Published May 07, 2008 11:45 pm - Fans expecting a nail-biter between the top two teams in the Susquehanna Valley League on Wednesday were sorely disappointed.
Jersey Shore tops Selinsgrove
Bulldogs take over league lead with lopsided win
By Matt Corbett
The Daily Item
JERSEY SHORE -- Fans expecting a nail-biter between the top two teams in the Susquehanna Valley League on Wednesday were sorely disappointed.
Jersey Shore came out of the chute swinging the bats, kept hitting through the middle innings, then hit some more at the end in an impressive 13-1, six-inning victory over Selinsgrove.
The win breaks a tie atop the SVL standings and moves the Bulldogs (14-2 overall and SVL) one game ahead of the Seals (13-3), with four games remaining. It also avenges a 5-0 loss in their first meeting April 11, when Nick Gaugler shut down the Bulldogs on five hits.
The hits just kept coming Wednesday as Jersey Shore pounded out 13, including three home runs over the short fences in center and right field despite a stiff breeze that was blowing in.
"We knew they were a very good hitting team, and (Selinsgrove starter) Paul (Eyster) didn't have his best stuff," said Selinsgrove coach Brent Beiler. "He was riding the ball in high, but give them credit. They can hit."
The Bulldogs can pitch as well. Junior left-hander Kyle Miller and Ben Saar combined on a three-hitter to shut down the Seals' potent bats. Selinsgrove went down in order in four of six innings. Miller (9-0 this season) earned the win, allowing three hits, one run and one walk over five innings. He struck out five.
"I can't say enough about Kyle. He did a tremendous job, as he has all year," said Jersey Shore coach Shawn Weaver.
Weaver admitted the Bulldogs had extra incentive in the rematch after being shut down earlier.
"Any time a team beats you the first time, you want to beat them the next," Weaver said. "I think (Selinsgrove) was a little shell-shocked after our start. Sometimes when you get the momentum rolling, it just keeps rolling."
That momentum began with a four-run first inning, highlighted by Andy Welsh's two-out, three-run double to deep left field. While the Seals have made a habit of overcoming deficits this season, it wasn't to be against the Bulldogs."They got four on the board right away, and that was tough to come back from," Beiler said. "We got down early and just couldn't get out of the hole."
The Seals got their only run in the third when Ryan Keiser singled with one out and took second on Eyster's two-out walk. Nick Gaugler -- who had two hits on the day -- drove in Keiser with an RBI single to center to make it 4-1.
But Miller -- who was as effective at the plate as he was on the mound, with three hits, three RBIs and three runs scored -- answered with a solo homer to right.
The Bulldogs produced a run in the fourth, and Wrench capped a big five-RBI day with a two-run homer to center in the fifth. Jersey Shore closed it out by mercy rule in the sixth with five consecutive hits, including Jake Potter's three-run homer to right center that ended it.
Selinsgrove produced only four baserunners the entire game, none after the third inning. Jersey Shore right fielder Mike Shurer robbed Derek Moyer of a hit in the third with a fine running catch on Moyer's drive to deep right center, a ball kept in play and knocked down by the wind.
"This doesn't feel very good right now," Beiler said after the blowout. "I hope this will be a motivator for us and that we learn from our mistakes. I think we'll respond well."