JOHNSTOWN —
Right-hander Tanner Libby made what will probably be his last start of the summer a memorable one on Wednesday at Fichtner Field.
The University of Illinois recruit threw a complete game for Toledo, as the Lake Erie Monarchs eliminated Altoona’s Johnston Realty from the AAABA Tournament, 10-2.
Libby scattered seven hits, with seven strikeouts, a walk and one hit batsman as Toledo (2-1) used big innings in the seventh and eighth to break open a close game.
“Everything felt good,” Libby said.
“I had a little tendinitis, so I took a week off and I threw for the first time when we got down here Sunday. My fastball was good, I had good location on it. I was changing between a slider and curveball, keeping them off balance.”
Added Monarchs’ manager Dale Gray about his right-hander: “He pitched a gem. It’s the last time he’ll be on the mound this summer. He went out nice. I think Illinois will be very happy to get him.”
Toledo jumped on Altoona starter Nick Brugh for a pair of runs in the first inning.
Ryan Ford singled then scored on a double to deep right field. Scanlon came home on an Altoona error and an Alex Johnson sacrifice fly to right.
Brugh, a pick-up player from Lilly in the Altoona City League, settled down after the first, scattering eight hits and giving up one earned run.
“That little soft-throwing righty kept us in check for seven innings,” Gray said about Brugh. “He kept hanging in there. I kept thinking that we were going to get to him, and finally we did. An error by them in a crucial situation kind of opened up the door and things started happening.”
Toledo, which had six stolen bases in the game, scored the go-ahead run in the sixth as Kurt Farmer singled, stole second, then scored on Johnson’s single to right-center field.
Things began to unravel for Johnston Realty in the seventh on three Toledo hits and Neil Schroth’s throwing error, allowing four Monarchs’ runs to score as Toledo increased its lead to 7-2 and chased Brugh.
“One error turned the game,” Altoona manager Mel Curtis said about the miscue in the seventh. “It happened very quickly. I think we were running on adrenaline and at that point, we sort of fell down. Another game, that error we would have bounced back from. For some reason we just didn’t bounce back (Wednesday). Once that error occurred, it was a dagger in the heart. It really took it out of our kids.”
The Lake Erie Monarchs jumped on reliever Tommy Bush for three runs in the eighth, keyed by a triple from Scanlon, a double by Seth Willoughby and singles by A.J. DeMarco and Farmer.
Altoona’s runs came in the third.
Libby walked Andy Glass, who moved to second on a Schroth single.
John Shaffer’s single was misplayed in the outfield by Toledo, allowing both Glass and Schroth to score.
Schroth and Shaffer each had two hits. Joe Pillot had Altoona’s only extra-base hit in the game, a double in the second.
“We didn’t get the timely hits when we needed it with base runners on,” Curtis said. “We still chased a lot of balls in the dirt. Kids put too much pressure on themselves trying to make something happen, and they’re not looking at pitches.”
Ford was 3-for-5 and scored twice while Willoughby, Scanlon and Farmer were each 2-for-5 and Johnson was 3-for-4 for Toledo, which will face Chicago Metro today.
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Libby, Toledo send Altoona packing
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