McDowell baseball continues its 'revenge tour' through Region 5 with rivalry win
Vinny Carone has been through the Cathedral Prep-McDowell baseball rivalry as a player for the Trojans.
On Monday, Carone picked up his first win in the rivalry as the head coach of the Trojans and knows first-hand what the win means.
“The Prep games are what you look forward to all year. For better or for worse, those games set the standard of your team,” Carone said. “You're either better than Prep or they are better than you. It's like the Notre Dame-Michigan rivalry in football. If the Irish beat Michigan, they are in for a big year and if we beat Prep, we are having a big year and if they beat us they are having a big year. This win means a lot to these guys.”
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McDowell extended its current overall win streak to six games by hanging on to a 6-3 Region 5 win over Prep at UPMC Park.
Like most games in the rivalry, Monday came down to the seniors and the game came down to the final pitch.
Louisville recruit Dan Snyder was tough on the mound for the Trojans as he allowed just two runs, one earned, and struck out seven in six innings. He was forced to leave the game after six innings because of the 100-pitch rule but had a 6-2 lead.
“All of my offspeed stuff was working and I really reverse pitched them knowing they'd attack my fastball,” Snyder said. “I tried to win that chess match and did a good job.”
McDowell (10-5 overall, 8-3 Region 5) treated the game like a playoff game as the Trojans started Snyder and went to Spencer Dietz to close out the game. Dietz recorded two strikeouts, but John Koshan doubled, Joe Spano singled and Reece Colvin walked to load the bases.
After Wake Forest recruit Luke Costello drew a walk to score a run and cut the lead to 6-3, freshman Jason Fultz crushed an 0-1 pitch down the first-base line. The ball looked as if it could be on its way down the line to clear the bases and tie the game, but Snyder ‒ who stands about 6 feet, 2 inches and had moved to first base ‒ leaped and snagged the liner to end the game and secure the win in his final game against the Ramblers.
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The victory was also payback from the teams' first matchup on April 14, when Prep won 9-1 at Mercyhurst University.
“It feels great,” Snyder said about beating Prep for the final time. “I was just trying to stay under control on the last play and help my teammate. He did his job and threw strikes and I did my job.”
“We absolutely have all the trust in Spencer, and he was good for us in the playoffs last year as well,” Carone said. “It wasn't easy, but it never is against Prep. They have a tough ballclub but Spencer is tough too.”
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Carone also knows how special Monday was for his seniors as he has just a few that play regularly. Snyder had three hits and drove in two runs, while Curtis King and Matt Demski came up big on defense.
“Our seniors really stepped up. Curtis has been huge at shortstop, and a lot of what he does goes unnoticed at an incredibly tough position,” Carone said. “Snyder has been insane all year and shows why he is going to Louisville, and Demski is as tough as nails behind the plate. He has been battling a back injury and might have a fractured wrist but he's playing through it and catching some really tough pitchers.”
Freshman Jack Hower added his own moment in the Prep-McDowell rivalry as he crushed a two-run triple – was inches from being an incredible diving catch by Colvin in center field – during a four-run rally.
Costello drove in two runs on two hits for Prep, which dropped to 15-2 and remained in first place in Region 5 at 10-1. The Ramblers have a two-game lead on Corry and McDowell in the region race with three games left.
McDowell looks to keep the momentum going from a win over Prep on Wednesday as the Trojans host Harbor Creek at Mercyhurst University before hosting Warren on Friday at UPMC Park.
“These guys work hard and continue to get better every single day,” Carone said. “We put them through the wringer. We've been hard on them and their best friend and they keep coming through. We challenge them and they compete. After losing a few region games in the first half of the season, we are on a revenge tour, and it's good to see these guys get the respect they deserve because they've earned it."
Contact Tom Reisenweber at treisenweber@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNreisenweber.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: McDowell baseball continues 'revenge tour' with win vs. Cathedral Prep
