Mitch’s ties series with home win
By Jeff Oliver
MVI Sports
The magical playoff run for Mitch’s Bail Bonds continued Monday, thanks to a clutch all-around performance by Noah Hansen.
Hansen pitched a skillful, neat complete game and helped himself at the plate with two hits and an RBI as he drove in the deciding run in a 2-1 win over Masontown at Vets Field in Charleroi.
The win ties the Fayette County League best-of-five championship series at 2-2. The deciding game will be played today at Masontown. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
Hansen, the crafty lefthanded ace of manager Ryan Encapera’s staff, was quick and to the point against Masontown (14-7). He twirled a four-hitter with three strikeouts and no walks. He threw only 77 pitches to go the distance.
The contest lasted just 1:10.
“That’s as fine as he has been all season. I leaned on him a lot this year and today he really came through,” Encapera said of Hansen. “He was in total control. He was pitching to contact and they hit very few pitches hard.
“We played good defense behind him with two double plays. He almost faced the minimum amount of batters.”
The only blemish against Hansen all day was a solo home run by Masontown’s Nate Zimcosky in the fifth inning.
That homer cut Mitch’s lead to 2-1, but Hansen breezed through the final two innings.
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