BUTLER, Pa. – The third time was indeed the charm for the Moniteau Warriors as they exploded for four runs in the game’s opening half-inning and never looked back en route to a 13-3 rout in six innings of rival Karns City Thursday afternoon at Butler’s Kelly Automotive Park.
(Photo of Moniteau pitcher Hunter Fitzingo. Photo by Bruce Lux)
Hunter Fitzingo, Jared Lominski and Gage Neal led the way for the Warriors as they combined for four hits and seven RBIs.
The game was especially special for Fitzingo who just a mere eight days ago collapsed on the mound against Karns City with minor tears in his meniscus before being medically cleared only one day before game time. Moniteau lost that game eight days ago to Karns City, 5-4 in nine innings, the second loss of the season to the rival Gremlins for the Warriors.
“I was cleared early in the day yesterday,” Fitzingo said. “I talked to everyone and told them the good news. Then I went to work from there. I wanted this game more than anything. I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life while playing with my best friends.”
Fitzingo threw a two-hitter allowing just one earned runs while striking out five in six innings of work.
Moniteau made sure to pour it on the right from the get-go and Karns City made sure to help. The Gremlins committed seven errors for the game including three in the first inning that helped stake the Warriors to a 4-0 advantage.
Fitzingo hit a fly ball to right fielder Austin Rumbaugh who was unable to make the catch that put the game’s inaugural batter at second base. Jake Jewart was then hit by Gremlin starter Tyler Yough who proceeded to walk Nick Sosigian.
Two batters later Lominski’s groundout to third base scored Lee Dematties who courtesy ran for Fitzingo. With a little two-out lightning back-to-back singles by Neal and Brice Williams scored Jewart and the Sosigian brothers putting Moniteau ahead 4-0.
“The four-run first inning helped calm me down, and it got me more pumped,” Fitzingo said. “From there, we all just fed off of it.”
“That was redemption for Hunter, for him to be able to get back on the mound after not being able to finish the last game the way he wanted to was huge,” said Moniteau manager Ross Martin. “For him to get clearance and to be able to go out there, it was his game.”
Karns City was momentarily able to stop the bleeding as Jake Weckerly walked and then came around to score on Steve O’Donnell’s single as Williams made a throwing error to third base.
The Gremlins trailed 4-1 after three, and that was all the closer they got.
“We just played our bad game when it mattered most,” said Karns City manager Josh Smith. “That four-run first inning was a few ice cubes on our fire and a few logs on theirs. We were excited and ready to play, but when you’re down four right away, it’s just tough to battle back.”
Moniteau exploded for seven fourth-inning runs to put the game away.
“They’re a good team and well-coached,” said Smith. “Great teams make you pay when you commit errors, and they were going to stay on the gas because they knew we could score runs too.”
The fourth started with nearly missing a solo shot to left field, as his off-the-wall double put the Warriors in business.
Williams then reached second base on Rumbaugh’s second misplayed fly ball of the game that allowed Neal to score. Fitzingo ripped a ground ball right through the five-hole of the third baseman Logan Pistorius that scored Williams directly after Jewart reached on an error by shortstop O’Donnell scoring Chance Nagy who also reached on an error the rout was on.
“It’s a completely different intensity than any other game we play during the year when we meet Karns City,” said Martin. “We’ve played some big games down in Myrtle Beach against great teams, but nothing matches this one. You can tell just by looking in the stands and seeing the big crowds.”
After a walk to Nick Sosigian, Lominski cleared the bases with a three-run triple that pushed the lead 10-1.
“This win means everything,” Lominski said. “The last two times we lost 5-4 and to come off a 13-3 victory is huge for us. Coach reminded us of the 14-1 game and games like it in the past. It didn’t surprise me the outcome. In my gut feeling, I knew we could get this done.”
Following a pitching change that saw Nolan Riley take over for Yough. Nate Sosigian singled home Lominski giving Moniteau the 11-1 lead after 4 ½ innings. The Warriors final two runs came in the sixth inning on a single by Andrew Dulya and a sac fly by Nick Sosigian that scored Neal and Nagy respectively.
Karns City reached the scoreboard two more times as Pistorius scored on a sac fly from Colton Hutchinson in the fourth while Riley scored following his double on a groundout by Rumbaugh in the sixth.
“For my first year, I couldn’t have asked for a better group of players and coaches. We went 15-0 before tonight, and that’s something we can take moving forward next season,” said Smith.
Up next for Moniteau is the District 5/9 Sub-Regional Championship where they will face Chestnut Ridge, a 4-1 winner over Everett Thursday, at a District 5 site to be determined.
MONITEAU 13, KARNS CITY 3, 6 INNINGS
Score by Innings
Moniteau 400 702 – 13
Karns City 001 101 – 3
MONITEAU – 13
Hunter Fitzingo p 4011 Jake Jewart cf 5200 Nick Sosigian 2b 5201 Wyatt Geibel 5000 Tyler McFadden 1b 0000 Jared Lominski DH 4114 Nate Sosigian ss 4111 Gage Neal 3b 4222 Brice Williams lf 4111 Lee Dematties pr 0200 Andrew Dulya ph 1011 Chance Nagy rf 4210. Totals: 40-13-8-11.
KARNS CITY – 3
Steve O’Donnell ss 3010 Nolan Riley 1b 3110 Tyler Yough p 3000 Logan Pistorius 3b 2100 Austin Rumbaugh rf 2001 Colton Hutchinson cf 2001 Cam Blair lf 2000 Jake Weckerly c 2100 Connor Schaffner 2b 1000, Brandon Hesidence 1000. Totals: 21-3-2-2.
LOB: Moniteau 7 Karns City 3 Errors: Moniteau 3 Karns City 7 2B: Lominski, Neal, Riley. SB: Yough, Jewart, Pistorius.
PITCHING
Moniteau
Hunter Fitzingo 6 IP 2 H 3 R 1 ER 2 BB 5 K
Karns City
Tyler Yough 3 ⅓ IP 6 H 10 R 5 ER 2 BB 2 K
Nolan Riley 1 ⅔ IP 2 H 3 R 2 ER 2 BB 2 K
Winning Pitcher: Hunter Fitzingo
Losing Pitcher: Tyler Yough
