Parkland High School Baseball

Winning championships are not easy, especially in high school baseball where the single elimination format leaves no margin for mistakes.  In their 60+ year history, Parkland High School baseball has won their share of division and conference championships, but they have never won back-to-back District titles in consecutive seasons.  All of that changed tonight at Coca-Cola Park in front of a great crowd of fans as Parkland downed Stroudsburg by a score of 3-0 to win the 2014 District XI Championship for the second year in a row.  The challenge of repeating as District XI champions was particularly daunting as Parkland not only faced an unfamiliar foe in Stroudsburg High School, but also had to go up against arguably the best pitcher they have faced all season in Alabama recruit Mike Nikorak. 

Parkland countered with their ace, senior Gabe Mosser.  Mosser was in command the entire game despite a couple of Stroudsburg base runners in the early innings.  A lead off single  in the 1st inning was not a problem as Mosser retired the next three batters in a row.  In the 2nd inning, two singles put Stroudsburg runners on first and third base with one out, but Mosser proceeded to strike out the next two batters to end the inning.  For the next five innings, Mosser did not allow a Stroudsburg base runner beyond first base as he turned in a complete game shutout for the 3-0 victory.  Mosser scattered five hits with two walks and had 11 strikeouts.

Parkland hitters were unfazed by the mix of 92+ mph fastballs and good curveballs being thrown at them by Nikorak.  Parkland hitters came out swinging starting with a 1st inning single by Jeff Strisovsky (1-for-1, 2 BB, run).  Mosser (2-for-2, BB) also swung a good bat tonight.  He led off the 3rd inning with a single and gave way to courtesy runner Andrew Roth.  After Roth stole second base, Justin Afflerbach (1-for-3) singled to move Roth to third base, but Afflerbach was tagged out trying to advance to second base.  Alex Flynn (1-for-2, sac fly, RBI, run) then drove a ball to right field to score Roth on a sacrifice fly and give Parkland a 1-0 lead. 

In the 5th inning, Flynn singled and Strisovsky walked to start the inning.  Zach Miiller (1-for-3, RBI) then hit a chopper for an infield single that plated Flynn.  A throwing error on the same play allowed Strisovsky to score to give Parkland the 3-0 lead.  Three runs were more than enough for Mosser as he collected his fourth shutout victory of the season to send Parkland to the PIAA State playoffs slated to start next Monday.