East Allegheny pounces on Burrell mistakes to take Section 3-3A series opener

By: Paul Schofield
Wednesday, April 19, 2023 | 9:27 PM

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Burrell baseball coach Mark Spohn wasn’t in a talkative mood Wednesday after his team’s Section 3-3A game at East Allegheny.

That’s because he wasn’t pleased with how his team played against the top team in the section.

East Allegheny (6-2, 4-1) took advantage of three errors, two baserunning mistakes and poor at-bats with runners in scoring position in a 6-3 victory.

Burrell (6-5, 4-3) left 10 runners on base, including the bases loaded in the second inning. The Bucs host the Wildcats at 4 p.m. Thursday as they try to get even in the two-game series.

“We didn’t play very good baseball,” Spohn said. “We left 10 runners on base and struck out four times with runners in scoring position. You have to learn to put the ball in play.”

East Allegheny took advantage of two errors in the first inning to grab a 3-0 lead. First baseman Tommy Kearns hit a two-run single, and designated hitter Ryan Kirk singled home the third.

Burrell used four walks by East Allegheny starting pitcher Chance Odoski to plate a run in the second inning.

When Odoski went 2-0 on lead-off hitter Isaac Lacinski, East Allegheny coach Mike Cahill took Odoski out and replaced him with Joe Connors, who, after walking Lacinski, struck out Ryan Bates to end the threat.

“We didn’t get the starting pitching that we’ve gotten the majority of the season,” Mike Cahill said. “But we have a real good junior class, and we have four really good pitchers. Michael Cahill (the coach’s son) is our ace. He’s closing games and starting the next one.”

Michael Cahill came into the game in the sixth inning with the Wildcats clinging to a 6-3 lead with runners on first and second after infield hits.

Cahill had to get six outs in less than 25 pitches to start on Thursday. He did it in 21.

He struck out three of the batters.

East Allegheny added a run in the third when Ryan Rupert scored on a throwing error and two more in the fourth inning on Michael Cahill’s double and Traynor Janosko’s single.

“We’re a junior-heavy team, and they’ve been playing together for years,” Mike Cahill said. “Everyone can hit the ball. Our defense kept us in games a year ago, and I expect that to continue. I also feel we’ll continue to hit the ball better.”

East Allegheny pounded 12 hits, including three by Rupert (a double and two singles) and two each by Janosko, Cody Tvrdovsky and Odoski.

Spohn hopes his team will bounce back and split the series. It won’t be easy with Michael Cahill on the hill.

“We have to get back to playing better baseball,” Spohn said.

“Everything will work out when we learn do what we’re supposed to do.”

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Burrell, East Allegheny