Parkland High School Baseball

Connor Higgins struck out six batters today to increase his 2015 season total to 70 strikeouts, but the most important three strikeouts of the year came in the 6th and 7th innings of today's PIAA state quarterfinal matchup against the Council Rock North Indians.  Clinging to a 2-1 lead in the 6th inning, Higgins found himself with the bases full of Indians with one out.  Higgins struck out the next two batters to leave the bases loaded and get out of the jam.  With the same score in the top of the 7th inning, Higgins proceeded to strikeout CRN's dangerous lead off hitter for his third strikeout in a row.   The Trojans got the final two outs in that inning for the 2-1 victory and now move on to the PIAA state semifinals on Monday with a matchup against Wyoming Valley West.

Higgins finished his complete game performance allowing one run on three base hits and five walks and improves his season record to 10-0.  In addition to the 6th inning jam, he worked out of another jam in the third inning when the first two batters of the inning reached base on a walk and bunt single.  However, Higgins retired the next three batters on flyouts to strand the base runners. 

The Trojans jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Justin Afflerbach (1-2, BB, 2R) ended up on second base after a swinging bunt and throwing error.  Chris Rabasco (2-2, BB, RBI) then lined an RBI  single to right-center to score Afflerbach.   The Trojans only managed four base hits in the game with Rabasco collecting his second hit of the game with a two-out single in third inning.  Austin Mueller (1-2, BB) had Parkland's other base hit when he singled with one out in the fourth inning.  Parkland did take advantage of five base on balls.  Parkland had a chance to open up the game in the 4th inning.  They loaded the bases with one out with Mueller's single and two walks that forced CRN to go to their bullpen.  After getting a strikeout for the second out, Jeff Strisovsky laced a line drive that was caught by the diving shortstop of CRN to end the inning.

CRN scored their lone run of the game in the 5th inning and threatened to put more runs on the board if not for another terrific defensive play, this time by the Trojans' shortstop.  A lead off walk followed by a sacrifice bunt put an Indian runner on second base with one out.  After getting the second out, CRN's lead off hitter was intentionally walked.  The next CRN batter singled up the middle to tie the game at 1-1.  With runners on first and second with two outs, a hard ground ball up the middle appeared headed for centerfield.  Shortstop Rabasco made a diving play on the ball behind the bag at second base and flipped the ball from his knees to second baseman Tyler Bruno for the inning-ending force out at second base. 

Even though CRN tied the game in the 5th inning, the momentum shifted in favor of the Trojans after that run-saving defensive play.  With base hits hard to come by, the Trojans regained the lead in the bottom half of the 5th inning without any base hits in the inning.  Afflerbach and Rabasco walked to start the inning and Bruno sacrifice bunted to put Trojan runners on second and third base with one out.  Evan McAndrew (0-2, sac fly, RBI) then drove a fly ball to right field for a sacrifice flyout to score Afflerbach and give Parkland a 2-1 lead.   

Higgins made the new lead stick.  After dodging the 6th inning bases loaded jam, he went on to retire the Indians in order in the top of the 7th for the win.  Higgins did it all in the 7th inning.  After striking out the lead off hitter, he snagged a hard line drive that had eyes for centerfield for the second out, and then fielded a ground ball comebacker for the final out of the game.