Greensburg Central Catholic’s baseball team finished a big week Wednesday by defeating Carmichaels in a completion of a game started April 14.
The Centurions and the Mikes played into the bottom of the third inning before lightning and heavy rain stopped the game.
At the time of the stoppage, the Centurions were leading by a run.
They tacked on an insurance run in the fourth inning when the game resumed and walked away with a 5-3 victory.
The Centurions (8-0, 9-0) find themselves with a three-game lead in Section 1-A ahead of Avella (7-3, 10-5), which they swept in a two-game series Monday and Tuesday, and a four-game lead on Jefferson-Morgan (6-4, 7-6).
Carmichaels (4-4, 5-7) also is four games back, and Jeannette is 3-5, 7-6.
“I told the players after last week’s Derry game that we had to be focused in a hurry. That this would be a championship week,” GCC coach John Boyle said. “They responded with a great effort. They came out on fire.”
After taking care of Avella earlier in the week, Boyle sent out his ace, Tyler Samide, to pitch the final four innings.
Samide delivered.
He allowed two hits and struck out four over four innings. Alec Martin started the game April 14.
“Tyler has a great fastball, and he locates it well,” Boyle said. “Anthony (Grippo) knows how to call pitches, and they work as a great team.
“We are in position A. This is where I wanted us to be in, but our work is not done yet.”
The Centurions sill must face the bottom two teams in the section: West Greene (2-6, 2-10) and Mapletown (0-8, 2-12).
Greensburg Central Catholic reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the third inning when Grippo scored on a double by Carson Kramer.
GCC took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on a single by Stephen Kochis and a two-run single by Cameron Thompson.
Carmichaels got a run back in the second inning on a hit by Owen Ray and then tied the score in the third inning on a fielder’s choice by Don Yazzani and a groundout by Ray.
The Centurions made it 5-3 in the fourth inning when Daniel Brady singled, swiped second and scored on a two-out double by Kochis.
Carmichaels, which stranded the bases loaded in the second inning, had runners on base during the final four innings but could not produce a key hit.
“That came back to haunt us,” Carmichaels coach Rich Krause said. “We had our opportunities prior to the rain. They knew this was a big game for them. That is why they saved their ace for us.”
Samide was the winning pitcher April 13 against Carmichaels.
“We were hitting their second guy,” Krause said. “I felt we gave them a good battle. I am glad they pitched their best. Hopefully, it will help us down the stretch.”