Tyrone\’s collective .510 slugging percentage shows that it\’s a team that likes to hit for extra bases. Heading into Wednesday\’s MAC Division III game at Mount Union, the Eagles had cracked at least one extra-bagger in every game this season, including five in their two games this week.
Freshman pitcher John Martinez ended that streak with five commanding innings, and the Trojans put on a small-ball clinic, parlaying nine singles, five walks, a sacrifice and five Golden Eagle errors into a 12-2, 10-run rule abbreviated victory.
The loss was Tyrone\’s second in three games – its worst skid of the season – and it dropped the Eagles to 3-3 in MAC Division III play.
Now 8-3 overall, Tyrone plays a double-header against Bishop Guilfoyle at the Harry K. Sickler Sports Complex today starting at 3 p.m.
The Trojans, meanwhile, improved to 10-6.
Martinez completely bottled up Tyrone for all but one inning, working Eagles hitters for eight fly ball outs from a total 15 and allowing only three base runners to make it to second base. Martinez fanned three and walked none.
“He did really well for a freshman,” said Tyrone manager Tom Coleman. “He had a sneaky fastball. We had the momentum, but our pitching and defense fell through. That changed the tide.”
And what he didn\’t do from the hill, Martinez did at the plate, going 1-for-3 with three RBI and twice positioning the Trojans to score with his courtesy runner Trey McClain.
Max Soellner, making his second start of the season, took the loss for Tyrone in the roughest outing endured by a Tyrone pitcher this season. He lasted only 1 1/3 innings and allowed seven runs on four hits while walking four. Six of the runs charged to Soellner were earned, sending his ERA skyrocketing above seven.
Ben Gummo relieved him and allowed five runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings.
Tyrone led early after a two-run second inning that saw Brandon Maceno and Nick Cushion come through with two-out RBI singles.
But the advantage was short-lived as Union responded with seven in the bottom of the frame.
Soellner issued two walks and a single to load the bases with no outs, and Paul Atherton and Jordan Yocum each followed with run-scoring singles to tie the game. Danny Puchalla walked with the sacks full to drive in the go-ahead run, and Martinez followed with a fielder\’s choice that plated Atherton, making it 4-2.
The Trojans added two more runs when Brice Mertiff mishandled a ball at shortstop and then overthrew home plate from the outfield, sending home Yocum and McClain.
That ended the day for Soellner, and when Matt Hoffmaster singled home Nick McConaughey off Gummo, it closed the book on the toughest outing of the senior\’s career.
Martinez singled home two more in the third and Tyrone committed three more errors, bringing its season total to 31, as the Trojans built a 10-run lead.
All the while, Martinez kept Tyrone\’s potent line-up, which before this week was averaging 12 hits per game, off balance, with just two hits over the third, fourth and fifth innings.
“We have very few that had good, quality at-bats,” said Coleman. “The majority of our lineup needs to be more patient and recognize the situation. We’re making it easy on their pitcher by having nine and 10-pitch innings.”
Game Notes: The win for Mount Union avenged an earlier 11-7 loss at the hands of the Eagles in Tyrone … Tyrone is now 2-3 when allowing an opponent to score six runs or more … Barry Gummo snapped a two-game hitless skid.
Mount Union 12 Tyrone 2
TYRONE – Ba. Gummo, cf, 3-0-1; M. Soellner, p, 2-0-0; Mertiff, ss, 3-0-0; Mingle, rf, 3-0-0; C. Wilson, dh-1b, 1-0-0; J. Wilson, lf, 0-0-0; Rickards, 3b, 1-0-0; Be. Gummo, 3b-p, 2-1-2; D. Soellner, c, 2-0-0; Maceno, 2b, 2-1-1; Cushion, 3b-1b, 2-0-2. TOTALS: 21-2-6
MOUNT UNION – Puchalla, cf, 2-0-0; Martinez, p, 3-1-1; McClain, cr, 0-2-0; Inch, c, 3-0-2; McConaughey, cr, 0-2-0; Pollicino, 2b, 2-1-0; Hoffmaster, ss, 1-1-1; McVey, dh, 3-1-1; Himes, 1b, 0-0-0; Brown, rf, 2-2-1; Atherton, lf, 3-1-1; Yocum, 3b, 2-1-1; Park, 3b, 1-0-1. TOTALS: 22-12-9
Tyrone 020 00X X – 2-6-5.
Mount Union 075 0XX X – 12-9-1.
RBI: Cushion, Maceno, Puchalla, Martinez 3, Inch, Hoffmaster, Atherton, Yocum.
K: Martinez 3, Be. Gummo 2.
BB: M. Soellner 3, Be. Gummo 2.
WP: Martinez LP: M. Soellner.
