Hot Stove Baseball: Avon Three Outs Orange wins once more with pitching, defense

ALLIANCE — Baseball in Class I (ages 7-8) is usually a game of hitting and running the bases while the other team chases down the ball, with scores climbing into double digits. That's not how Avon Three Outs Orange plays. It plays like the big boys, succeeding with pitching and defense. Both of those attributes were on display Saturday as Avon handed Alliance W.J. Egli Co. its first loss of the season, 5-2 in a state semifinal at Butler Rodman Park. With the game tied at 2 in the second, Easton Shubic gave Avon the lead for good with a solo inside-the-park home run, his first of the year, that rolled to the fence in right field. "I knew it was a good hit but I didn't think home run until I got to third base," Shubic said. "We thought we might have a chance to win the tournament. My team is very happy to be here." After Alliance (22-1) got its leadoff hitter on in the third inning, Avon was able to get back-to-back fielder's choices at second base on balls hit to the outfield to hold onto the one-run lead. Avon scored two more runs in the bottom of the third, then the pitching took over. Bryce Hubert and Cullen Forthover each struck out the side in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, but the toughest task was left for Julian Perniciaro. Perniciaro came on to pitch in the sixth inning with the game, and the season, on the line and a heavy rain dousing the field. After walking the first batter he faced, Kadien Kaiser, Perniciaro struck out the next three to send his team into today's state final vs. Fairview Park Gray. "I got in and I pitched and pitched until I won the game for my team. I pitched very well today," Perniciaro said. "I was really nervous and the ball was squishy and dirty because of the rain. When I got the final out I just wanted to jump up and down and have fun." Hubert and Maclin Nelson both scored two runs for Avon, which improved to 19-1. "Pitching and defense have been our two best things all season. To hold a team that good to two runs is awesome," Avon coach Joe Chaney said. "Both of these teams showed there was a reason why they were here. "(Julian) is stone-cold. He never talks about it's cold, it's hot, it's raining, so we knew he was the best one to go in the sixth. He's closed seven or eight games this year and he's done awesome." Including its four postseason wins, Avon has allowed five or fewer runs in nine of its last 10 games. Contact Todd Shapiro at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.