Unearned runs cost Pitt-Johnstown in lopsided loss to Shippensburg

Mike Mastovich, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
Updated ·3 min read

Apr. 18—In his 26th season as head coach of the Pitt-Johnstown baseball team, Todd Williams approaches what he labels "mid-week" games differently than the divisional contests traditionally played on the weekend.

Of course, winning is the top objective, but Williams also uses non-divisional games to give his younger players experience.

The Mountain Cats held a two-run advantage through five innings against Shippensburg at Sargent's Stadium at the Point on Tuesday.

"We were up 5-3 with our starters into the sixth inning," Williams said after Shippensburg scored 14 times in the final four innings to pull away from Pitt-Johnstown, 17-7.

"We gave all the other guys a chance to play, all the younger pitchers," said Williams, who used 25 players, including eight pitchers, on Tuesday. "That's what we do in 'mid-week' games. We give the younger kids a chance to play in case they're called into service (later in the season).

"You can see the rawness and the youthfulness."

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division Mountain Cats didn't help their cause. Pitt-Johnstown committed five errors that resulted in 14 unearned runs scored by the PSAC East Division Raiders.

"A game like this, it's a tough loss," said Pitt-Johnstown senior center fielder Dylan Broderick, who went 3-for-3 before being replaced in the lineup midway through the contest. "You never want to lose by 10, but it's a 'mid-week' game. It doesn't count for conference (standings). It gives us a chance to work on some things for practice this week."

Pitt-Johnstown slipped to 13-24 overall. The Mountain Cats are 6-10 in the PSAC West. Shippensburg improved to 20-21 and the Raiders are 7-11 in the PSAC East.

"We'll be ready for IUP on Thursday and Friday," Williams said of important home-and-home doubleheaders against Indiana (Pa.). "It's going to be a big series because between us, Gannon, IUP and California. Four of us are vying for the third and fourth spot (in the PSAC West)."

Third-place Gannon is 8-8 in the PSAC West, followed by California (Pa.) and Indiana (Pa.), each at 7-9, and Pitt-Johnstown.

Seton Hill (16-0) and Mercyhurst (14-2) hold the top two spots in the West.

Williams said the games against Indiana (Pa.) will be moved up a day because of Saturday's weather forecast. Pitt-Johnstown will host the Crimson Hawks in a Thursday doubleheader at the Point and travel to Indiana for a pair of games on Friday.

"This team is absolutely a great group of guys, probably the best group of guys I've had since I've been here," said Broderick. "We're really bonding as a team together and we're hoping to win as many as we can on the way out here."

Pitt-Johnstown and Shippensburg each collected 13 hits.

Mountain Cats first baseman/third baseman Evan Beach smacked a pair of homers over the screen monster in left field to drive in four runs.

"Evan Beach is a redshirt freshman who couldn't play last season because of injury," Williams said. "He's going to be a good one."

Shippensburg left fielder Justin Byler went 4-for-5 with a double and a triple and three RBIs. First baseman Austin Baal had a two-run homer among his four RBIs, and catcher Morgan Wyatt ripped a grand slam for the Raiders.

"All of those pitchers who threw for us today are young," Williams said of his eight hurlers in the game, including local graduates Colton Cornell (Forest Hills), Zach Myers (Forest Hills), Luke Schrock (North Star) and Zach Slis (Greater Johnstown). "They have to get out there. We played Shippensburg two weeks ago and the same pitchers went out and we won 3-1 against the same team. We didn't do it today, but that's how it goes."