Copperheads eke out 2-1 win over Fayette Raiders
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
Carmichaels鈥� Drake Long is congratulated by teammate Tyler Godwin as he steps on the plate under the watchful eye of plate umpire Joe Volpe in the bottom of the fifth inning in Thursday鈥檚 Fayette County Baseball League game against the Fayette Raiders at Carmichaels High School.
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
Carmichaels starting pitcher Joby Lapkowicz follows the ball as it flies to the plate during the sixth inning of Thursday鈥檚 Fayette County Baseball League game against the Fayette Raiders at Carmichaels High School. Lapkowicz went the distance to earn the win in the Copperheads鈥� 2-1 victory.
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
The Fayette Raiders鈥� Trevor Stewart begins his slide to the plate as Carmichaels catcher John Przybylinski waits for the ball in the top of the fifth inning in Thursday鈥檚 Fayette County Baseball League game at Carmichaels High School. Stewart scored on the play.
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
Fayette Raiders starting pitcher Dylan Brosky pushes off the rubber to deliver the ball in the top of the first inning in Thursday鈥檚 Fayette County Baseball League game at Carmichaels.
Carmichaels second baseman Brock goes airborne to throw out the Fayette Raiders鈥� Josh Davison at first base in the top of the first inning in Thursday鈥檚 Fayette County Baseball League game at Carmichaels High School. Davison beat the throw for an infield hit. (Photo by Jim Downey)
Carmichaels鈥� Brody Bonadio fouls the ball off his foot in the bottom of the first inning in Thursday鈥檚 Fayette County Baseball League game against the Fayette Raiders at Carmichaels High School. (Photo by Jim Downey)
CARMICHAELS 鈥� Carmichaels scratched out a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and Joby Lapkowicz did the rest as the Copperheads eked out a 2-1 Fayette County Baseball League win Thursday night over the visiting Fayette Raiders.
Carmichaels (3-1) had as many hits off starting pitcher Dylan Brosky in the fifth-inning rally 鈥� two 鈥� as the Copperheads had in the other four innings combined against the former Brownsville standout.
The game-winning rally started with John Przybylinski working a one-out walk from Brosky. Drake Long followed with a single to move courtesy runner Dylan Wilson to second base.
Carmichaels manager Dickie Krause called on Brant Bonadio to pinch-hit for Hunter Robinson and Bonadio made the move pay off with a single to right field.
Wilson slid, actually crawled to the plate to tie the game and Long hustled home with the game-winning run when the throw to third missed the mark and went into the outfield.
鈥淭hey gave us a sliver and we took it,鈥� said Dickie Krause.聽
鈥�(Brosky) was feeling a little tired before that inning,鈥� said Fayette Raiders manager Vince Dellapenna. 鈥淭hey had a pinch-hitter (Brant Bonadio). Dylan didn鈥檛 see him (before), but we thought he had the advantage.鈥�
That鈥檚 all Lapkowicz needed.聽
The veteran left-hander retired the side in order, with two strikeouts, in the top of the sixth inning.
Lapkowicz allowed a two-out infield hit to Trevor Stewart in the top of the seventh inning. Stewart moved to second on a passed ball, but went no further because Lapkowicz caught Hunter Bowen looking on a wicked curve ball to end the game.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a very tough pitcher. We knew he was a tough pitcher. We knew we had to fight for runs. We knew one run wouldn鈥檛 do it,鈥� said Vince Dellapenna.聽
鈥淲e had a pitch count for Joby, and he doubled it. He got stronger once we got the lead,鈥� praised Krause, adding, 鈥淛oby is a workout fiend. He鈥檚 one of the most competitive people you鈥檒l meet.鈥�
The loss was the third close defeat in as many games for the Fayette Raiders.
鈥淲e have three losses by four runs. Every game, it鈥檚 heartbreaking,鈥� said Dellapenna.
The Fayette Raiders scored their lone run without the benefit of a hit in the top of the fifth inning, plus an extra out.
Lapkowicz caught Rocco Frisco swinging to start the inning, and did the same with Trevor Stewart. However, the ball kicked in the dirt on the third strike and Przybylinski鈥檚 throw to first caught Stewart in the back and he safely made first base.
Krause and Volpe had a brief discussion about the play, but it stood as it called.
Stewart stole second base and moved to third on a wild pitch. Stewart then sprinted home when the ball kicked to the screen to the right of Przybylinski as he slid across the plate before the relay reached the Carmichaels catcher.
鈥淚n the top of the fifth, we had second and third with two outs and only had one across the plate,鈥� said Dellapenna. 鈥淲e had trouble getting the bat on the ball and it comes back to bite you.鈥�
The Fayette Raiders had only two hits off Lapkowicz through the first four innings, but stranded five.
Brosky was equally as tough on the Copperheads with the home team scratching out just one hit, Nick Ricco鈥檚 single in the second inning, and stranding three. The only Carmichaels runner to reach second base outside of the fifth inning was Lapkowicz when he ripped a one-out double in the bottom of the sixth inning.
鈥淵ou hope you have a team that can win and steal a game like that. You hope a veteran comes up and gets the key hits,鈥� said Krause. 鈥淏rosky is a tough pitcher.聽
The teams were scheduled to meet in Carmichaels Friday night pending the weather.
NOTES: Carmichaels opened the week Monday with a 4-0 victory over Mitch鈥檚 Bail Bonds. Nate Torbich pitched a solid 5.1 innings to earn the win. Lapkowicz finished the game for the save. Tyler Reyes had the key hit in the game with his triple plating the second run of the game. He then came home to give the Copperheads a 3-0 lead.