Pinch single by Derek Moczygemba completes rally from down 3-0
By Mark Kusenberger
tsrnsports.com
Special to SAsports.com
For almost five innings, Churchill pitcher Jason Williams had the Smithson Valley Rangers completely off-balance.
Masterfully locating his fastball, Williams had a perfect game through four, and still had a no-hitter and a 3-0 lead with two outs in the fifth.
But Smithson Valley tied the game in the fifth, then a two-out, 2-run single by pinch hitter Derek Moczygemba in the top of the 7th gave Smithson Valley a 5-3 victory over the Churchill Chargers Tuesday afternoon at North East Stadium.
Churchill started the scoring in their half of the first off Smithson Valley starting pitcher Ben Woodchick. Clint Sharp single past the second baseman. Brooks Freisenhahn bunted to the pitcher Ben Woodchick, who threw late to second base and didn’t get a force play; Freisenhahn was given a sacrifice bunt and safe on a fielder’s choice. Riley Nipper singled to right to load the bases, then pitcher Jason Williams (4-3) singled to left to drive home Sharp. Woodchick pitched out of the jam by striking out Ryan Syring, inducing a fielder’s choice grounder from Grayson Howard, and striking out Chris Fewell, but Churchill led 1-0.
The Chargers added 2 in the 3rd. Nipper drew a leadoff walk, then went to third when Williams doubled over Cory Bafidis’s head. Two outs later, Fewell reached on a tough error charged to Ranger second baseman Zac Mitchell; Nipper scored to make it 2-0. Colton Retzloff hit an infield single to score Williams’ courtesy runner Michael Kraft to give Churchill a 3-0 lead.
Despite Smithson Valley being an excellent hitting team, for a while it looked as though three runs would be enough, and 9 runners left on base in the first 5 innings wouldn’t come back to haunt the Chargers. Jason Williams (4-3) was perfect through four innings, striking out 5 and throwing just 36 pitches. Even after a leadoff walk in the fifth to Zac Russell, Williams got a terrific defensive play from second baseman Dustin Aguilar, who went far to his left, then turned 360 before throwing out Kevin Keeton; Russell went to second on the play. Dominic Hamilton struck out looking, but then Cory Bafidis singled past the shortstop to score Russell. Dakota Mawyer singled to center to put runners on first and second. Zac Mitchell followed with a bloop hit into a stiff wind from right field; it fell in front of Nick Bolleter for a hit, scoring Bafidis. Mitchell went to second on the throw home; Syring threw to second to try to get Mitchell, but the throw allowed Mawyer to score the tying run.
Churchill loaded the bases with one out in the fifth against Woodchick, but Aguilar grounded into a double play to get Woodchick out of the jam with the game still tied at three.
The Rangers threatened in the sixth when Brad Nasis launched a one-out double over center fielder Chris Fewell. Russell walked, but Keeten flied out to center field, then Hamilton struck out swinging, leaving the game tied at 3.
Smithson Valley coach Chad Koehl went to the bullpen with Justin Beck (3-1), and Beck put down the Chargers one-two-three in the sixth.
With one out in the seventh, Mawyer had an infield single, then was forced at second for the second out on a sacrifice attempt by Beck. Beck went to third on a double by Woodchick, then Koehl sent up Derek Moczygemba to hit for Josh Jahns. Moczygemba slammed an 0-2 pitch into second field to score Beck and Woodchick, giving Smithson Valley a 5-3 lead.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Syring was hit by a pitch, but Beck struck out Howard and got Fewell to fly out to center to end the game.
Beck pitched the last two innings for Smithson Valley, retiring six of the seven hitters he faced and striking out three. Williams, who despite his late-inning struggles threw a complete game on 102 pitches, gave up 5 runs – all earned – on 7 hits. Williams walked 2 and struck out 8.
With the win, Smithson Valley stays within one game of Reagan for first place in 26-5A. moving to 16-4-1 overall, 7-1 in district. The loss drops Churchill to a one game lead over MacArthur for fourth place; the Chargers are now 10-11 for the season and 5-3 in 26-5A.
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