By PAUL GOTHAM
CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. — A big first inning proved to be the difference on a blustery Opening Day at Evans Field.
That and a shutdown pitching tandem.
Dale Werth’s Canandaigua Braves sent six to the plate and scored three runs in the home half of the first frame. Michael Sculli and Cooper Crunick combined to strike out 13 in a 2-hit shutout as Canandaigua defeated Fairport, 5-0 in the season opener for both teams.
“It feels great,” Werth said after the win. “You know the first one you’re nervous. It takes the pressure off a little bit. We wanted to get the game in. Fairport is always a good opponent. Yeah, it was great to get this win.”
Sculli beat out an infield single to start the Canandaigua first and stole second. Joey Brinza and Dylan Mackenzie worked back-to-back base on balls. Sculli scored the only run Canandaigua needed on a wild pitch.
Seth Vigneri brought in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Mackenzie made it 3-0 when he scampered home on another wild pitch.
Michael Sculli beats out an infield single, steals a base and eventually scores the first @cabravebaseball run. pic.twitter.com/Y5tWWQXWnJ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 3, 2019
“It was cold,” Werth noted. “It was a tough day to pitch, so you’re hoping that you can get some runs early on their guy. You worry about your own guy when it’s cold and windy. Is he going to be loose and ready to go? It was a tough day to pitch, so it was good getting those runs early.”
Sculli struck out 10 over four-and-a-third innings of work. After surrendering a leadoff walk and base hit to start the game, the left-hander set down the next three on strikes.
“That’s what we expect of him, to give us good outings every time,” Werth said of his starter who threw 22-plus consecutive shutout innings last spring to lead Canandaigua to the NYS Class A semifinals. “He was getting the curve ball over. He walked a few more guys than he was at the end of last year, but again this was a tough day to pitch.”
Seth Vigneri brings in a run with a sacrifice fly. End 1: @cabravebaseball 3 @FHSBaseballFY13 0 pic.twitter.com/OCzZA660Eu
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) April 3, 2019
Fairport threatened in the fourth, loading the bases with one out. Werth used a mound to settle his starter.
“The pressure doesn’t bother him,” Werth said. “I went out and asked ‘how do you feel? He goes I feel like I’m going to strike these next two guys out.’ He looked me right in the eye.
“I just kinda wanted to slow him down. I thought he was rushing a little bit. That ability to refocus and stay composed in those situations is why he was so successful last year.”
The staff ace got the next two batters on punch outs.
“I didn’t want anyone to score, and I know my head coach didn’t want anyone to score,” Sculli said. “I just buckled down and tried to hit my spots in the zone more.”
He threw 88 pitches on the day and started off 12 of 20 batters faced with a strike.
“It’s early in the season. I think I got to locate more with most of my pitches.”
Crunick fanned three over 2.2 inning of work. The Braves shortstop also walked twice, stole a pair of bases and scored two runs.
“He’s a complete baseball player,” Werth said of his senior who is committed to play at Binghamton University next year. “He’s big. He’s got power. He’s got speed. He’s got great baseball acumen.”
Luke Pawlicki plated Crunick with a single in the sixth.
“It’s good to start the season off with a win,” Crunick said. “We got a long season ahead.”
Fairport starter Josh VanBramer settled in after a rough first inning and retired six of the next seven batters he faced. The left-hander struck out four.
“That first inning was one I wish we could have put behind us,” Fairport head coach Brian Reed said. “Once he got past that, he looked great. He was mixing his pitches well and he was locating.”
Jake Conklin struck out five over three innings of relief work. The right-hander allowed tow runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks.
Jared Drake finished 1-for-1 with two walks for Faiport. Hartford University commit Tyler Holmes walked twice. Nolan Hicks added a single.
Air temperature hovered in the low 40s throughout the game with a consistent gusting wind.
Canandaigua plays at Gates-Chili next Monday. A 4:30 PM first pitch is scheduled. Fairport hosts Monroe County Division I rival, Penfield for another 4:30 PM start.
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