Boghosian's first inning Home Run

After a disappointing loss to Panther Creek, tonight's game against an improved Cary team was going to be an early season test for Green Hope. With another important conference game upcoming on Friday, head coach Mike Miragliuolo was hoping starting pitcher Joe Pistacchio could go a long way to save some other pitchers. Pistacchio delivered, pitching a complete, 124 pitch, game. Pistacchio gave up 7 hits in 7 innings pitched, but struck out 13 Cary batters which allowed him to shut down Cary threats and hold the Imps to just 1 run scored.

Offensively, Green Hope got a quick lead as they scored 2 runs in the first inning. With 2 outs, Wesley Clark was hit by a pitch, and Adam Boghosian followed with a home run over the centerfield wall. Green Hope up 2-0.

The bottom of the first had Cary mount their first of many threats in the game. Cary leadoff Tommy Robinson was hit by a pitch, Pistacchio struck out the next batter, then Tony Sanchez singled, putting runners at 1st and 2nd for Cary's cleanup man, Steve McKinney.

McKinney singled to rightfield, and as Cary's Robinson rounded 3rd heading for home, Boghosian picked up the hit and fired the ball to home, a perfect strike to Green Hope catcher Anthony Colantino who turned to tag out Robinson.

Unfortunately for everyone, Robinson didn't slide as required in high school baseball, but instead ran over Colantino, causing Colantino to drop the ball. [see photo to right]

The umpire immediately called Robinson out for not sliding, and threw him out of the game for initiating the hard contact.

The reason that rule is in place is to prevent unnecessary injuries. As you can see in the picture to the right, Colantino's throwing hand is already showing the signs of an injury just seconds after the contact occurred.

Colantino was able to finish the inning, but was in too much pain to continue the game after that. He had sustained a fractured hand and a sprained finger.

Colantino has really been unlucky this year, having just come back from being sick, he will now miss several games with this hand injury. He will certainly be missed by Green Hope.

Nick Addona was forced to catch the rest of the game, and did a good job, and was involved in several key plays which helped Green hope to victory.

Green Hope added 2 more runs in the 3rd inning. Boghosian led off with a single, then after a ground out, Jonathan Grudee hit a shot down the right field line which was just out of the reach of Cary right fielder Blake Beazlie, allowing Boghosian to score and sending Grudee to third with a triple. Will Yoder followed with a single to left to score Grudee, Green Hope up 4-0 after 3 innings.

Grudee's hard hit gets past Beazlie in right, the ball bouncing off the fence, for a triple

Cary managed a run in the fourth, and could have had more. Pistacchio hit Cary's leadoff batter, followed by a single by Tyler Lapp, and another hit batter to load the bases with no outs. After a strikeout for 1 out, a ground ball to second was booted, leaving the bases still loaded and a run scored. After another strikeout, a pitch got past Addona, but he was able to hustle back to the fence and throw to Pistacchio who made the tag on Lapp for the 3rd out. Green Hope up 4-1 after 4 innings.

Pistacchio's pitch got past Addona - but Pistacchio tagged out Lapp for the out

Cary probably has the best 3/4 hitting tandem in the conference in Tony Sanchez and Steve McKinney. They both had 2 hits and were on base 3 times tonight. In the 7th inning, the leadoff batter reached first on a throwing error by Pistacchio. That was followed by a fly out, and consecutive walks to Sanchez and McKinney, loading the bases with only 1 out.

Steve McKinney on 1st and Tony Sanchez both were walked in the 7th inning

Addona beats Alexander to home to end the game (interested spectators in backround - esp. the guy on the right)

Pistacchio made a nice play on a short popup near the first base foul line for the second out, still bases loaded.

The final play saw Pistacchio strike out the batter, but the ball got away from Addona, which resulted in a race to home between the Cary runner from third (pitcher Matt Alexander) and Addona, who dropped the ball a second time before tagging home just before the runner to end the game.

So Green Hope wins the game 4-1, and goes to 2-1 in the conference (2-2 overall). Pistacchio (2-0) gets the win, Cary's Dillon Davis took the lost.