Craska leads Mars to playoff berth after win over Shaler

By: Steve Nagler
Friday, May 3, 2019 | 7:47 PM

When it mattered the most Friday afternoon, Mars junior starting pitcher Joey Craska came through, shutting down Shaler en route to a playoff-clinching 3-0 victory in Section 2-5A.

Craska, a Virginia Tech recruit, gave up only two hits and struck out nine in recording his fifth win against only one defeat for the Planets (10-6, 5-4).

Craska got the start in Monday’s 6-5 loss at the hands of South Fayette, a game where he struggled to find the feel of his pitches. But, on only three days rest, he showed the toughness of a bulldog in locking down Shaler (9-6, 4-4).

“I knew I had to bounce back,” Craska said. ”I was ready to go today. Coach (Andy) Bednar has a lot of trust in me. With only three days rest, I felt great.”

It was the only time all year coach Andy Bednar had a pitcher come back on only three days rest.

“Joe is a gritty kid,” Bednar said. “He’s as tough as nails. Joey wants the baseball; he knew we needed that win today. Not every kid wants the baseball and wants to be ‘the guy’ when the chips are on the table, but he does.”

The only blip on the afternoon for Craska came in the top of the fourth inning when he lost a little command of his pitches. After giving up a one-out single to Hunter Boyan, Craska loaded the bases after giving up a walk and hitting a batter.

But, with two outs, Craska got Braeden Campbell to fly out to right field to get out of the inning. Still, the 30-pitch inning kept Craska from registering a complete game.

“Sometimes, I have to tell myself to slow my heartbeat down,” Craska said. “I’m a high-intensity guy. When I get amped up, I sometimes miss high in the zone and struggle with my control.”

Shaler senior Zach Hernon pitched well in the loss. He gave up five hits in his six innings of work. Only two of the three runs surrendered were earned.

The Planets got timely hitting and scored single runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings.

Penn State Behrend recruit Tyler Kowalkowski led off the third inning with an infield single. One out later, Mars loaded the bases when JJ Wetherholt walked and Rowen Fletcher was hit by a pitch. An RBI groundout by Shane Fox gave the Mars its first lead, 1-0, and it was the only run needed.

Teddy Ruffner led off the fourth with a double off the center-field wall and came around to score on a sacrifice fly off of the bat of Jonathan Quinn, extending Mars’ lead to 2-0.

Ruffner extended the Mars lead to 3-0 by doubling home Matt Fuller in the bottom half of the sixth.

Mars’ clinching was made more joyous by the fact that Will Bednar, the prized Mississippi State pitching recruit, returned from an injury that had sidelined him since their early-season trip to Florida. He pitched the seventh inning to register the save. Bednar recorded a strikeout of Evan Walsh to end the game.

“We are thrilled to have him back,” Craska said of Bednar. “We’ve been waiting to get him back — he’s the best pitcher in the WPIAL, and we’re just glad to have him on our side.”

It was high praise from a guy who just completed a dominant two-hit performance.

Tags: Mars, Shaler