Bishop Ward sweeps Wellsville double-header
Mancinas 2-run blast keys comeback; Taylor saves both games
The Bishop Ward Cyclones swept a double-header from the Wellsville Eagles on a warm Tuesday afternoon at Hurla Diamond at Dorney Field.
The home team scored the first game's lone run in the fifth inning, stringing together a two-base outfield error, a hit batter, a bunt single, and a throwing error to plate a run.
Runs were easier to come by in the second game, but the Cyclones needed a two-run homer from Chris Mancinas in the fifth to get back in the game after Wellsville grabbed the lead.
Junior Connor Taylor preserved the one-run lead in both games to earn two saves with four innings pitched in relief.
Game 1
Game 1 was scoreless through four innings. Rolando Calderon got the action started with a ball to center field that was dropped, scampering into second ahead of the throw.
Eddie Freeman was plunked in the next at-bat then Keylan Overton dropped down a well-placed bunt single. A throwing error on the bunt allowed Aaron Guess, running for Calderon, to score from third. The Cyclones loaded the bases on a hit batter, but were unable to extend their lead in the fifth.
Starter J.J. Hughes, pitching a shut-out through five, gave up a walk and a hit batter to start the sixth inning. Coach Zach Harris brought in Taylor in relief. Taylor gave up a single to load the bases, then struck out the next three batters to close down the Eagles' sixth.
Taylor also struck out the first two in the seventh, and got a pop-up to close out the game.
Game 2
The Cyclones put up three in the bottom of the second with some small ball, loading the bases on consecutive bunt singles from Jayden Hendricks and Hughes, then scoring on a walk, a wild pitch, and a balk.
In the top of the third, Wellsville came flying back with a two-out rally. The Eagles strung together four consecutive hits following a walk and a hit batter to plate five in the inning. Bishop Ward pulled back within one in the bottom of the third with an RBI grounder from Hughes.
In the top of the fifth, Wellsville got their lead-off man aboard. A bunt and stolen base took him to third, and a Ward throwing error on the steal brought him in for a 6-4 Eagles' advantage.
In the bottom of the fifth, Overton led off with a walk, then Mancinas quickly tied the game with a blast over the center field fence. The Cyclones followed up the long ball with small ball, with a walk, infield single, hit batter and passed ball plating the go-ahead run.
Hendricks opened the sixth inning on the mound, but gave way to Taylor after walking the lead-off batter. A walk and a grounder pushed the runner to third, but Taylor closed down the inning with a strikeout.
Taylor faced the minimum in the seventh, striking out the first two batters then getting some help from his defense when Mancinas snagged a hot-shot liner to end the game.
The Bishop Ward Cyclones are now 7-3 in the 2023 season, with two of the losses coming against 5A power St. Thomas Aquinas. Bishop Ward will host the Bonner Springs Braves on Thursday, starting at 3:30 p.m.
