Iron Bucks take Game 1 of title series, 10-5 over Meadville
Butler Iron Bucks manager Len Piccini did not want his players thinking about their two losses to Meadville this season by a combined score of 23-6, not even for motivation.
Focusing on the here and now led to a 10-5 victory over the Mustangs in Game 1 of the Rust Belt/Tri-State Collegiate championship series at Pullman Park on Tuesday.
The second game of the best-of-3 series, also at Pullman Park, begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
The Bucks (17-12) tallied 15 hits and used four pitchers to keep Meadville at bay.
“Tyler Rekich (starter) was phenomenal,” Piccini said. “We had to plan for a three-game series and we’re in good position right now because they guys we threw tonight are available again if we need them.”
Rekich pitched the first five innings, striking out nine and walking three while allowing a pair of runs on four hits. He left the game with a 6-2 edge due in large part to a 3-run second frame. Tyler Mack and Mattix Clement both singled in a run in the inning.
Meadville (13-15) closed the gap to 7-5, but Butler again plated three runs in the bottom of the eighth. Mack’s 2-run double sparked that flurry.
Ray Stierer and Mack, Butler’s No. 8 and 9 hitter, respectively, both tallied two hits and scored a run. Mack added three RBI.
“They’re in that spot of the order because it’s where we could fit them in, but we always want to turn the lineup over and both of those guys have wicked speed.”
Meadville’s Gino Marra pitched all eight innings.
“We’re low on the number of arms we can use,” said Mustangs manager Ben Kosbie. “In a normal game, we probably would have taken him out sooner than we did, but we didn’t want to waste another arm.”
Meanwhile, the Bucks relieved Rekich with Ryan Orosz to start the sixth, followed by Sam Ranallo with one out in the seventh and Mike Sinchak with one out in the ninth.
Meadville catcher Jon Sharp, who hit a solo home run in the second inning, led off the sixth with a triple off of Orosz, sparking a 2-run rally. In the seventh, Ranallo walked Zach Wilson with the bases loaded, bringing in a run to cut Butler’s lead to two runs.
The Mustangs entered the playoffs with a record of 11-14, but defeated the Butler BlueSox, 12-6, and East Butler, 6-2, to land in the championship series.
“We’re at our best when we’re playing as a team and complementing each other,” said Kosbie. “We try not to get too high or too low.”
Meadville 010 102 100 — 5 7 1
Iron Bucks 130 020 13x — 10 15 1
W: Tyler Rekich 5 IP (9K, 3BB). L: Gino Marra 8 IP (5K, 1BB).
Meadville: Jon Sharp 3B HR 4R, Brady Lane 1B 2B 2RBI
Iron Bucks: Brady Gavula 1B 3B 2R 2RBI, Mattix Clement 2-1B R RBI, Brent Creehan 1B 2B, Lenny Piccini 2-1B 2RBI, Alex Colwell 2-1B R, Ray Stierer 2-1B R, Tyler Mack 1B 2B R 3RBI
