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Buckeye Local rallies to top UL

MORRISTOWN — Twenty-four hours after being one-hit by Bellaire, all signs pointed in that direction again for Buckeye Local on Thursday afternoon against Union Local.

Zach Greene had a no-hitter brewing through five innings against the Panthers and a 2-1 lead behind him. In the sixth, though, Buckeye Local’s bats came alive, paving the way for a 4-2 triumph on the Union Local campus.

”We’ve been up and down,” Panthers head coach Anthony Barsch smiled. ”I know other teams have experienced the same thing. We needed this after last night.”

Buckeye Local endured a tough, nine-inning loss at Buckeye Local earlier in the week, then was blanked in six innings by the Big Reds on Wednesday. Thursday, the Panthers kicked things up a notch when they needed it most against a squad coming off a blanking of a hot Barnesville team the day before.

”We came out flat,” Union Local head coach Andy Sutak said. ”Our heart was on the game the night before with Senior Night an everyone was up. We just came in flat.”

John Marelli collected the Panthers’ first hit with a hard shot off the glove of third baseman Cody Ray leading off the sixth. A sac bunt by Jared Moore moved Marelli to second.

Jeremiah Seaman followed with a single to center, moving Marelli 90 feet from home. Andrew Hillman then grounded out to third, allowing Marelli to score, tying the game 2-2.

With Seaman at third, Logan Barsch walked. Anthony Barsch then called on Gino Barber.

Barber dropped a blooper down the right-field line plating pinch runner Shayne Christian from second, giving the Panthers a 3-2 advantage.

”The freshman got the big hit for us,” Coach Barsch said.

Buckeye Local added two more hits in the seventh, the big one coming off Moore’s bat — a single scoring Corey Neavin, making the score 4-2.

Neavin was the beneficiary of the Panthers’ late surge. While Greene enjoyed a strong six innings-plus, Neavin finished with a solid line himself — four strikeouts, two walks and five hits allowed.

”That was the first time all year we had a pitcher go the full game,” Coach Barsch said. ”I think it’s his first win. He pitched really well. He was able to go seven innings. That’s another area we’ve been lacking. Hopefully, it’s a sign of things to come.”

Neavin retired five of the Jets’ final six batters, only allowing a seventh-inning walk.

The Panthers’ starter bent, but didn’t break during the first three innings, allowing a UL runner to reach second in the first and one to step on third in the third, allowing only one run; and that came via an error and tied the game 1-1.

Buckeye Local struck first in the second, scoring without getting a hit.

Three Jet errors, along with two hit by pitches, resulted in a run.

Things stayed that way until the fifth when Union Local jumped ahead, 2-1, on an RBI single by Shane Smolenak. The Jets stranded runners at first and third in the inning.

”We stranded too many runners and second and third, that’s what really bothered me,” Sutak said. ”If you have runners at second and third with less than one out, you have to score. We have to go back and work on that.”

As for the Panthers, Coach Barsch is eager to see if his team can continue its momentum at the plate through the upcoming tournament.

”It’s been a roller coaster ride all year,” he said. ”We hope to continue on the upswing.”

Buckeye Local 4, Union Local 2

Buckeye Local 010 002 1 — 4 5 2

Union Local 001 010 0 — 2 5 3

BUCKEYE LOCAL: Neavin (WP, 4K, 2BB) and Marelli. Moore S, RBI; Seaman 2S; Barber S, RBI.

UNION LOCAL: Greene (LP, 3K, 2BB), Kildow (6, 0K, 1BB) and Kelley. Smolenak S, RBI; Clay D; Greene T, D.

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