Remember When?: Perfect Charleroi drills Cal, 11-5
By the Valley Independent
CALIFORNIA – The table was set for California to bring Charleroi back down to earth in the North Division of the Fayette County American Legion Baseball League.
Charleroi came into Monday’s showdown at California as the only unbeaten team left in the 10-team league. California was joined by Connellsville and Waynesburg as a trio of teams with two losses and in peril of fading fast if Charleroi won.
California was looking for revenge for an earlier defeat against Charleroi and Cal Legion manager Romaine Howell had his ace, Scott Swinchock, on the mound.
It made for a perfect scenario for Charleroi’s first defeat.
Uh, no.
Charleroi erupted for six runs in the first two innings and held a comfortable 9-0 lead before the hosts finally got on the scoreboard en route to an easy 11-5 win in eight innings.
The result now leaves Charleroi (8-0) in total command in the North with Connellsville and Waynesburg (both 6-2) trailing and California (5-3) fading.
“This was a big win for us,” said Charleroi manager Kevin Mollis. “We knew they’d be waiting for us. But our players did well.”
Scott DeUnger was the big catalyst in Charleroi’s three-run first and second innings. He started off the game with a double and scored the first run to get his team going. In the second inning, he smoked a two-run home run after teammate Jeremy Reppert smacked an RBI single.
Leading 6-0, Charleroi scored three more runs in the fourth when Fred Fabean singled after two outs. Luke Mollis belted an RBI double, Dan Douylliez hit an RBI single and then Jarrod Essey hit a run-scoring single.
While Charleroi was pounding the ball at the plate, Douylliez was busy shutting down the California offense. He went the distance, scattering eight hits with 12 strikeouts and four walks.
“Danny really pitched a smart game,” praised Mollis. “He hung tough and scattered the hits well. He pitched out of jams and kept them off stride.”
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