Delweld takes advantage of 17 walks to win AAABA opener

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Delweld’s Spencer White slides safely into second base after Cleveland shortstop Malcomb Jones missed the throw during the official opener of the 66th AAABA Tournament on Monday night. John Rucosky

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August 10, 2010

Mike Mastovich mmastovich@tribdem.com The Tribune-Democrat Tue Aug 10, 2010, 12:34 AM EDT

JOHNSTOWN — Delweld put together enough hits and enough solid pitching to win in the official opener of the 66th annual AAABA Tournament at Point Stadium on Monday night.

The fact that Cleveland pitchers combined to walk 17 batters and the Old Brooklyn Hurricanes fielders made four errors just cemented Delweld’s 12-3 win in front of a standing-room-only crowd estimated at 7,000.

“It’s hard to keep your focus in there,” manager Chris DelSignore said. “It’s hard to zone up when you’re up there and you don’t know where the ball is going to be. I didn’t know we stranded 18 runners, but what are you going to do? We pushed across 12 runs.”

Delweld will play Livonia at

7 tonight at the Point. Cleveland will play Columbus at St. Michael in an elimination game.

“I think the crowd, it got into one or two guys’ heads,” Cleveland manager Bill Kirchner said.

“It took a toll on a couple guys early. By the time we made some changes, it was starting to get away. I didn’t want to burn a two or three (pitcher). Live for tomorrow.”

Delweld is in its fourth consecutive AAABA Tournament.

Many of the players are seasoned, including seven three-year tournament veterans.

Still, thousands of people crammed into every seat and standing along the right field balcony and under the walkway along the first base line had to be a thrill for the players.

“It’s always awesome,” DelSignore said. “Once you get past the parade and all of that stuff, you can get down to what we want to do, and that’s play baseball. People were even packed out in the right field stands. That’s awesome. I hope they continue to show up.”

DelSignore relied on three pitchers. Starter Carter Lehman went 42/3 innings and had a no-decision despite leaving with a seven-run lead. Reliever Kody Reighard was effective and got the win in 21/3 innings. Paul Tunink closed the contest.

“The good thing about it is that all of those guys are going to be able to come back here in a few days,” DelSignore said of his pitchers.

DelSignore said he’s leaning toward starting big right-hander Bobby Carbaugh tonight, though he would adapt if the scouting reports from Monday’s contests sway him and his staff.

“Bobby Carbaugh’s been our No. 2, and I don’t think we’re going to deviate much from that but anything could arise,” DelSignore said.

Delweld built a 4-0 advantage in the second. Tyler Uphouse doubled, Matt Cornetti reached on an infield single and Aaron Kovach singled in a run. George Roberts also had a run-producing single.

Johnstown made it a seven-run lead with three more runs in the fourth. Roberts singled and scored on Drew Westover’s triple to center field. A wild pitched plated Westover, and a Cornetti sacrifice fly drove in Uphouse, who had walked, stolen a base and advanced to third on an error.

“Walks and errors killed us,” manager Kirchner said.

“But you’ve got to give them credit. They beat us.

“We threw away a couple double plays and had a mental error at third. Realistically, it should have been a 3-2 game if we didn’t kick it around. But they pounded the ball, and they’re a good team.

“They pitched well. They took the bats out of our hands. We broke more bats tonight than we did all year.”

Cleveland got on the board with a run-scoring single by Ron Stout and Dan Green’s second double, which drove in a run to make it 7-2 in the bottom of the fourth.

But Delweld added three runs without a hit in the fifth on four walks and a Cleveland error and two more, once again without a base hit, on four walks in the seventh.

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