Errors doom Hillers in loss to South Fayette
Kelli Alderson/For the Observer-Reporter
South Fayette pitcher Tyler Pitzer allowed five hits and struck out 15 over six innings as the Lions defeated Trinity Monday night in a Class 5A game.
Kelli Alderson/For the Observer-Reporter
Trinity starting pitcher J.R. Rieg did not give up an earned run over 3 2/3 innings Monday against South Fayette.
WASHINGTON – Errors are never good for a baseball team.
Three unearned runs in the second, one in the fifth and the pitching of South Fayette’s Tyler Pitzer was too much for Trinity in the Lions’ 7-2 victory Monday evening at Washington & Jefferson’s Ross Memorial Park in Class 5A Section 2 play.
South Fayette improved to 4-3 in section play and 11-3 overall. The Lions sit in second place behind Bethel Park, who is 6-1. The Hillers, Peters Township and Upper St. Clair are in a three-way tie for third place at 3-4.
“We can only take it a game at a time, and whoever is in front of us is in front of us,” South Fayette coach Kenny Morgan said. “We can only control what we can control.”
The two meet this afternoon at South Fayette with the first pitch scheduled for 4.
“If we split it tomorrow, it opens it back up,” Trinity coach Jon Stack said. “Our guys are still confident.”
Pitzer, a senior and South Carolina recruit, allowed two runs (one earned) in six innings. He had 15 strikeouts and no walks. Jake Betz pitched a perfect seventh.
“We are fortunate to watch Tyler compete every time he gets the ball,” South Fayette coach Kenny Morgan said. “I know if you ask him, he would probably have wanted to go the distance, but we are really thrilled with the outing he had. We were getting up in the pitch count and we decided to save him and get six quality innings out of him.”
The Lions scored their first run after Michael DiMartini reached on an error and Bayne Misner scored. DiMartini was attempting to beat out an infield single, but the throw went to the fence.
Pitzer walked and Misner and Gino Satira, who singled to reach first base, scored on Christian Brandi’s double to left centerfield for a 3-0 lead.
“We knew if Tyler (Pitzer) pitched we were going to be in for a battle, and we talked about mental and physical errors being part of the game, but in this type of game against that type of pitcher, you can’t do that,” Stack said. “We had some of those breakdowns today that cost us.”
South Fayette extended its advantage to 5-0 in the fifth after Lucas Cooper walked, Misner doubled and Cooper scored on a wild pitch with Satira batting.
Misner scored when Satira reached on an error.
The Hillers scored two runs in the sixth to cut the deficit to three.
Ty Banco led off with a pinch-hit double to right, moved to third when Matthew Robaugh reached on an error. Both scored on Jonah Williamson’s double to left.
“We competed the entire time, and I really like that about our team,” Stack said. “We have been in every game this year, and I try and tell the boys that we can play with anyone.”
The Lions added two insurance runs in the seventh on Satira’s run-scoring single to left field that scored Tyler Skeen, who had reached on a single before Cooper scored when DiMartini walked with the bases loaded. Cooper reached on a one-out double.
“We were glad to get some insurance runs there,” Morgan said. “We knew Trinity was going to give us a game. They have a nice team with a lot of talent.”
JR Rieg took the pitching loss, but he didn’t allow an earned run on four hits in 3 1/3 innings. He had four strikeouts and walked five.
“I think JR Rieg threw a wonderful game for us,” Stack said. “He didn’t find out until he walked here today that he was going to be our starting pitcher, and unfortunately, he didn’t benefited from a strong defensive performance behind him, but besides that, he threw a very good game.”