Crusader baseball wins big on the road against Coudersport

The Elk County Catholic Crusader baseball team was in action on the road against Coudersport on Tuesday afternoon. ECC jumped out to an 8-0 lead and never looked back, bringing home a 14-5 victory.

The Crusaders collected 10 hits in the game, led by Luke Ginther, who went threefor-three with a pair of doubles and three runs scored. Also recording doubles for ECC were David Anderson, Joe Geci, and Joe Tettis.

Four pitchers saw action for the Crusaders in the game. Tommy Slay got the start and worked the first 2.2 innings, giving up three hits while striking out seven. Ben Paul took over for 1.1 innings, giving up three hits, walking one, and striking out one. Lance O’Neill was next to take over on the mound, working 2.2 innings and giving up three hits, walking two, and striking out two. Ryan Shaffer worked the final third of an inning. The Falcons also used four pitchers in the game. Gavyn Ayers worked the first 1.1 innings, giving up four hits, walking two, and striking out one. LT Myers took over for the next 1.2 innings, giving up two hits and walking one. Owen Deutschlander was on the mound for the next three innings, giving up three hits and striking out two. Jacob Hooftallen worked the final inning, giving up one hit and walking two.

ECC set the tone right away as Ginther led off the game with a double and then scored on a one-out single by Slay to put the Crusaders on the board 1-0. David Anderson drew a walk to join Slay on base, and then Slay scored on a groundout by Isaac Dellaquila to make ECC’s lead 2-0.

Coudersport left a pair of runners stranded in the home half of the inning.

The top of the second saw the Crusaders add five runs to their lead.

Tettis led off with a double, Ryan Shaffer

drew a walk, and then Ginther was hit by a pitch with one out to load the bases. Both Tettis and Shaffer scored on a single by O’Neill, and then Ginther scored as Slay reached base on an error. A double by Anderson scored both O’Neill and Slay, making the score 7-0. A pair of flyouts left Anderson stranded.

Batters for the Falcons went down in order in the bottom of the inning.

ECC added another run to their lead in the top of the third. Tettis led off with a single, and then Geci reached base on an error with one out. With Ginther at bat, Tettis scored on an error, increasing the Crusaders’ lead to 8-0. Ginther ended up drawing a walk, but a popup and a flyout left Ginther and Geci stranded.

The Falcons got on the board with their first run in the home half of the inning, making the score 8-1.

The Crusaders responded by putting four more runs on the board in the top of the fourth.

Anderson was hit by a pitch to give the team an early base runner. However, Dellaquila hit into a fielder’s choice that erased Anderson at second for the first out. Dom Zambanini then hit into a fielder’s choice to erase Dellaquila. Then ECC’s offense once again started to click. Tettis singled and Colby Nussbaum reached on a dropped third strike, loading the bases. A double by Geci scored both pinch runner Shawn Geci, who was running for Zambanini, and Tettis, and then Ginther doubled to score both Nussbaum and Joe Geci. Ginther was out at third trying to stretch the double into a triple, leaving ECC with a 12-1 lead as Coudersport came back up to bat.

The Falcons were able to push through two more runs in the home half of the inning to trim ECC’s lead to 12-3.

Batters for the Crusaders went down in order in the top of the fifth, and Coudersport left a pair of runners on base in the home half of the inning.

After ECC’s batters again went down in order in the top of the sixth, the Falcons put another run on the board in the bottom of the inning to make the score 12-4.

With one out in the top of the seventh, Joe Geci drew a walk for the Crusaders and then Ginther singled. With O’Neill at bat, Geci scored on a passed ball. O’Neill ended up drawing a walk to join Ginther on base, and then Ginther scored on a sacrifice fly by Slay, making the score 14-4.

The Falcons scored one more run in the bottom of the inning to set the final score at 14-5 in favor of the Crusaders.

ECC is scheduled to be back in action on Thursday when the

Crusaders play host to Smethport in a 4:15 p.m. game at Berwind Park.

Elk Catholic 14

Luke Ginther 3-33, Lance O’Neill 4-11, Tommy Slay 4-2-1, David Anderson 3-0-1, Isaac Dellaquila 4-0-0, Dom Zambanini 4-0-0, Shawn Geci 0-1-0, Joe Tettis 4-3-3, Ryan Shaffer 1-1-0, Colby Nussbaum 2-1-0, Joe Geci 3-2-1, Noah Cherry 0-00. Totals 32-14-10.

Coudersport 5

Wyatt Daisley 3-2-1, Garrett Kellert 4-0-3, Gavyn Ayers 4-0-0, Jacob Hooftallen 4-0-1, Mason Roessner 3-1-1, Owen Deutschlander 4-1-0, Dylan Howard 3-1-2, Viggo Brown 3-0-1, LT Myers 3-0-0, Cameron Rees 0-0-0. Totals 31-5-9.

Score by innings R Elk Catholic 251 400 214 Coudersport 001 201 1 5