Parkland High School Baseball

The Parkland Trojans scored three runs in the 1^st inning, ten in the 2^nd inning, and five more in the 3^rd inning to beat the visiting Dieruff Huskies 18-3 in a three-inning, mercy-rule shortened game.  The Trojans collected 11 hits along with 9 walks and one hit-by-pitch, taking advantage of struggling Dieruff pitching and defense.  On the mound, Connor Higgins earned his first win of the season allowing three runs, all unearned, on two hits with four walks, while striking out nine.  Dieruff rallied for three runs in the 3^rd inning, taking advantage of two dropped third strikes to reach base safely and a timely base hit.

Parkland loaded the bases in the 1^st inning on two walks and a hit batter.  Hudson Rabenold (1-for-2, RBI, run) drove home the first run with an RBI groundout after Justin Afflerbach (0-for-1, BB, run) and Chris Rabasco (1-for-1, BB, RBI, 2 runs) reached on walks.  After Zach Merkle (0-for-1, HBP, 2 runs) reached base with a hit-by-pitch, Parkland scored runs on a wild pitch and Dieruff error for the 3-0 lead after one inning of play.  The Trojans blew the game open with 10 runs in the bottom of the 2^nd inning.  Jeff Strisovsky (2-for-3, double, RBI, 2 runs) led off the inning with a deep drive off the left field fence for a double, just missing a homerun.  Brad Vasilik (1-for-2, RBI, run) hit an RBI single to plate Strisovsky and Vasilik would later score on a Rabasco RBI single.  Rhett Jacoby (1-for-2, 2 RBI, run) added an RBI single, Alex Flynn (0-for-0, 2 BB, RBI, run) an RBI bases loaded walk, and Strisovsky collected his second hit of the inning with an RBI single.  Isaac Neal (1-for-1, BB, 2 runs) hit an RBI single in the inning, and Evan McAndrew (2-for-2, 4 RBI, run) finished the scoring in the 2^nd inning driving in two Parkland base runners with a single to give the Trojans a 13-0 lead after two innings of play.  McAndrew finished the day with four RBI’s.

In the 3^rd innings, Alec Bartholomew (1-for-1, run) led off with a single followed by a Dan Zaccaro (0-for-0, BB, run) base on balls.  After Bartholomew scored on a wild pitch, walks to Neal and Tanner Stufflet (0-for-0, 2 BB, run) loaded the bases.  Zaccaro scored on a passed ball and McAndrew singled again to drive in two more runs.  Harrison Rabenold (1-for-2) would add another Parkland base hit in the inning before the game would end when McAndrew scored on a wild pitch.