Despite fielding a lineup that produced 31 extra-base hits in 2006, Tyrone manger Tom Coleman entered the season believing he had a team that could win with more than just power numbers.
Through two games, he’s been absolutely right.
After eking out a win over Williamsburg in the season opener with only five singles, the Golden Eagles turned the trick again yesterday, parlaying eight hits, two sacrifice bunts and two stolen bases into a 6-3 victory over Penns Valley in the home opener at the Harry K. Sickler Sports Complex.
Only one of Tyrone’s hits went for extra bases when Tyler Golden drilled an RBI double in the sixth inning. He finished 3-for-4 with three RBI, while senior classmate Tyler Gillmen went 4-for-4 with three RBI.
Gillmen also posted his first victory of the season, keeping the Rams scoreless into the fifth inning. He struck out two and walked five but allowed only two hits. Junior Randy Hoover came on in relief and surrendered three runs before Jamie Levinson came on to record the final two outs of the game.
Tyler Myers took the loss for the Rams, pitching 6 2-3 innings, allowing six earned runs and fanning six.
“Today we needed to establish our offense,” said Coleman. “The home runs and extra-base hits will come, but we have to be able to string together hits. Today, we did the small things.”
It started when Tyrone took a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Outfielder Donnie Hunter walked to open the frame and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Justin Schopp. An RBI single to right by Golden plated Hunter, and Golden scored when Gillmen singled to right following a passed ball.
Tyrone scored two more in the third, both coming with two outs. Catcher Brock Anders led off with a single to center, and following another passed ball courtesy runner Aaron Cunningham stole third. Schopp walked with two away and was replaced by pinch runner Chris Decker. Golden followed with his second RBI single to bring home Cunningham, and Gillmen plated Decker one batter later with a single to left.
The Eagles made it 6-0 in the sixth with two insurance runs, both driven in off the bats of Golden and Gillmen. Golden’s double to right center plated Randy Hoover, and then came around to score on a single to center by Gillmen.
“Goldy and Gilly are both team players,” said Coleman. “I told them both to just play your game and know your role. It’s hard to keep those two down.”
Tyrone needed the insurance runs because Hoover ran into trouble closing the game down in the seventh. He hit the first batter he faced, uncorked a wild pitch, allowed a single to Cory Neiderer and surrendered Penns Valley’s first run on an RBI groundout by Adam Brown.
Two batters later, Levinson came on to record his first save of the season. He struck out the first hitter he faced before allowing an 2-run scoring double by Jake Kieffer but then fanned Myers to close the door.
“The kids executed well and knew the situations,” Coleman said. “Hopefully we’ll build off this, but we have to understand that tomorrow is a different day.”
A day that includes a road showdown against perennial power Mount Union. Golden is set to make his second start of the season in a game that will be an early measuring stick for the Golden Eagles.
Tyrone 6 Penns Valley 3
PENNS VALLEY – Neider, 2b, 4-1-1; Brown, 3b-p, 4-0-1; Jo. Kieffer, c, 4-1-1; Frankenberger, 1b, 2-0-0; Heimbaugh, cr, 0-0-0; Herrold, cr-pr, 0-0-0; Altiero, dh-3b, 2-0-0; Musser, lf, 0-0-0; Ja. Kieffer, rf, 3-0-1; Myers, p-lf, 3-0-0; Fultz, pr, 0-0-0; Wingard, cf, 3-0-0; Homan, ss, 1-0-0; Bogus, ph, 0-1-0. TOTALS: 27-3-4.
TYRONE – Schopp, cf, 2-0-0; Decker, pr, 0-1-0; Golden, 2b, 4-2-3; Gillmen, p-lf, 4-0-4; Shaffer, 1b, 4-0-0; Levinson, ss-p, 3-0-0; Brooks, 3b, 3-0-0; Anders, c, 3-0-1; Cunningham, cr, 0-1-0; Romano, rf, 2-0-0; Hoover, p-ss, 0-1-0; Hunter, lf-rf, 1-1-0. TOTALS: 26-6-8.
PENNS VALLEY 000 000 3 – 3-4-2
TYRONE 002 202 X – 6-8-1
RBI: Gillmen 3, Golden 3, Ja. Kieffer 2
2B: Golden, Brown, Ja. Kieffer
K: Gillmen 2, Levinson 2, Myers 6
BB: Gillmen 5, Hoover 2, Myers 3
WP: Gillmen LP: Myers S: Levinson
SB: Cunningham 2
