Fast Start, Dominant Pitching Propels A-C Valley/Union to Win Over Clarion-Limestone

BUTLER, Pa. (EYT/D9) — After giving up back-to-back singles to start the bottom of the first inning, A-C Valley/Union starting pitcher Ryan Cooper took a deep breath.

He feared the worst.

(Above, Ryan Cooper delivers a pitch during A-C Valley/Union’s win over Clarion-Limestone/photo by Diane Lutz)

“I was just thinking, ‘It’s going to be a long night,’” Cooper said.

Instead, it was a long evening for Clarion-Limestone hitters.

Cooper settled down and got out of the top of the first inning with a fly out and a pair of strikeouts. Using a moving fastball and a sharp-breaking curveball, he kept the Lions off balance over 5 2/3 innings to help the Knight Falcons to a 7-2 win Thursday at Michelle Krill Memorial Field at Historic Pullman.

Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.

Cooper fanned 11, scattered four hits and gave up two runs in his 99-pitch outing.

Gary Amsler pitched the final 1 1/3 innings to earn the save.

“He has the right mentality,” said A-C Valley/Union coach John Irwin of Cooper. “It’s a long game and he battled through that. He’s confident in his curveball and that can be his No. 1 pitch. He can be dangerous.”

Cooper was also dangerous at the plate.

The leadoff hitter went 3-for-4 with a double and a RBI. He singled to start off the game and came around to score on a double by Lane Bauer, who later scored on a sacrifice fly by Trey Fleming for a 2-0 ACV/U lead.

The Knight Falcons put up two more runs in the top of the second. Fleming tripled home a run and scored on a single by Amsler.

The four-run lead was more than enough for Cooper and Amsler on the hill.

“We haven’t been getting off early,” Irwin said. “We’ve been stale. We have to be the aggressor. We have to get after it. I said it’s important to start the game like that and we did.”

Clarion-Limestone starter Tommy Smith lasted just two innings. Logan Lutz relieved him and kept the Lions in the game with three hitless innings.

Lutz also doubled at the plate.

(Logan Lutz makes a pitch for Clarion-Limestone/photo by Diane Lutz)

The left-hander was effective with a sneaky fastball mixed with his off-speed stuff.

Cooper’s RBI double in the top of the sixth was the first hit off Lutz and made it 5-0.

Clarion-Limestone (1-1) got that run back in the bottom of the frame on a RBI double by Jase Ferguson, but ACV/U tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh off Lutz. Amsler doubled and scored on an error and Sebastian Link singled and later scored on a wild pitch.

“The bottom line is I think our bats are just a little behind right now,” said Clarion-Limestone coach Todd Smith. This was only the Lions’ second game of the season. They beat DuBois Central Catholic 3-1 in eight innings Wednesday. “We were just off-balance. Our bats will catch up. We still have some work to do.”

The win was a much-needed one for A-C Valley/Union.

The Knight Falcons (3-3) had lost three close games after a 2-0 start.

“I think this sets a fire for us. This gives us momentum,” Fleming said. “We were kind of in a tough place losing those three games, but now we’re starting to bounce back.”

Cooper, Amsler and Bailey Crissman have formed a formidable pitching trio so far for A-C Valley/Union.

Amsler, a left-hander, is a different look compared to right-handers Cooper and Crissman.

“When Gary is warmed up and ready to go, he’s as good as there is,” Irwin said.

Irwin said he still has three arms that haven’t seen the mound yet this season. It’s the big positive of the co-op between A-C Valley and Union. This is the first season the two schools have combined forces on the baseball diamond.

“I wish we would have gotten more kids from Union — we only have five kids who came out from Union,” Irwin said. “I hope this brings more and that will make our program stronger.”

Co-ops are nothing new between the two schools. A-C Valley and Union have one now in football, cross country, track and field, golf and baseball.

“It’s like we’re building a second family,” Fleming said. “We’ll treat these guys like our brothers.”

Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.