×

Owen goes ‘Long’ as Panthers beat host Bellaire

Kim North GOING LONG — Buckeye Local’s Owen Long rounds third base and gets a low-five from head coach Anthony Barsch after hitting a three-run home run during a six-run seventh inning in Monday’s 12-8 win at Bellaire.

BELLAIRE — It hardly ever fails. Whenever a hitter can’t get a bunt down, you can almost bet on it he gets a hit. That’s exactly what happened on a chill-filled Monday night at Chase Field on 26th Street.

However, Owen Long’s hit wasn’t just a hit — it was a three-run homer that lifted visiting Buckeye Local to an improbable, 12-8, triumph over Bellaire.

“I’m so proud of these kids,” first-year Buckeye Local head coach Anthony Barsch said. “This was an exciting win.”

Trailing the Big Red 8-6 entering their final at-bat, the Panthers (7-10) sent 10 batters to the plate, with six scoring. With runners on first and second with no outs, the left-handed hitting Long attempted to move the runners up 90 feet with a sacrifice bunt, but fouled off a pitch well above his head. After he looked at a ball on the second pitch, he sent a Cole Porter offering well over the fence in right to give the visitors a 9-8 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

“Just like we practice it,” Barsch said with a laugh. “We’ll take it though.”

Buckeye Local wasn’t done yet as Corey Neavin knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly and John Marelli singled in the final two.

“We told the kids to just keep on swinging,” Barsch said of his speech before the Panthers batted in the seventh. “We’ve been in that position before this season. We knew we had guys that good hit. Fortunately, it worked out for us.”

Bellaire (8-11) led 1-0 on a Gabe Rejonis RBI double in the second, but Buckeye Local put up four runs in the top of the third. The first run scored on an error and the next three back back-to-back bases loaded walks to Jeremiah Seaman and Long and Logan Barsch’s run-scoring single for a 4-1 lead.

The Big Reds drew even in the bottom of the frame as a fielder’s choice allowed the first run to score before Brennon Conroy and Josh Crawford had run-producing base hits.

Alex Bradshaw gave Bellaire a 5-4 lead in the fourth with an RBI single. Conroy made it 6-4 with a sacrifice fly and it became 7-4 on a fielder’s choice.

Buckeye Local sliced the deficit to 7-6 in the sixth on two Bellaire errors and Drake Novak’s RBI single.

Cole Runyan’s run-producing single in the bottom of the sixth gave Bellaire a seemingly safe 8-6 margin.

Freshman Gino Barber, who came on in the fifth, picked up the mound win. He struck out three and walked one.

Porter, the second of three Bellaire hurlers, took the loss.

Mason Ramsay and Crawford each had three singles for the Big Reds.

Buckeye Local 12, Bellaire 8

Buckeye Local 004 002 6 — 12 11 2

Bellaire 013 301 0 — 8 16 5

BUCKEYE LOCAL: Neavin (3K, 1W), Seaman (4, 0K, 2W), Barber (5, WP, 3K, 1W) and Marelli; Long HR, 4RBI; Novak S, RBI; Neavin 2S, 2RBI; Marelli 2S, 2RBI; Seaman RBI; Barber S; Barsch 2S, RBI; Heitz 2S, RBI; Christian S.

BELLAIRE: Je. Crawford (0K, 5W), Porter (3, LP, 4K, 3W), Jarvis (7, 1K, 0W) and Bradshaw; Rejonis D, S, 2RBI; Jarvis S; Porter S; Ramsay 3S; Bradshaw 2S, RBI; Conroy 2S, 2RBI; Jo. Crawford 3S, RBI; Runyan 2S, RBI.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

COMMENTS

Starting at $4.73/week.

Subscribe Today