STEUBENVILLE - Josh Pasek and Chad Wickham came up big for Richmond Post 740 in Wednesday's 10-9 extra-inning victory over Post 33 at Vaccaro Field.
Pasek's two-out single in the eighth plated Zach Williams (he delivered a pinch-hit double one batter earlier) with what proved to be the winning run. Wickham then set the hosts down in order (the only time Post 33 went the one-two-three route) to help Sam Davis' club improve to 6-5 on the season.
The District 10 contest was a back-and-forth affair (each team had multiple-run leads) that featured 27 hits and seven fielding miscues.
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SHOWING SPEED — Richmond’s Sammy Orr comes into second standing for a stolen base as Steubenville shortstop Alex Young cuts off the throw during Post 740’s 10-9 win over Post 33 Wednesday at Vaccaro Field.
-- Fred Younce
"Both teams were a little sloppy and left guys in scoring position," Davis said. "Neither team really supported their pitchers but both teams swung the bats well. The great thing about baseball is there's no time limit. The game is not over until the last out and our kids just kept battling."
Richmond jumped on Post 33 starter Jimmy Panella for four runs in the top of the first. Mark Smyth, Ty Yocum and Alex Jones all knocking in runs.
Mark Stacy's Steubenville crew came right back with a three-spot. Aleks Porreca drove home a pair with a double to left.
Post 33 pulled even in the second thanks to infield singles by the Pierro brothers (Bryan and JoJo). Bryan Pierro got the first hit, swiped second and moved to third on an overthrow. He touched home courtesy of his big brother's bat.
The score stayed knotted until the Post 33 half of the fifth. Brenton Colabella led-off with a double down the third base line (one of his three hits on the day). He advanced to third on Porreca's single (he too finished with three hits). Colabella scored when Pat Pizzoferrato's grounder was misplayed. Kyle Laukert's single loaded the sacks and Porreca made it 6-4, scoring on B. Pierro's grounder.
Richmond would come right back. Wickham and Smyth drew walks, scoring on hits by Jones and Phil Hilt.
Steubenville made it 8-6 in the bottom of the sixth, scoring twice minus the benefit of a hit. The runs came when two Post 33 batters were hit by pitches and two more reached on errors.
Panella retired the first Richmond hitter he faced in the seventh but then the roof fell in. Pasek walked, Sam Orr singled (he had four hits to pace the winners) and Smyth drew a free pass to load the bases. A base hit by Yocum scored Pasek and Orr. Smyth would make it 9-8, crossing the plate on a bad throw.
Stacy's club still wasn't ready to call it a day. Laukert and B. Pierro both walked to start the home half of the seventh. Alex Young then singled home Laukert to force the extra frame.
"Baseball can be a very frustrating game," Davis noted. "Learning to deal with those frustrations and handle them is part of the very valuable lesson athletics can teach you. We battled through tonight.
"We had some guys really step up. I'm happy for Zach; he delivered when we called on him. Then Josh drove him in. We'll take the win."
Smyth started on the hill for Richmond, giving way to Hilt in the sixth. Wickham came on in the seventh.
"Our guys actually pitched well, we just didn't give them much help defensively," the Post 740 skipped added. "Chad is a great player for us. He is so steady. We know he is going to pound the zone, throw strikes. He bailed us out in the seventh, gave us an opportunity to come back and get a run. Then he closed the door in the eighth."
Post 740 will visit St. Clairsville today.
"By far that was the worst game I have every managed," Stacy said. "Jimmy (Panella) was spent. He had thrown too many balls and I didn't get anyone warmed up in time, then I brought him in too late (Porreca took over for Panella in the seventh).
"We didn't do a very good job of coaching today. It was a very unexpected game. When you have Panella and Smyth pitching, you expect a low scoring game. Today, it was the opposite and we made some poor decisions."
Post 33 is now 8-6 and will host Plum today.
Richmond 10, Steubenville 9
Post 740 400 002 31 - 10 15 5
Post 33 310 022 10 - 9 12 2
POST 740 (6-5): Smyth (7K, 1BB), Hilt (6th, 0K, 0BB), Wickham (WP, 7th, 2K, 1BB) and Orr. Orr 3S, D; Jones 2S, 2 RBI; Hilt 2S; Pasek 2S, RBI; Williams D; Smyth S, RBI; Yocum S, 3RBI.
POST 33 (8-6): Panella (4K, 7BB) Porreca (LP, 7th, 2K, 1BB) and Merriman, Laukert (5). Colabella 2S, D, RBI; Porecca 2S, D, 2 RBI; J. Pierro 2S, RBI; Young S, RBI; B. Pierro, S, RBI.
