Scrappers rally, win a wild one

July 4, 2011 at 12:08a.m.

NILES

Casey Serna has spent the past several years trying to forget his name.

In seventh grade, a substitute teacher accidentally misread his name out loud as “Cassie” and the youngster faced constant teasing. Now 21 and going by “KC” for annunciation ease, Serna is probably going to have his name remembered.

Serna hit a dribbler past third base for the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the ninth inning to launch the Mahoning Valley Scrappers to a 12-11 win over the Batavia Muckdogs at Eastwood Field on Sunday. It was part of an offensive fireworks display on the eve of America’s 235th birthday.

A native of sunny California, Serna said it felt great to be the player responsible for the win.

“To be honest with you, I was just pumped that we got the ‘W,’” Serna said. “Obviously, it’s always fun to be in that kind of spot, I’m just fortunate it was me. I feel like anybody on our team could have gotten the job done.”

The fireworks started early for the Scrappers (11-6) for the second consecutive night. The home team was down 3-1 after the first, and had to claw back several times — the last in the team’s final half inning. And after an 8-3 loss the day before, Serna was happy for the change of fortune Sunday.

“It’s a lot of fun. We’re about to go into the locker room and listen to some good music,” he said. “Yesterday we didn’t have any music and it was all quiet.”

KC and his Sunshine Band had 16 hits, two more than the Muckdogs (7-10). The offensive explosion was half good hitting and half bad pitching and miscues. The teams combined for six errors – three by both teams.

But the win gave the Scrappers a feel-good way to start the Fourth of July festivities.

Serna and his teammates enjoyed a barbecue after the game to celebrate the holiday — they hit the bus shortly after the game for a two-game series in Batavia, N. Y., beginning today.

Scrappers first-year manager David Wallace said it’s nice to be on the winning end of a grueling game like Sunday’s — which lasted more than three hours.

“Once again I’m proud of our guys for how they stuck in there, and when things weren’t going our way we didn’t fold,” Wallace said. “We figured out a way to get through the situation and give ourselves a win at the end.”

Wallace said he was happy for Serna, who went 4-for-5. Wallace said Serna has had quality at-bats but hasn’t had much to show for it as of late.

But in the ninth inning, with the bases loaded and the game tied, Serna’s liner down the left-field line was just out of the reach of a diving Romulo Ruiz. Cody Elliott came in with the winning run.

So Wallace, Serna and the Scrappers had reason to celebrate. But how did they do it?

“To be honest, I’m out here in the middle of nowhere in Ohio and I have no idea what is out here,” Serna said. “So I’m just going to hang out with some of my teammates and watch fireworks. That’s what I like to do.”