SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - Frackville Red's Bobby Grigas was dominating on the mound Monday evening.
He was pretty good once he got on base, too.
Now, there are two undefeated teams left in the Schuylkill County Teener League's Senior Division.
Grigas fired a complete-game, five-hitter, stealing three bases and scoring twice during Frackville Red's 2-0 victory over Schuylkill Haven at Schuylkill Haven High School.
Frackville Red and Schuylkill Haven both entered the night undefeated. Frackville Red (12-0) remained perfect with the victory and inched ever closer to the North title.
Monday's game was also a rematch of last year's league championship game, won by Schuylkill Haven 5-4. That loss, plus another during the regular season, was extra motivation for Frackville Red.
"They bit us twice last year when
they shouldn't have," Grigas said. "We blew both games. This was huge."
DeAngelo's (12-0) is the other undefeated team in the league after its 6-2 victory over Hope's Collision on Monday.
Frackville Red came in averaging about 13 runs per game, while Schulkill Haven has scored about 10. But this night turned into a pitcher's dual between Grigas and Danny Blugis.
Grigas has started to see his innings increase since North Schuylkill's high school season ended with a 4-0 loss to Notre Dame-Green Pond in the District 11 Class AA semifinal May 25. The lefty struck out nine and walked three Monday as Schuylkill Haven (10-1) only had three runners reach scoring position.
Schuylkill Haven didn't have a hit after the fourth as Grigas retired 10 of the final 12 hitters he faced. He threw 104 pitches, 71 for strikes.
"I was putting the fastball on the outside part of the plate so when they stepped in the curve would just fool them," Grigas said.
Grigas' defense made plenty of plays behind him, throwing out three runners on the basepaths:
- In the top of the first, Schuylkill Haven's Zavier Webb tried to get to third on a Mike Ulsh single but was thrown out by right fielder Tevin Murray for the first out of the inning;
- In the second, Justin Hughes reached on an error but was caught stealing second by catcher Chris Burke;
- Down 1-0, Schuylkill Haven's Brandon Naus led off the fourth with a single to left. But with Hughes batting, Burke caught Naus too far off first after a pitch. Naus was tagged out during a 2-3-4-3 rundown. After Hughes struck out, Riley White singled to right, a hit that would have certainly brought home Naus with the tying run.
"I just know I can rely on my fielders and my catcher to make the plays for me," Grigas said. "I just had to throw strikes. "
Grigas also made things happen when he got on base.
He singled to right to lead off the fourth inning and stole second. Then, with Major Jordan at the plate, Grigas took off for third and sprinted home when the throw ended up in left field for Frackville Red's first run of the game.
"I am aggressive with (Grigas) on the base paths," Frackville Red coach John Chuma said. "With Bobby on the base paths, he is smart enough to know when to take a big lead and how far, if he can make it, he will go."
In the sixth, Grigas was hit by a pitch with two outs. He stole second and scored on Jordan's double to center.
"It is a good thing he was on tonight," Chuma said of Grigas. "That was a good team and a good hitting team and their pitcher was on tonight."
Blugis certainly threw a four-hitter, striking out eight and walking two. The only other hits Blugis allowed were a one-out single to Burke in the first and a two-out double to Nick Paul in the seventh.
"I thought his change-up kept them off-balance," Schuylkill Haven coach Scott Swoyer said. "They are a good hitting team. I think it was his change-up that kept them from digging in and ripping."
Blugis threw 94 pitches Monday, including 69 for strikes.
"He pitched well," Swoyer said. "He didn't deserve the loss. Grigas was just better today." Game Summary