Parkland High School Baseball

The Parkland Trojans defeated Liberty in the LVC semi-final game at Hackett Park in Easton by a score of 4-3 and advance to the championship game tomorrow night against Whitehall.  The Trojans scored all of their runs early in the game scoring in each of the first 3 innings to take a 4-0 lead after 3 innings of play.  Parkland only had five base hits, but took advantage of walks, hit-by-pitch and Liberty miscues.  Liberty rallied late in the game scoring their first run in the 5th inning and then plated two more runs in the top of the 7th inning to close the gap to 4-3, but the game would end by the same score with Liberty threatening to score more in the 7th.

In the first inning, Brad Vasilik led off with a walk and after Alex Flynn (1-4) singled to put runners on first and second base, Damin Muth sacrifice bunted to move the runners over.  The next batter, Tyler Graeff (1-2, SF, run, RBI), then brought in the first run with a sacrifice fly to center field.  Parkland took a 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning when Chris Rabasco (1-3, run) led off the inning with a single and then moved up a base when Zack Merkle reached base on a Liberty error.  Rabasco later scored on a wild pitch.  In the 3rd inning, back-to-back singles by Graeff and Hudson Rabenold (1-3, run) followed by a Merkle hit-by-pitch loaded the bases.  An RBI single by Justin Afflerbach (1-2, BB, RBI) gave Parkland the 3-0 lead.  Another hit-by-pitch, this time Nate Case, forced home Parkland's fourth run. 

Starting pitcher Tyler Duff worked 5+ innings allowing one run on six hits and two walks.  Duff struck out four.  Duff held Liberty scoreless until the 5th inning when the first three Liberty batters of the inning each singled to load the bases with no outs.  Duff worked out of the jam allowing only the one run to score on a sacrifice fly and getting out of the inning with a strikeout and another flyball.  Alex Flynn relieved Duff in the 6th inning and pitched 1 1/3 innings allowing two runs on four hits and one walk.  Liberty rallied to score two runs in the 7th inning to close within one run of tying the game.  After Liberty then put runners on first and second with only one out and threatening to not only tie the game, but plate the go-ahead run, Gabe Mosser relieved Flynn.  Mosser was calm in the pressure situation and promptly put an end to any further Liberty threat by striking out the two batters he faced to preserve the win and earn a much deserved save.