Baseball

McCabe’s Mustangs 13-0 after taking two at PNG Field

By Michael Boytim

mboytim@altoonamirror.com

Portage baseball coach Larry McCabe was asked if he's ever had a team start 13-0 after the Mustangs' 8-1 victory over Glendale in the quarterfinals of the Curve Invitational Thursday afternoon at PNG Field.

"To be honest with you, I don't know," McCabe said. "I would probably think not."

It's fair to cut McCabe a little slack for not remembering since this is his 43rd season in the Portage dugout, but to his credit, the veteran manager looked it up following his team's doubleheader. Portage started 13-0 in 2014 before losing, 7-6, to North Star.

McCabe entered this year with a career record of 500-248, and the Mustangs have done nothing but improve that mark throughout the season.

"You can't ask for more, but we have been playing a lot of games in the last couple of weeks," McCabe said. "I think we're tired. Our mind needs to take over so we can play with some energy. The team has been consistently good and playing solid defense, swinging the bats well and getting some timely pitching that has really helped us. Hat's off to these kids. They have performed well, and we have to continue to stay on this track and even jump tracks and get better."

Portage played twice Thursday, winning its second game of the day, 2-1, over Northern Cambria in what would have been the semifinals of the tournament. The Colts had beaten United, 8-5, earlier in the day, but the rest of the tournament was canceled Thursday afternoon with anticipated bad weather today and Saturday.

Nathan Moore allowed a leadoff double to Glendale's Troy Misiura in Portage's first game, and he came around to score on Connor Potutschnig's RBI groundout before Moore settled in and shut out the Vikings for the final six innings.

Moore finished 3-for-4 at the plate with a pair of doubles and an RBI, and Andrew Miko and Luke Scarton each added a pair of hits for the Mustangs. Portage continued its momentum from a 3-2 win over Conemaugh Township on Wednesday which may have been its best win of the year.

"We have guys here that pick each other up every night," Portage senior shortstop Tyler Alexander said. "We play together as a team. We are coming off a big win over a highly respected program. To come out with a win there is really good for our conference standing and it helps the outlook for the team."

Alexander, who tripled, scored and had a sacrifice fly against Glendale, was the winning pitcher for the Mustangs against Conemaugh Township and beat South Allegheny in the Portage Spring Classic last weekend.

"He's been dominant on the mound in most cases," McCabe said. "He threw (Wednesday) in our 3-2 win and has been extremely dominant on the mound, which I don't expect to change. Hitting the ball, he's done very well. He's a sparkplug. He's a captain along with my catcher Jace Irvin, who is the same kind of player. They do a lot to pick this team up."

Scarton limited Northern Cambria to just one run in 6ª innings pitched in Thursday's second game that improved Portage's mark to 14-0, besting the 13-0 start in 2014. The Mustangs are currently the top seed in District 6 Class 2A, percentage points ahead of Marion Center, which is also unbeaten.

"It would be really special, especially for us seniors and Coach McCabe, considering we haven't won it in quite a long time," Alexander said. "We have been the runner-up in years past, but it would be a really special thing for us to win it this year."

For Glendale, the loss was actually a highlight of a rough season. The Vikings are 0-12 but showed a lot of fight in Thursday's game on a big stage.

"It's an awesome experience (playing at PNG Field)," Glendale coach Kevin Zimmerman said. "We have had a tough year. We have a young team. We have two juniors, and everyone else is either a freshman or a sophomore. Portage is a very good team. Just for us to come out and compete and be able to play seven innings with them and for our boys to get the experience of playing on this field is awesome."

Glendale, which went winless last season, is trying to rebuild its program and has no seniors on this year's team.

"I love our boys," Zimmerman said. "We have a great bunch of guys, and they keep getting better. Hopefully we get everybody back next year and build on this. We're still stressing fundamentals, and we're learning. This is a learning experience. Our goal is to win a game this year. We have a tough schedule coming up with a lot of makeups. Hopefully we can steal one before the season is over."

Portage won't get the chance to come back to PNG Field on Saturday for what would have been the Curve Invitational championship game, but the Mustangs are hoping to be back there for the District 6 finals.

"If we're going to be successful in the playoffs, we have to come together with high energy," McCabe said. "I think when you have backed up games and playing doubleheaders and games multiple days in a row it can catch up to you. That's my biggest concern, but I think the leadership of this team won't allow that to happen."

NORTHERN CAMBRIA (1): Taylor cf 401, Bougher ss 411, Wiewiora c 201, Krawcion 3b 201, Miller p-1b 301, Tachtis lf-p 300, Messina 1b 200, Kudlawiec 2b 100, Yahner ph 100, Valeria rf 201, Dolney cr 000, Dolansky cr 000. Totals--24-1-6.

PORTAGE (2): Alexander ss 300, Claar 2b 300, Miko cf 301, Scarton p-3b 200, Irvin c 110, Moore rf 300, Kargo lf 300, Jubina 3b-p 310, A. Stauski 1b 201. Totals--23-2-2.

SCORE BY INNINGS

Northern Cambria 100 000 0 -- 1 6 6

Portage 000 200 X -- 2 2 0

2B--Taylor, Wiewiora. RBI--Wiewiora, A. Stauski. WP--Scarton. LP--Miller. SO--Scarton 5, Miller 5, Yachtis 1. BB--Scarton 3, Miller 2, Yachtis 1.

PORTAGE (8): Alexander ss 311, Claar 2b 310, Miko cf 422, Scarton 1b 312, Irvin c 310, Jubina c 310, Kargo lf 421, Moore p 403, McCoy cr 000, A. Stauski rf 200, E. Stauski rf 100. Totals--30-8-10.

GLENDALE (1): Misiura p-1b 211, Potutschnig c 301, Holes ss-cf 200, Davis cf-p 300, Lukehart lf-rf 301, Ruffaner 3b 300, McGarvey 1b-ss 300, Gallaher rf 100, Visnofsky rf 100, Sutton 2b 201. Totals--23-1-4.

SCORE BY INNINGS

Portage 113 201 0--8 10 2

Glendale 100 000 0--1 4 3

E--Alexander 2, Gallaher 2, Sutton. 2B--Misiura, Moore 2, Miko. 3B--Alexander. RBI--Potutschnig, Alexander, Claar, Scarton, Jubina, Moore.

PITCHING

Portage: Moore (W) -- 7IP, 4H, 10K, 2BB, 1R, 1ER, 84 pitches.

Glendale: Misiura (L) -- 5IP, 8H, 2K, 1BB, 1HBP, 7R, 2ER, 82 pitches; Davis -- 2IP, 2H, 0K, 1BB, 1R, 1ER, 23 pitches.

Umpires: Jim Klausman (plate); Sam Patton (bases).

Records: Glendale (0-12); Portage (13-0).