POTOMAC PARK — American Division champion Culver Design keeps finding ways to pull out close games and the Builders used four unearned runs and some gutsy pitching by Trevor Moore to edge the National Division winner Cresaptown Eagles 4-3 in the opener of the Hot Stove League championship series on Monday evening at Hamilton Field.
In a battle of teams with long winning streaks, Culver Design lifted its league-best record to 23-1 with the Builders 17th straight win. The Eagles had their string snapped at 21 games will taking a 22-3 record into the second game on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Hamilton Field. A third game will be played on Friday, if necessary.
Moore went the route for the victory and didn’t allow an earned run. He allowed only five hits and had nine strikeouts and three walks. Over the seven innings he threw a total of 115 pitches.
“I think the first game of every playoff series has been close like this,” said Culver Design manager Craig Chaney, “These guys never quit and I believe panic is never there. We have been behind in a lot of games and found ways to come back.”
About Moore’s pitching, the Builders’ manager said he was really thinking about taking him out in the sixth inning when he had 106 pitches.
“Trevor begged me to leave him in,” said Chaney. “He probably didn’t have his best stuff, but he made a lot of big pitches when he was behind on the count and had to get the ball over.”
Culver Design scored three unearned runs in the second inning to take the early lead and got the winning run in the bottom of the fifth inning without a hit off reliever Travis Milburn. Cresaptown scored unearned runs in the third, fourth and field.
Josh Crawford reached on an infield error to open the fifth but was erased on a fielder’s choice groundout. Chris Wilson moved to third on a pair of passed balls and raced home on a grounder to shortstop.
In the Culver Design third, Ethan Taylor worked for a walk and an infield error on a grounder by Garrett Crawford had runners on first and second. A passed ball and wild pitch allowed the first run to score and Moore then aided his own cause with a two-run single.
Cresaptown threatened to get to Moore in the first when Ryan Keifer singled and Chris Fram walked. Keifer then attempted to score on a hard single to left by pitcher Kevin Myers, but was nailed at the plate on a perfect throw by Dane Heavener.
The Eagles got their first run in the third when Keifer reached on an error and scored on a double by Myers, who ended up getting picked off second. In the fourth, Kyle Poissonnier got on when the ball got away from the catcher on a third strike. He then scored on a wild pitch.
Cresaptown tied the score in the fifth. Keifer singled, stole second and third and came in on an error on a grounder by Milburn.
Myers worked the first three innings and allowed three hits while striking out five and walking two. Milburn came on to finish the game and the only hit he allowed was a double by Brandon Timbrook in the fourth.
Steve Luse is a retired Cumberland Times-News sportswriter. He can be reached at sluse@times-news.com.
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Steve Bittner/Times-News
Moore lifts Culver Design
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