Wednesday Mar. 11, 2009

Green Hope survives the usual marathon at Durham Jordan 6-5 in 8 innings

Joe Pistacchio started for GH

David Josam almost robs Elliker of his game tying double

Boghosian ends the inning

Max Povse gets the win

Green Hope's head coach Mike Miragliuolo was remembering the tough, 8-inning, 1-0, loss last year at Durham Jordan. UNC-CH recruit Zach Bernard had held the Falcons scoreless through 7 innings, and Jordan won the game on a wild pitch in the 8th inning. Bernard was again on the mound for Jordan, and the team was sitting at 3-0 on the year. Also troublesome, GH was at game 3 of playing 4 games in 6 days, and Miragliuolo didn't want to use up all his pitching in a game which would be very hard to win, with another game tomorrow. Even worse, one of his more rested pitchers who he planned to pitch, Michael Sondag, was a game time scratch due to sickness.

Duke's Brady doubles for GH

But this year's GH hitters hung in there better than last year, not necessarily getting hits, but making Bernard work hard, fouling off pitches, etc. After 2 scoreless innings, GH scored first, as DUKE BEAT CAROLINA !!! After walks to Anthony Colantino and Grant Shambley, Duke recruit Eric Brady doubled to left center to drive in the first run of the game. Joe Pistacchio had started for GH and was matching Bernard, and unfortunately did the same in the bottom of 3rd, as a walk and double from DJ Elliker tied the game at 1 after 3 innings - the double just out of the reach of a diving David Josam in centerfield. Adam Boghosian made his first of several nice catches in right to end the inning for GH.

From this point on, play deteriorated, as the pitchers tired and errors were made by both teams. GH regained the lead in the 4th from a RBI ground out by Max Povse, after a couple of Jordan errors. GH returned the favor as after a leadoff error, Brentley Brown blasted a 2-run HR to give Jordan a 3-2 lead after 4 innings.

Both starters were gone after the 5th, GH scored 2 runs to regain the lead in the 6th, as Matt Nusbaum and Boghosian singled and scored on Povse's hard hit ground ball to 1st which got past the 1st baseman. GH added an insurance run in the 7th, after singles by Pistacchio and Nolan Poythress, Josam beat out an infield hit to drive in the run.

Nusbaum and Boghosian score

But the worst case scenario seemed to play out in the bottom of the 7th. Boghosian, who had pitched the 6th, gave up 2 hard singles to right, and was now facing the top of the Jordan lineup with only 1 out, and the tying run on 1st. So Povse was brought in to hopefully close out the game, but that didn't happen. Max has been primarily a starter, and was now in the "pressure-cooker". A perfect bunt was laid down by Elliker, and Povse fielded it, but really had no chance to get him, yet threw it to first, and it sailed high over Boghosian at 1st, and into foul right field, as 3 Jordan base runners were racing around the bases. Luckily only one run scored, but now the tying run was at 3rd, the winning run at 2nd, and still only 1 out. Strangely similar to last year, a wild pitch scored the tying run from 3rd, and put the winning run on 3rd. After a walk and an intentional walk, Povse came back with a strikeout and groundout, to send the game into extra innings.

GH scored 1 in the 8th, as Colantino drew another walk, followed by Shambley's walk, and Brady's game winning single. Povse closed it out the bottom of the 8th to get the win for GH.

Green Hope moves to (3-0).