Pizza Pub Moves On To Championship Game, Will Face SMI Tonight (06/13/14)

With two playoff wins, this week, Pizza Pub has advanced to the Clarion Area Little League Championship Game, scheduled for this afternoon (Friday, June 13) at Paul A. Weaver Park, where they will face SMI. On Monday, Pizza Pub defeated Lions, 6-2 in the opening round and then downed Rotary 7-0, in Wednesday’s Semi-Final Game. SMI advanced to the Championship showdown, by virtue of a 9-5 victory over Burns and Burns on Thursday.

Pizza Pub Manager Jason Craig shares these summaries of Pizza Pub’s opening round and Semi-Final games. We start with Wednesday’s game.

Pizza Pub 7 – Rotary 0

On Wednesday, 6/11 the #3 Pizza Pub faced off against the #2 seed Rotary in the semifinals of the Clarion Little League tournament.

Conner Kromer had an infield single to start the game. He moved to third on a double to right field by Josh Craig. They both would score on a 2-run single by Nate Datko. Ian Larson would single next to drive in Datko as the Pub jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. Cal German singled in the bottom of the first, but Rotary was unable to score in the inning.

Hunter Craddock had a solid double to right center for Rotary, but neither team would score in the second inning. The score after two would remain 3-0 in favor of the Pub.

Craig and Datko singled to start the visitor half of the third. Larson had another big hit, a double, that would score both of them. The two runs would give the Pizza Pub a 5-0 lead. Benny Murtha helped keep Rotary off the board by making an outstanding defensive play in center on a line drive off the bat of Curvin Goheen. German collected his second hit of the game with a single up the middle, but Rotary was not able to move him around.

German struck out the side in the top of the fourth inning and Datko retired the Rotary batters in order in the home half of the inning.

Craig and Datko singled and would score in the top of the 5th inning, each on passed balls. Datko would strike out the first two batters in the bottom of the 5th before Cam Lapinto doubled down the right field line. The Pub would get another defensive web gem after that. This time it was an outstanding running catch down the right field line by Michael Snyder on a ball hit by German. The catch saved at least two runs.

Neither team would score in the sixth inning and the final score was set at 7-0 in favor of the Pub. The win sent the Pub to the championship game on Friday. They will face the winner of Burns & Burns and SMI.

Goheen and German pitched for Rotary. They gave up 8 hits while striking out 13 batters with no walks. German had 2 singles while Lapinto and Craddock each had doubles.

Craig and Datko matched Rotary’s pitching performance. They gave up 4 hits while striking out 12 and walking 2 batters. Datko (3 singles), Craig and Larson (double, single each) had multi-hit games for the Pizza Pub. Conner Kromer also singled.

Pizza Pub 6 – Lions 2

On Monday 6/9, Pizza Pub played Lions in the opening round of the Clarion Little League tournament.

In the top of the first, Nick Frederick and Benny Smith reached base on walks, but they were not able to score in the inning. In the bottom of the inning, Josh Craig singled and Nate Datko drove him in with a triple. Ian Larson then drove in Datko with a double to right center and the Pub held a 2-0 lead.

The Lions were held scoreless in the second inning. In the home half of the inning, the first two batters were retired via strikeouts. Jordon Thompson would draw a base on balls and Conner Kromer followed with a single. Craig then walked to load the bases and Datko came through with a 2-RBI single that scored Thompson and Kromer. The Pub led 4-0 after two innings.

Frederick started the top of the third with a double and Smith reached on an error. Logan Lerch followed with a clutch 2-run double that scored Frederick and Smith to cut into the Pub lead. Benny Murtha singled to start the bottom of the third, but the Pub was unable to do anything after that and the Pub’s lead was now 4-2.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Pub would score the final two runs of the game. Ian Larson had the lone hit of the inning. The single scored Craig, who walked, and Datko, who reached on an error.

There would be no more scoring in the game and the final score was set at 6-2 in favor of the Pizza Pub.
For the Lions, Frederick and Lerch (doubles) and Ashton Rex (single) had hits in the game. Smith and Frederick pitched, giving up 7 hits, while walking 4 and striking out 8 batters.

For the Pub, Datko (triple and single) and Larson (double and single) had multi-hit games. Kromer, Craig and Murtha each singled. Datko, Kromer and Craig pitched for the Pub, giving up 3 hits while walking 5 and striking out 7 batters.

(Thanks to Coach Craig for this article. Here’s to a great Championship Game from both Pizza Pub and SMI!!!!)