Blue Mountain League baseball finals: Finally, a game is played and the Orioles stay hot with 5-4 win

Egypt Orioles pitcher Joel Bartoni is a fast worker on the field and seems to make quicker exits when games are done. 
 
However, there is a very valid reason why he has been exiting those shows quickly. 
 
Many of them against the Lehigh Valley cross-state rival but outside of baseball, one teammate is a night-shift nurse at LVHN, Orioles player-manager, AJ Brosious informed. “I said to him, you have saved our lives and now you go and save couple of others’ lives, that is why he had to get out of here. 
 
Bartoni then went on to get the complete game on the hills as the Orioles came from a 3-2 lead to beat the Limeport Bulls 5-4 in the first of the two in the Blue Mountain League championship series being held at Egypt Memorial Park, Whitehall Township. 
 
The best of five series, which was interrupted by the rains for several days was again scheduled at 7 p. m. sunday at Limeport bulls. 
 
Bartoni, Emmaus High graduate, is admitting 10 hits with an allowance of two bases on balls, one of which was intentional, and 10 SOs. His biggest strikeout was No. 10, this when there was a pinch hitter, Damin Muth facing a full house, two outs in the top of the seventh and the O’s leading by one. 
 
“We were still in a position where we had a few players warmed up, and ready for the tip so, I have confidence in Joel,” Brosious said. “I wanted him against Muth because Muth has been a little banged up He is one of the outstanding hitters in the league and I felt that here was an excellent opportunity for Joel to get him out. 
 
The Orioles were swept by the Bulls in last year’s championship series, but seemed to be in distress during the initial game of the 2003 championship series after falling behind 3-2 in the top of the fifth after an RBI triple by the Bulls’ Dennis Pierce that came after a two-out RBI hit by Matt Dobeck. 
 
Pierce, another Quakertown High School ’19 and a product of the Lackawanna University, West Chester, and Valdosta teams, was 3-for-3 with a walk. One more out was made in the seventh and the bases were loaded. 
 
“Pierce, we do not know how to remove that kid from there,” Brosious told. 
 
Ludwick bounced into a fielder’s choice to score the Bulls’ final run in the seventh and Bartoni disposed of a Muth fast ball to end an exciting, closely played game between two teams which finished first with records of 18-8-1. 
 
The was the first of the postseason for the Bulls who swept both the Easton Falcons and Elite Sports Academy Avengers. 
 
“Looking at the Orioles, they are really a tough team, they are the defending champions after all,” remarked Limeport’s manager CJ Saliby. “The never surrender. They play and play. They can be down 10 all and they will continue chasing. There is no respite when it comes to them, you have to play the entire season when facing them. ” 
 
The Bulls held leads of 2-0 and 3-2 and had Gamble ace Cooper Michael ready on the hill. 
 
But with two outs in the bottom of the inning, Dom Bayo hit a single and Trey Hinkle was issued a walk then Brosious faced the moment to come through with a two-run double to tie the game. 
 
Ian Csencits, who perhaps is as sizzling as any bats man in the BML postseason, collected three hits and his homer in the bottom of the sixth was the clinching run. It did not affect Csencsits who also had a triple and an RBI single and games that are played five days apart are actually quite routine. 
 
“It is always a concern as a hitter to stay warm and when you do that, you also worry of maintaining that form,” he noted, the break having been caused by a five day gap between the games. “Frankly speaking, I merely took a little time for a break and get rid of some soreness I felt after the semi final matches. Essentially, I like taking the bat even in my spare time though I am not practicing but swinging the bat. Not to mention, I do not hit on some balls but I still take the bat. ” 
 
Csencsits and Brosious both nodded at hearing this; Brosius pointed out that they need to get Game 1 since Limeport is a difficult place to play and the Bulls are going to have another grizzled veteran hurler in Adam Maini. 
 
Csencsits described this one as being a big get “It was huge to get this one” “That is why it was important to get the number one seed when going into playoffs because it is an added advantage with a game at home and Limeport is not an easy place you play at, you need to be bold, it’s a rather unique atmosphere for an amateur baseball league and we have a good momentum here hoping to carry it to Game 2. ”