Still going
BUTLER TWP — Game Two of the Eagle County League Championship Series has yet to be decided — thanks to Paul Westwood.
The Mars I shortstop came to the plate in the top of the seventh inning with his team down 5-2 Monday at Highfield Park.
By the time his at-bat was over, Westwood had pulled Mars even with Saxonburg I with a three-run home run that scored Rob Arata and Mike Sheehy ahead of him.
Mars starter Brian Zima then held Saxonburg scoreless in the bottom of the seventh, after which the game was suspended because of darkness with the score tied at 5.
Action will be picked up today in the top of the eighth inning, starting at 6 p.m. at Highfield.
"With Woody up there, anything's possible," said Mars coach Rob Fester of Westwood's clutch hit. "And to tell you the truth, none of the guys are surprised at all at what he did."
Saxonburg was one throw across the diamond from taking a 2-0 lead in the best of five series.
Mars had Arata on first base with two outs in the seventh when Sheehy hit a ground ball to Saxonburg third baseman Sandy Sanderson, whose errant throw to first kept the inning alive for the visitors.
It was the fourth error of the game for Saxonburg as four of Mars' five runs were unearned.
"That was unlike our defense," said Saxonburg coach Dan Cunningham. "It's been solid pretty much the whole year."
The poor play behind him spoiled a solid pitching performance from Saxonburg's Scott Rice, who struck out five and gave up eight hits in seven innings. Through five innings, Rice had surrendered just three hits.
"Everything was working for him," said Cunningham of Rice's night on the mound. "He was able to locate his pitches."
Rice was coming off a horrendous start in Game 4 of the semifinal series against Zelienople last Wednesday in which he lasted just 1Z\c innings in a 12-0 loss. But that appearance had no bearing on Monday's game for Cunningham.
"From past experience, I know that when Scott's feeling right, he's good on the mound," said Cunningham. "And he was feeling good out there (Monday)."
Zima was greeted by the long ball in the first frame — a three-run home run courtesy of Saxonburg's Jason Curry. It was the first of three hits on the day for the right fielder.
Following a 20-minute rain delay, Zima gave up a solo home run to Saxonburg catcher Justin Demek in the second inning that made it 4-0.
"Brian made two bad pitches the whole game, the two home runs," said Fester. "Other than that, he pitched great."
Zima struck out five, walked four and gave up six hits. He allowed just five base runners in the last five innings.
Westwood and third baseman Matt Colella both ended Monday with two hits for Mars.
Tuesday's action will only be the conclusion of Game 2. The third game of the best-of-five series is currently scheduled for Wednesday at Marburger Field.
