Thursday May 14, 2009

Green Hope wins opening playoff game against Clayton 13-1

David Josam's sac fly scores 1st run Leno asks, "Where are the parents ?" Nolan Poythress's 2-run 1B made it 7-1 Boghosian's walk off HR in the 6th

Eric Brady's double scores 2 runs Max Povse's sac bunt was almost a hit Adam Boghosian shutdown Clayton

The final score is very misleading, it was a fairly close game - 3-1 after 4 innings. GH's head coach Mike Miragliuolo anticipated a close, low scoring game, with GH's Joe Pistacchio pitching against Clayton's Jason Creasy. However, both pitchers had control problems, and both were relieved in the 5th. GH was fortunate to be up 3-1 after 4 innings, as GH had only 3 hits to Clayton's 2, but GH had walked 5 Clayton batters vs 3 given to GH.

However GH's Adam Boghosian relieved in the 5th and looked strong, not allowing a hit and striking out 4 in 2 innings of work (also walking 2). GH scored 7 in the 5th, and Boghosian ended it in the 6th, with a walk off 3-run HR.

GH jumped to a 3-0 lead in the 2nd, walks to Michael Sondag and Boghosian was followed by a failed sac bunt for a pop out, then Nolan Poythress singled to load the bases with 1 out. David Josam hit a sacrifice fly to score 1, and then Eric Brady doubled to score 2 more.

Clayton scored a run in the 3rd, via a walk and a double by Clayton's cleanup hitter Matt Bunn, to make it GH 3-1 after 3 innings. For most of the game, Pistacchio was able to pitch out of trouble, but after his 6th walk to start the 5th, Boghosian was brought in to relieve, and finished the game.

GH put the game away in the 5th, walks to Brady and Grant Shambley was followed by a sac bunt by Max Povse which was almost a hit, but the Clayton 3rd baseman made a nice play to get Povse at 1st. With runners on 2nd and 3rd, Brent McLeroy walked, to load the bases, and Creasy was relieved by Zach Seagroves, who got the 2nd out via strikeout. But a wild pitch scored 1, Boghosian walked to reload the bases, Pistacchio walked to score a run, Poythress singled to score 2, Josam singled to score 2 more, and Shambley doubled to score another.

In the 7th, Matt Nusbaum and Sondag both singled, and the game was ended by Boghosian's HR. Pistacchio gets the win and Boghosian the save, GH goes to 20-5 overall this year.

GH moves to the second round of the state playoffs to face Broughton at home on Tuesday.