A quick look at Clancy’s Pub pitcher Jon Giuliani’s line from Monday night doesn’t scream dominant performance. He had only three strikeouts and hit four batters in seven innings. But the crafty right-handed veteran got the job done in shutting down Quinn Construction and leading Clancy’s to a 5-0 Daily News League semifinal victory played at Beedle Park, the second game of a best-of-five series that is tied 1-1. Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Beedle Park. “He’s just a vet,â€? said Joe Aul, Clancy’s player-manager. “That’s his style. He pitches to contact and uses the defense. And we have a very good defense.â€? In his second complete game of the season, Giuliani (2-3) allowed a hit in each of the first two innings before shutting down Quinn Construction the rest of the way.
“It was about the fourth inning when my fastball started coming along, and I relied on that the rest of the way,â€? Giuliani said. “I was just trying to keep those guys off balance and mixed a couple change-ups in there.â€? Clancy’s scored runs in the bottom of the third and fourth inning before breaking the game open with a three-run fifth. Second baseman Jayson Monroe, who is batting. 400, had a pair of singles, an RBI and a run scored. Leadoff man Mike Wilcox, who is also batting over. 400, scored twice. Aul and Bill Theobald added doubles. Quinn Construction won Game 1, 11-3. Prior to that when the teams met July 24, Quinn won 18-4. Quinn Construction coach Tom Simcho couldn’t explain the sudden lack of scoring. “Everything we hit was at somebody,â€? Simcho said. “To not score a run? That’s kind of ridiculous. I don’t know what to say, we didn’t get the job done.â€? Simcho’s squad had chances to score in the final two innings, but couldn’t plate a run. Dan Campbell was picked off at third base to end the sixth inning. In the top of the seventh, Giuliani plunked the first two batters he faced, but worked his way out of the jam. It was a big win for Clancy’s, especially after allowing double-digit runs in Game 1. “After yesterday, what did we have to lose?â€? Aul said. “I think we were pretty relaxed coming into this one.â€? Lefty Anthony Garofalo took the loss. He struck out the side in the second inning and finished with five strikeouts in four innings. Quinn Construction’s Zack Miller and Brooks Marzka each had a single. South Hills 5, South Park 2 — Josh Shearn’s two-run double ignited a four-run sixth inning that carried South Hills past top-seeded South Park at Mellon Middle School in Mt. Lebanon, evening the best-of-five semifinals series at one game apiece. South Hills managed just four hits against two South Park pitchers. Winning pitcher John Bachman survived 12 South Park hits while walking one and striking out seven. He blanked South Park before yielding two runs on four hits in the seventh. South Hills, which took a 1-0 lead in the second, made it 5-0 in the sixth with two runs on Shearn’s double to deep right field and two more on a throwing error by South Park third baseman Carter Grote. Game 3 of the series will be played at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Evans Field in South Park. Pittsburgh NABA The Pittsburgh National Adult Baseball Association announced that its wood bat playoffs championship series will resume Saturday with a pair of scheduled divisional doubleheaders at Woodland Hills High School. Rain postponed Sunday’s second games of best-of-three series in the 18-AA and 18-A divisions, and the league decided to combine those games with Monday’s originally scheduled third games in each series, if necessary. Games are scheduled to begin Saturday with the 18-A Division at 10 a.m. and the 18-AA Division at 3 p.m. Jefferson Hills is the defending 18-AA champion. Staff writer Dave Mackall contributed. Ed Phillipps is a freelance writer.
Email Newsletters
TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox.