Parkland High School Baseball

The Parkland Trojans ended their 3-game skid with a non-conference win over visiting Pleasant Valley by a score of 4-0.  Starting pitcher Connor Higgins was outstanding on the mound blanking Pleasant Valley through six innings of work.  Pleasant Valley did not get a base runner past second base until the 6th inning when they put runners on second and third, but Higgins quickly ended the threat with a strikeout to end the inning.  In his six shutout innings on the mound, Higgins allowed three base hits, all singles, walked three, and had nine strikeouts.

The Trojans went up 1-0 in the 1st inning when Zach Merkle (0-for-1, two HBP, two runs) was hit by a pitch to reach first base.  After stealing second base, Merkle scored the first run of the game on a RBI double by Chris Rabasco (3-for-3, two doubles, 3 RBI, run).  After going down quietly in the second and third innings, Parkland took a 2-0 lead in the 4th inning when Rabasco hit his second double of the game to lead off the inning.  With two outs, Justin Afflerbach (1-for-2, RBI) came through with an RBI single to score Rabasco.  Parkland got more breathing room in the 5th inning when Brad Vasilik (1-for-2, run) led off with a single and Merkle got hit with another pitch to put runners on first and second with no outs.  Jeff Strisovsky executed a sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third with one out.  Rabasco then singled for his third hit of the day to drive in two more runs and put the Trojans in the lead by a score of 4-0 after five innings of play.

With the pitching of Higgins and reliever Evan McAndrew, the four runs were more than enough for the Trojans to earn their 10th win of the season.  McAndrew came on to pitch the 7th inning and promptly struck out the side in order, throwing only 11 pitches.