Parkland High School Baseball

The Parkland Trojans opened the 2014 season with an 11-2 win over defending Pennsylvania state champion North Penn Knights.  The offense collected 9 hits with four doubles and capitalized on struggling Knight's pitching that allowed 7 walks and 2 hit batters.  Trojan pitching was also solid allowing 2 runs by way of a Knight 2-run homer while scattering 4 hits.  More impressively, the pitching combination of starting pitcher Gabe Mosser and Connor Higgins struck out a total of 14 Knight batters. 

Parkland scored its first two runners without collecting a base hit.  After loading the bases on two walks and a hit batter, two wild pitches plated the first two runs for a 2-0 Trojan lead in the second inning.  Jeff Strisovsky (1-for-2, BB, RBI, run) then drove in Parkland's third run with an RBI single.  In the third inning, Chris Rabasco (2-for-4, two 2B, RBI, 2 runs) got things going with a double.  After two walks loaded the bases, Alex Flynn (0-for-1, two BB, RBI, run) drove in a run with an RBI ground out and Rhett Jacoby (1-for-1, BB, RBI, run) made it 5-0 Parkland with an RBI infield single.  The Trojans then broke it open in the 6th inning scoring 6 runs.  After a Strisovsky walk and Brad Vasilik (1-for-4, run) single, Justin Afflerbach (1-for-4, RBI, run) hit an RBI single to plate Strisovsky.  Rabasco followed with his second double of the day to drive in Vasilik.  Hudson Rabenold (1-for-2, 2B, BB, 2 RBI, 2 runs) then drove the ball off the wall in right field for a 2-RBI double that barely missed being a homerun.  A single by Zach Merkle (1-for-3, BB, 2 runs) put runners on the corners then pinch hitter Tanner Stufflet (1-for-1, 2B, 2 RBI) drove a ball over the right fielders head for a 2-RBI double. 

Starting pitcher Mosser worked 3 2/3 innings allowing 2 runs on 2 hits, while striking out 5 and walking three batters for the win.  Higgins worked 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief allowing two hits and striking out an amazing 9 batters.