On a day when two words Tyrone manager Tom Coleman used to describe his team were “flat,” and “uninspired,” the performance of pitcher Josh Clark was just what the Golden Eagles needed.
With an outing that was straightforward, no-frills and effective, Clark was workmanlike on the road against Moshannon Valley, pitching all seven innings while allowing four earned runs to pick up his second win of the season in Tyrone’s 8-5 victory.
“We’ve got to do better right off the bus at getting mentally prepared to play these away games,” said Coleman. “From pre-game through the start of the game, we were flat. Actually, we were just fortunate that eventually we were able to score some runs for Josh and get him the win.”
Clark’s strikeout total was a career-high and just below Tyler Golden’s team-high nine thrown last week against Penns Valley. It was also a direct result of Clark’s approach. The senior right hander pounded the strike zone and stayed around the plate all day, and while his curve ball served him well as an out-pitch, he kept that close to the dish as well, walking just one batter.
“I was very pleased with Josh’s performance today,” said Coleman. “He came in and threw strikes and was able to keep their batters off balance. It was a really good performance.”
Aside from that, the game for Tyrone amounted to one big inning of fireworks. It was tied 3-3 in the top of the fifth when the Eagles took command with five runs and four straight hits, including a solo home run by Golden, who went 2-for-4 with two runs.
Brit Mingle got it started with a sac fly to center that scored Clark and proved to be the game-winning RBI. Golden came next and turned on a 1-1 delivery by Valley starter Craig Callouini, driving it over the left field fence for the first round-tripper of his varsity career.
Jamie Levinson followed with a single, and after stealing second was plated by a Tyler Gillmen single – the junior’s 30th RBI this season. Justin Schopp later doubled home Gillmen, and then scored on Callouini’s third balk of the game to make it 8-3.
“Golden’s hit was big, and eventually, we were able to chip away with some runs by putting the ball in play,” Coleman said.
With his team ahead comfortably, Clark continued to pound the plate. He allowed only three hits over the last three innings and fanned three. Valley picked up two in the bottom of the seventh on a one-out double by Brandon Murarik, but Clark recovered to get Brent Baughman to line out to Matt Brooks at third before striking out Tyler Dixon for the third time to end the game.
Tyrone took its initial lead with a couple manufactured runs in the first inning. Mingle singled to open the game, stole second, moved to third on a balk, and scored on a Golden single to left. Golden then moved ahead one base on a passed ball, advanced to third on Gillmen’s groundout, and came across on another passed ball to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
The Knights cut into the lead in the second when designated hitter Ianniq Eckland lifted a drifting home run over the center field fence to make it 2-1. They tied it in the third on a sacrifice fly to center off the bat of Baughman.
The Golden Eagles came through with another manufactured run to reclaim the lead 3-2 in the fourth, this time without the aid of a hit. Gillmen led off with a walk, stole his 10th base of the season, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a Callouini balk.
Undaunted, the Knights came back with a run to tie it in the home half of the inning. With two outs, Eckland singled and stole second, and scored on a Brooks error at third off the bat of Pete Dombrosky.
“Sometime soon, we’re going to have to start playing up to our potential,” Coleman said.
GAME NOTES: Schopp finished 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI … Tyrone is now 9-7 with two games remaining. Coleman said the victory assured that the Eagles would enter the District 6-AA playoffs … Mo Valley fell to 4-12 … Golden now has 14 RBI and four extra-base hits.
TYRONE 8 MOSHANNON VALLEY 5
TYRONE – Mingle, rf, 3-1-1; Golden, 1b-lf, 4-2-2; Levinson, ss, 4-1-1; Gillmen, 2b, 3-2-1; Schopp, cf, 4-1-2; Stotler, dh, 2-0-0; Anders, c, 0-0-0; Hunter, lf, 2-0-1; Morrow, 1b, 0-0-0; Brooks, 3b, 3-0-0; Clark, p, 2-1-0. TOTALS: 27-8-8.
MOSHANNON VALLEY – Dombrosky, 2b, 4-1-2; Zeigler, c, 4-1-1; Pataky, ss, 3-1-1; Murarik, cf, 4-0-2; Baughman, 3b, 3-0-0; Dixon, rf, 4-0-0; Twigg, 1b, 3-0-0; Zendek, lf, 3-0-0; Eckland, dh, 3-2-2; Callouini, p, 0-0-0. TOTALS: 31-5-8.
TYRONE 200 150 0 – 8-8-3
MOSHANNON VALLEY 011 100 2 – 5-8-3
2B: Schopp, Hunter, Pataky
HR: Golden, Eckland
RBI: Golden 2, Mingle, Gillmen, Schopp, Murarik 2, Eckland, Baughman
SB: Gillmen, Mingle, Schopp, Clark, Levinson, Murarik, Eckland
E: Hunter, Gillmen, Brooks, Zeigler, Zendek, Baughman
SO: Clark 8, Callouini 7
BB: Clark 1, Callouini 3
WP: Clark LP: Callouini
