane Hall, San Jose’s manager, was more interested in blasting the umpires.
“I’m not going to sit here and say the umpires killed the game, but there was some momentum-killing (calls),” Hall said. “This was home cooking at its finest.”
Hall was angry with a hit batsman call for Washington County and interference call against San Jose that helped kill a rally.
“Horrible officiating all the way around,” said Hall. “The other games weren’t terrible. It just seemed like in this game, we weren’t going to be heard out. To be sold out by terrible officiating, it’s disgusting.”