’Hounds suffer second straight lopsided defeat

By DEAN DELLAMALVA JR.

MVI Sports

Two games into the 2021 baseball season, the Monessen Greyhounds are still trying to find their way.

After getting shut out by Southmoreland on Monday, the Hounds returned home and were shut out again 18-0 in three innings by Washington in a non-section game at Memorial Stadium.

Monessen (0-2) was held without a hit and had only two baserunners. The pitching also was not up to par, issuing nine walks and hitting three batters.

Starter Jack Sacco took the loss after throwing 47 pitches in the first inning, allowing five runs, all unearned. Sacco walked three, hit one and the defense committed four errors in the opening frame as 11 Prexies came to the plate.

The struggles on the mound continued for the next four Greyhound pitchers as well, something that has now occurred in back to back contests.

“We kind of did that (Monday) and did it again today,” Hounds coach Billy Matush said. “We need to start by throwing strikes, they got eight runs on one hit. We’re not even giving ourselves an opportunity to even compete in a game when we do that.”

Washington (2-0) took full advantage of the Monessen miscues as it only needed eight hits to score all of its runs. 

It was more than enough for freshman Prexies pitcher Iain Callan who struck out five of the 11 batters he faced and only walked two. He also was hit by an attempted pickoff play in the helmet, but remained in the game.

“(Callan) took a ball to the back of the helmet but he still wanted to play,” Wash High coach Anthony Belcastro said. “We’re trying to get some of these guys up to speed as fast as possible, we need some of these freshmen and sophomores to step up.”

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