HS Baseball: Hutsko deals, Minersville downs Nativity in Division II action
Minersville's Jason Correll scores during a Schuylkill League Division II baseball game between the Battlin' Miners and Nativity Tuesday at Del Hauck Field. Minersville defeated the Hilltoppers 4-1 (Photo by Kelly Wiley).
MINERSVILLE — Sometimes hitting statistics don’t paint the entire picture.
Minersville recorded just two hits but capitalized on a slew of walks and a trio of errors as the Battlin’ Miners defeated Nativity 4-1 in a Schuylkill League Division II baseball game Tuesday at Del Hauck Field.
Logan Hutsko pitched 6.1 innings, allowing one earned run on two hits while striking out seven for Minersville. The senior left-hander also collected one of the Miners’ two hits in the contest.
“Hutsko really competed today,” Minersville coach Shane Spotts said. “He gave us a chance, and that’s all you can ask for from your starter. Defensively, we made all the plays behind him. Offensively, we did what we needed to do and manufactured runs. We stayed at it, and I was pleased with our effort.”
The Hilltoppers led 1-0 until Jason Correll scored on an error in the bottom of the third to tie the game. Correll, a freshman, reached on a walk, advanced to second after Easton Schultz walked, and scored following an errant attempt by the Hilltoppers to turn a double play on a ground ball off the bat of Nolan Plesnarski. The throw to first base went out of play, Plesnarski was awarded second, and Correll strolled home.
Back on the hill, Hutsko worked 1-2-3 innings in the second, fourth and fifth innings.
Minersville tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth. Correll walked for a second time and moved to second on a passed ball. Hutsko followed with a line-drive single to center, and Schultz dropped a bunt up the first-base line. The throw to get Schultz sailed up the line, allowing Correll to score with ease. Three pitches later, Plesnarski hit a rocket in the hole at shortstop, where Nativity’s Nick Wagner made an across-the-body, charging throw to get Plesnarski at first base. Aidan Ryan, running for Hutsko, scored on the groundout to give the Miners a 3-1 lead.
Minersville added another run in the sixth when Garrett Sukeena singled and came around to score on an RBI walk by Schultz.
Hutsko got Tommy Bartashus to pop out in the seventh before being relieved by Cam Rogers. Rogers allowed a single to Nativity’s Andrew Verchick but struck out two to end the game and secure the win.
For the Hilltoppers, Stephen Karinch pitched 4.2 innings of relief, allowing three runs (one earned) on one hit. He also had a hit and scored Nativity’s lone run. Wagner delivered an RBI single in the top of the first to score Karinch and give the Hilltoppers an early lead.
Minersville played flawless defense and did not commit an error. Catcher A.J. Halford threw out Wagner trying to steal second in the top of the first.
Although the Hilltoppers outhit the Battlin’ Miners 3-2, they were plagued by 12 walks and three errors.
Game Summary
NATIVITY (1) — Karinch cf-p 1 1 1 0, Grabowski 3b-2b 1 0 0 0, Wagner ss 3 0 1 1, Examitis lf-3b 3 0 0 0, Bartashus c 3 0 0 0, Cooper p-cf-lf 0 0 0 0, Rugh dh 3 0 0 0, Verchick 1b 3 0 1 0, Felty pr 0 0 0 0, Clarke rf 3 0 0 0, Ariaudo 2b-p 1 0 0 0, Lutzkanin ph 1 0 0 0. ….. Totals 22 1 3 1.
MINERSVILLE (4) — Hutsko p-cf 2 0 1 0, Ryan cr 0 1 0 0, Schultz 2b 0 0 0 0, Halupa rf 0 0 0 0, Plesnarski dh 4 0 0 1, Halford c 1 0 0 0, Cutler cr 0 0 0 0, Fortna 3b 3 0 0 0, Sukeena ss 2 1 1 0, Rogers cf-p 2 0 0 0, Rizzardi lf 2 0 0 0, Correll 1b 1 2 0 0. ….. Totals 17 4 2 2.
Nat (3-10, 3-6) — 100 000 0 — 1
Min (8-6, 6-3) — 001 021 x — 4
E — Nativity 3, Minersville 0
DP — Nativity 2, Minersville 0
LOB — Nativity 2, Minersville 9
SB — Sukeena
CS — Wagner
SAC — Grabowski, Schultz
Nativity
Cooper 0.1, 0, 0, 0, 3, 0
Karinch (L, 0-1) 4.2, 1, 3, 1, 6, 0
Ariaudo 1, 1, 1, 1, 3, 0
Minersville
Hutsko (W, 3-1) 6.1, 2, 1, 1, 3, 7
Rogers (S) 0.2, 1, 0, 0, 0, 2
WP — Cooper, Karinch, Hutsko 2. PB — Bartashus. T — 1:58.
