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Steubenville knocks off Toronto

STEUBENVILLE – A big hit from Pat Pizzoferrato and another solid performance on the hill from Brandon Jones helped lift Steubenville Post 33 to an 8-4 win over Toronto Post 86 Wednesday.

With Toronto leading 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth Post 33 loaded the bases with a John Linn walk followed by singles by Alex Young and Brenton Colabella. After Post 86 starter Tyler Owens was pulled in favor of Jarin McIntosh, Steubenville’s Jimmy Panella drew a walk the scored Linn to tie the game. Then Pizzoferrato gave an 0-2 pitch a ride for a bases-clearing triple that gave his team a 7-4 lead. Steve Mihalyo sent Pizzoferrato home on a groundout to short, and Post 33 had an 8-4 lead.

“I thought we came out pretty focused,” said Post 33 head coach Don Young. “We had a big inning in the fifth. We’ve been doing that a lot. I’d like to see us score a little more consistently, but that’s been our thing. It takes us a couple of at bats,a nd then we have a big inning.”

Jones took advantage by pitching a scoreless sixth and Alex Young came in to pitch a scoreless seventh to secure the win.

Jones wasn’t dominant, striking out four and walking eight, but did a good job of keeping Toronto batters off balance, allowing just four hits, as he picked up the win.

“The Jones kid kept us off,” said Post 86 head coach Steve Sninchak. “He threw real well, and he was able to keep us off. We had the one inning against him.”

Added Young of Jones’ performance, “I thought Brandon kept us in the game. They got all four in one inning. It was tough because a lot of things happened there, but Brandon settled down and pitched well.

“That’s two games in a row he’s pitched well for us so it’s something to build on.”

The game’s opening frame saw Post 33 score a pair of runs. Bryan Pierro reached on an error followed by a Linn single. Young brought the pair home with a single of his own and a 2-0 Steubenville lead.

Toronto was able to get to Jones in the third inning. John Romey drew a walk and took second on an errant pick off throw to first. Owens then grounded to short.

Young threw to Panella at third attempting to get Romey, but the umpire ruled he slid under Panella’s tag. Matt Petrella drew a one-out walk to load the bases. Seth Wilson drilled a single that scored Romey and Owens. The throw to third to get Petrella ended up in the Post 33 dugout allowing him to score and sending Wilson to third. A Jay Lane single plated Wilson and Toronto led 4-2.

“I think coming into the game we weren’t really ready to play,” said Sninchak. “That’s on me. We’ve been plugging along. It’s been a grind for us. We’ve played a lot of baseball in the last week and a half, and we’ve played some good baseball too. It’s one of those games, we were in it for a while.

“Our pitchers looked a little tired. Like I said Tuesday, we’re an 11-man staff right now, and we’re only carrying four pitchers. We have vacations, kids hurt, sore arms, so it’s a long season.”

Post 33 made the score 4-3 when Panella blasted a double and came home on a Mihalyo single.

Post 33 (20-5) hosts Moundsville today while Toronto (6-14) welcomes Massillon Friday.

Steubenville 8, Toronto 4

Post 86 004 000 0 – 4 4 2

Post 33 200 150 x – 8 8 3

POST 86 (6-14): Owens (LP, 0K, 2BB), McIntosh (5th, 1K, 1BB), Clegg (6th, 1K, 0BB) and Solomon. B. Glenn S; Romey R; Owens R; Petrella R; Wilson 2S, 2RBI, R; Lane S, RBI

POST 33 (20-5): Jones (WP, 4K, 8BB), Young (7th, 1K, 0BB) and McClurg. Pierro R; Linn S, 2R; Young 2S, 2RBI, R; Colabella S, R; Panella D, RBI, 2R; Pizzoferrato T, 3RBI, R; Mihalyo S, 2RBI; Porreca T.

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