Shepherd Belts Two Homers in 11th to Sink Mountain Cats

05/01/2011

Derek Gunsell and Nathan Minnich each belted homeruns in the 11th inning to cap a six run comeback to earn a 9-6 win over the Mountain Cats to close out a three-game WVIAC Northern Division series, Sunday afternoon at the Point Stadium. Zach Martin (Irwin, Pa.) and Drew Shaulis (Somerset, Pa.) each had three hits for Pitt-Johnstown, which slipped to 17-23 overall and 13-13 in conference play.
The Mountain Cats got to Shepherd starter Derek Buckley for three runs in the bottom of the first. Three stright doubles to start the inning by Nick Barbera (Harrisburg, Pa.), Zach Vignero (Johnstown, Pa.), and Martin made it 2-0, before Martin scored from third on a throwing error by Rams shortstop Aaron Scoville.
Martin's RBI single through the right side in the third scored Vignero from second to push it to 4-0.
Shepherd got on the scoreboard in the fourth on Minnich's opposite field homer over the left centerfield wall, but Pitt-Johnstown got two in the bottom of the inning on Barbera's two run single to left.
The Rams cut it to 6-3 with a pair of runs in the fifth, before run producing doubles in the eighth by Morgan Lautz and Dillon Berger got Shepherd to within one at 6-5.
Then, with two outs in in the ninth, Nick Impellizzeri singled up the middle off of Mountain Cat reliever Jon Moore (Leechburg, Pa.) to drive in Gunsell to tie it at six.
Shepherd completed the comback in the 11th inning. Gunsell hit a one-out homer over the left field screen off of Moore, before Minnich connected for his second of the day, a two-run shot to left to give the Rams the win.
Martin had three hits and two RBI, while Shaulis added three hits. Barbera and Vignero each had two hits for Pitt-Johnstown.
Moore fell to 1-4 after giving up four runs on five hits in 3.1 innings. Derek Younker (Big Cove Tannery, Pa.) started for the Mountain Cats and pitched the first six innings, allowing three runs on five hits. Andrew Gallant picked-up the win in relief for the Rams to improve to 2-5. Gallant surrendered just one hit in four scoreless innings. He also fanned five.
Shepherd improved to 13-20 overall and 8-16 in the WVIAC Northern Division.
The Mountain Cats travel to Davis & Elkins (WV) College for a WVIAC doubleheader on Wednesday, before wrapping-up the regular season with another conference doubleheader against Bluefield State (WV) University on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Point Stadium.

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