ST. CLAIRSVILLE - Following a monumental meltdown 24 hours earlier, Toronto Post 86 was seeking a much-needed reversal of fortune.
"No question, we really needed this one," smiled Post 86 skipper Steve Sninchak after his team scored a 3-0 Thursday evening road victory over St. Clairsville Post 159.
Toronto was coming off a Wednesday nightmare for the ages when visiting Cadiz scored eight times in the top of the seventh to post a stunning 10-9 comeback triumph.
But Post 86 starter Jarin McIntosh and reliever Ralph King made sure lightning would not strike twice.
"We're only 4-13 but have been in just about every game," Sninchak advised. "We've been finding ways to lose, so it was great to see the guys go out and get one, especially on the road."
McIntosh overcame a shaky start, then settled in to pitch lights-out in recording the win. The righthander recorded three strikeouts and allowed five walks.
St. Clairsville, meanwhile, was its own worst enemy. Post 159 was guilty of six fielding errors and a major seventh inning base-running mistake.
"We didn't have a full roster tonight but take nothing away from Toronto. They flat-out beat us," St. Clairsville skipper Bruce Myers explained. "We left nine runners on base and had another one picked off (in the seventh).
"That's a lot of missed opportunities."
Toronto took advantage of three St. Clairsville misplays in the top of the third to take a 1-0 lead. Two innings later, shortstop Tyler Owens doubled to lead off the fifth. After center fielder John Marriner reached on an infield hit, King clubbed a run-scoring double and it was 2-0.
Marriner walked in the seventh and eventually came around to score the final run via another St. Clairsville error.
St. Clairsville had two runners on in the seventh before King whirled and picked off the runner at second base. Following a walk, left fielder John Romey tracked down Tyler McGary's drive to left-center to end it.
Toronto 3, St. Clairsville 0
Toronto 001 010 1 - 3 5 0
St Clairsville 000 000 0 - 0 4 6
TORONTO: McIntosh, King (7) and King, Melville (7).
ST. CLAIRSVILLE: Smith and Pritchard.
