BY BERNIE HORNICK
“It was a fast ball right down the middle and I just went for it,’’ said Cory Johnson, 19, of the Youngstown Metros.
Good thing he did, because his double off the center-field wall in the top of the ninth accounted for three of his five RBIs as Youngstown beat Schenectady 11-7 on Monday at Greater Johnstown Middle School in a first-round game of the AAABA Tournament.
The lead seesawed between the teams, starting with Youngstown’s 2-0 advantage in the first, and the 4-2 edge held after three by the Schenectady Polish National Alliance. Going into the bottom of the eighth, Youngstown was up 7-4.
But Schenectady powered up for three runs in the bottom of the frame to knot the score. The PNA left bases loaded when William Manley flied out.
In the top of the ninth, Youngstown’s Brian Szabo got the rally in gear with a leadoff walk.
After a sacrifice bunt got Szabo to second, Mike Hoelzel banged a single.
A short time later – with the bases loaded and two outs
– Johnson doubled off the wall.
Youngstown logged 14 hits and had one error. Schenectady PNA tallied eight hits and four errors.
“We hung in there,’’ Youngstown Manager Bob Mingo said.
“It was a very good ballgame. We didn’t give up.’’
