SCHOENTOWN - The importance of scoring insurance runs wasn't lost on Saint Clair/Port Carbon/New Philadelphia in its 4-3 victory over Ashland on Monday in a District 24 Little League 9-10-year-old Tournament semifinal.
A two-run, two-out triple by Jake Kuperavage in the top of the fifth inning gave SPN a three-run lead.
Those runs proved to be huge when Ashland staged a sixth-inning comeback.
Kuperavage, who pitched a complete game, was able to hold off the comeback bid and help SPN advance to Wednesday's championship game at Upper Dauphin County.
"There was no quit in that Ashland team," SPN manager Gerry Kuperavage said. "They were pounding the ball in batting practice. That changed our outlook of the game."
Trailing 4-1, Ashland made things interesting when Jeff Fago led off the sixth with a double and scored on a single by Jack Flynn Jr.
Flynn scored on an RBI groundout by Mike Reilley, slicing SPN's lead to 4-3. But with nobody on base, Jake Kuperavage induced a ground out to second to end the game and send his team into title match.
"He hit his spots and he kept the ball low," Gerry Kuperavage said. "They got a hold of some balls, but he showed a lot of heart hanging in there."
Ashland manager Jack Flynn Sr. credited Fago with pitching a good game and with his team for a having a good tournament.
Ashland finished 3-2, going 3-1 in Pool 3 play after playing four games in a six-day span. Ashland earned its semifinal berth with a 4-1 win over Minersville on Sunday.
"They had a good hitting team. They hit the gaps," Flynn said of SPN. "We hit a couple of balls hard, but right at them. We didn't get the breaks we hoped to get today."
Fago was momentarily injured during a play at the plate in the fourth inning in which SPN scored to take a 2-1 lead.
Justin McClure was hit by a pitch to open the frame, advanced to second base on a passed ball and took third on a sacrifice bunt by Morgan Rupert.
McClure then raced home on a wild pitch. On the play, Fago covered home and was hit in the face with the throw from his catcher.
Fago was treated in the dugout and made some warm-up tosses before he was allowed to continue.
"His eye is good," Flynn said. "He must have got it right on the cheekbone."
Ashland took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Ryan Caulfield doubled home Tanner Walacavage, who reached on a one-out double.
Kuperavage kept Ashland scoreless after that, striking out four, walking none and scattering seven hits in his complete-game effort.
SPN tied the score in the top of the second when Jayce Adamick hit a two-out home run to left field, then scored the go-ahead run in the fourth.
Game Summary