O’Toole’s HR sends BCABL series to Game 3
CRANBERRY TWP — A ball over the fence equaled a monkey off of Patrick O’Toole’s back.
Seneca Valley’s first baseman hit a solo home run to center field to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning, earning for his team a 4-3 victory over Butler Township at Graham Park Thursday night.
The victory snapped Butler Township’s 10-game winning streak and evens the best-of-3 championship series at one game apiece. Game 3 is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday at Butler High School’s field.
Entering Thursday’s game, Butler Township had defeated Seneca Valley in each of the teams’ five meetings this season. O’Toole played in four of those games.
“I wanted this one and it felt good to see that ball go out,” said O’Toole. “Off the bat, I thought it had a 50/50 chance. I hit a similar ball against these guys here earlier this season, but it was caught. I think I swung a little harder this time.”
Just before he stepped to the plate, O’Toole heard assistant coach Mike Mortier make a prophetic statement.
“He told me to jack the first pitch, then I went out and did it,” O’Toole said.
The pitch was a fastball from reliever CJ Singleton, who had baffled SV’s hitters over the previous three innings, allowing just one hit and striking out four.
“Pitching-wise, we did what we wanted to do,” said Butler Township manager Tyler Friel. “Giving up four runs on seven hits, we’d usually feel pretty good about that, but Nick Merola (SV’s starter) was really good tonight. We didn’t have a whole lot of opportunities to score.”
One chance that did occur came in the top of the fourth with the score tied at three. James Desmond doubled and with two outs, Jonah Bartholic reached on an error. With runners at first and second, Brady Lyon singled and Desmond raced home, but it was ruled that a tag was placed on Bartholic at third base for the final out prior to Desmond touching home plate.
“It was a call that didn’t go our way at an extremely pivotal point in the game,” said Friel. “But at the end of the day, calls like that happen and you have to come back from them.”
SV (10-8) dealt with its own frustration at home plate. In both the second and third frames, it had a runner thrown out attempting to score — Derek Schwartz and Alex Mortier, respectively.
Mortier had doubled in Bryson Killian to tie the game moments before he was tagged out trying to put SV ahead.
“That third inning made me sick,” said SV manager Matt Baic. “We gave them all three outs (on a sacrifice bunt, caught stealing and the play at the plate) and all three were on me. Fortunately, the guys dug me out of a hole.”
Merola allowed all three of Butler Township’s runs in the top of the second, but they were all unearned. Mac Schnur singled for the lone hit in the inning and later scored on Kyle Yost’s sacrifice fly.
Merola struck out five and walked just one in six innings while surrendering just four hits. Mortier worked a perfect top of the seventh in relief.
“For our 20-year olds, this was their last game for us on this field,” Baic said. “I told them before the game, no matter what happens in Game 3, let’s get one last win here.”
Braden Marcellus started on the mound for Butler Township (10-2) and was relieved after walking O’Toole to begin the bottom of the fourth. He walked three and allowed three runs, the first two coming in the second on Ben Blucher’s sacrifice fly and Schwartz’s RBI-double.
Butler Township 030 000 0 — 3 4 3
Seneca Valley 021 000 1 — 4 7 1
W: Alex Mortier 1 IP (0K, 0BB). L: CJ Singleton 3+ IP (4K, 0BB).
Butler Township (10-2): Braden Marcellus 1B, Mac Schnur 1B R, James Desmond 2B R, Kyle Yost RBI, Brady Lyon 1B
Seneca Valley (10-8): Alex Mortier 2B RBI, Colton Firster 2B, Patrick O’Toole 1B HR 2R, Ben Blucher 1B RBI, Derek Schwartz 2B RBI
Saturday: Seneca Valley vs. Butler Township, Butler High School field, 3 p.m.
