By Jim Hunter
The playing conditions at Eldred Glen on Tuesday night looked more like Bender Field on a rainy October evening.
And while French Creek Valley and Meadville players made throwing errors due to a wet-and-muddy baseball; French Creek Valley coach Brandon Crum knew exactly what to do: play small ball.
Bunting on several occasions, FCV capitalized on four throwing errors, likely caused by the damp conditions, to get by Meadville en route to a 10-2 victory in Crawford-Venango American Legion baseball action.
The game was originally suspended in the middle half of the sixth inning and was to be completed Friday prior to their regular scheduled game at Saegertown.
However, Crum contacted American Legion director Don Powell afterwards and the league official ruled the game a completion.
Crum & Co. says thank you. The FCV gang is now 5-1 in the league.
Prior to the game, Crum got his players together and had a brief talk with them. Main topic: put the ball on the ground.
“I told the players that we’re going to have to deal with the rain just like Meadville is going to have to,” he said. “I informed them that we’re going to do a lot of bunting and that we’re going to put the pressure on them to make the throws. I think we bunted three, four straight times.”
The small-ball FCV players followed their mentor’s orders.
With Mike Stachnik standing on first base via an infield hit in the second inning, Jack Sindlinger laid down a two-out bunt. Crum’s call worked to near perfection as Meadville made an errant throw into right field.
Doug Farley and Eric Schell followed with run-scoring singles and Farley scored on a passed ball to give FCV a 3-0 lead.
Leading 3-1, FCV broke the game open in the fifth inning with six runs. The igniter: the bunt.
After Nick Sullivan led off with a single, Matt Morian and Adam Bronson followed with bunts. On Bronson’s bunt, pinch-runner R.J. Baker scored when Meadville committed a throwing error.
Jared Campbell followed with a RBI single and Stachnik legged out a slap-bunt single. However, on Stachnik’s bunt, Meadville turned a double play as both Bronson and Campbell were thrown out at the plate after a Meadville throwing error.
Meadville’s thrilling play didn’t faze FCV as Farley followed with a two-run single and Jake Carter drilled a RBI single.
One player didn’t have a problem with the soggy baseball — FCV pitcher Eric Schell.
In five innings of work, Schell kept Meadville in-check by only allowing five hits. He struck out three and walked one.
Crum was quite impressed with his right-hander.
“Eric has been dominant for us all season. He has great command of his four pitches and he lets the defense do the work for him. He’s a competitor.”
FCV left-fielder A.J. Thompson — who made two Web gems in the game — also received praise from Crum.
“A.J. is as solid of an outfielder as you will find. Doug (Farley) has mentored him this season and you can tell A.J. is on his own now.”
FCV’s top sticks: Stachnik (three-for-three), Sullivan (two-for-three) and Farley (two-for-four, three runs batted in).
Ben Lowmaster was Meadville’s only multiple-hit performer with two hits in three at-bats.
