Parkland High School Baseball

When senior right-handed pitcher Alex Flynn retired the side in order in the top of the 1st inning and when Liberty pitching allowed three walks and one hit in the bottom of the 1st inning, the game had the makings of an easy win for the Trojans in their 4A District XI semi-final matchup against Liberty.  However, the Trojans would only manage to score one run in that first inning, an RBI walk by Zach Merkle, as Liberty turned an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded to quickly change the complexion of the game.  A classic pitcher's duel followed for the next six innings of play.

Flynn pitched brilliantly going six strong innings on the mound allowing four hits and two walks while striking out four.  After taking the 1-0 lead in the 1st inning, the next thirteen Trojan batters managed only one base hit, a two-out double by Chris Rabasco (2-for-3, 2B, RBI) in the 3rd inning.  Liberty tied the game at 1-1 in the 3rd inning when they put together two hits and a walk, scoring the tying run on a two-out RBI single.  Flynn went on to retire nine of the next eleven Liberty batters, including striking out the side in order in the 5th inning. 

Parkland had a chance to break the tie in the 4th inning when Hudson Rabenold and Justin Afflerbach reached base on walks, but they would be stranded on base.  In the bottom of the 5th inning, Flynn (1-for-2, BB, run) led off with a single and advanced to second base on a well executed sacrifice bunt by Jeff Strisovsky (0-for-1, BB, sac bunt).  With pinch runner Andrew Roth at second base, Rabasco delivered his second hit of the game with a line drive to centerfield to score the go-ahead run when Roth slid into home safely just beating the throw from the centerfielder.   Gabe Mosser (1-for-3) and Zach Miiller (1-for-3) each collected singles to round out the Trojan offense.

With the 2-1 lead in hand, Parkland's pitching remained strong.  Flynn finished the 6th inning unscathed allowing a harmless single.  Relief pitcher Rhett Jacoby then took over in the 7th inning and quickly dampened the cheers coming from the Liberty dugout.  Jacoby struck out the side in order to earn a well-deserved save and send the Parkland Trojans to the 4A District XI championship game to be played next Wednesday, May 28, at 6:30 PM against Stroudsburg at Coca-Cola Park.