JOHNSTOWN —
Sound defense, solid base running and gritty pitching were the three elements used by the Philadelphia Philly Bandits to hand Johnstown Martella’s Pharmacy an 8-4 loss Tuesday afternoon at Point Stadium.
The Bandits – 2-0 in the AAABA Tournament – parlayed their speed and smart base running into a majority of their runs. Defensively, Philadelphia turned four inning-ending double plays with a pop-up to second and a double-off throw to first in the ninth ending hopes of a Martella’s comeback. Martella’s also hit into double plays to end the first, second and eighth innings.
Frank Morris was the beneficiary of the first two double plays en route to picking up the victory. The Philly hurler tossed seven innings and scattered eight hits.
“Frank can get it up in velocity, but he throws a heavy ball and that gives the infielders a lot of work,” Philadelphia manager Mike Gossner said. “The defense came through today, so that worked out for us.”
The Bandits struck for their first run during the third inning as Matt Maher singled, moved to third on Sean Coyle’s single and came home when Dillon Moyer laced a hit to center. Coyle scored from third a batter later as Nick Ferdinand hit a sacrifice fly to center.
Moyer came in to make it 3-0 when Steve Shelinsky singled off the screen in left-center.
Maher and Coyle reached base and scored again in the fourth as Ferdinand singled to center. Those five runs came against Clint White, who lasted just 32/3 innings and allowed seven hits with a walk and strikeout. In total Martella’s used five different pitchers against the Bandits.
“We played for (Tuesday), we looked at matchups when we were bringing guys in,” Martella’s manager Chris Pfeil said.
“Our bullpen did a really good job. Those guys came in and piece by piece, they put innings together.”
Martella’s cracked the scoreboard in the sixth when Alex Naggy singled and Mike Kastelic walked to set the table.
Kyle Bowser singled in Naggy by lining a pitch off Morris’ foot and into center. Kastelic scored on Sam Watkins’ single to left. Bowser scored to make it 5-3 on Mike Pelekanos’ single to left. Morris, who pitched seven innings, struck out Steve Bills on a called third strike to end the rally.
Martella’s loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh inning before Morris coaxed a ground-out to second out of Watkins.
Maher and Coyle were instrumental in igniting Philadelphia’s eighth-inning rally, as Maher singled to center and moved to third on two wild pitches. Coyle drew his second intentional walk of the game with one gone in the inning. Moyer singled home Maher to make it 6-3. After Ferdinand struck out and Shelinsky was intentionally walked, Jimmy Yezzo plated the Bandits’ final two runs when a ball to shortstop Watkins took a high bounce, allowing Coyle and Moyer to come home.
“In our eyes, that was a break,” Gossner said. “It just looked like a routine ground ball and it took that turf hop. With our speed, that helped us out.”
Martella’s showed life in the ninth as Pat Kohl reached on an error before Kastelic singled to center. Kohl scored on Alex Buccilli’s base hit to right. After Bowser worked a walk out of Bandits reliever Joe Harvey to load the bases, Watkins floated a ball over second that was corralled by Moyer, who fired to first to double off Bowser.
“With a lot of resolve, we came up in the bottom of the ninth and sent the tying run to the plate,” Pfeil said. “That’s all you can ask for. We’re not done, we know we have a tall task against New Orleans tomorrow.”
Sports
Related Photos
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JOHN RUCOSKY/THE TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT Martella’s Pharmacy second baseman Kyle Bowser looks to first base as Philadelphia’s Steven Shelinsky slides into the bag. Jimmy Yezzo reached on a fielder’s choice and picked up two RBIs on the play. John Rucosky
Discussion
Bandits double up Martella’s Pharmacy
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