Parkland High School Baseball

Senior Night on Thursday saw yet another crop of Seniors take the field at the Trojan Sandlot with their parents, and as hugs and kisses were exchanged all around, past coaches were acknowledged and thanked for their mentoring as Seniors CK Kinsley #2, Cullan Wadsworth #4, Adam Mellinger #5, AJ Palumbo #6, Ethan Russell #7, Dylan Miller #9, Collin Duff #11 and Will Algard #14 offered thanks to many and advice and words of wisdom to underclassmen prior to the Trojans taking on the Blue Eagles from Nazareth.

Fittingly, Senior Collin Duff got the nod on the mound for the Trojans as George Jenkins settled in behind the plate. Duff and the Trojan D were stingy on this night as Duff struck out 5 and held the Blue Eagles scoreless through 5 innings of play, with the Eagles plating there only run of the game with 2 outs prior to Duff’s exit in the sixth. Offensively the Trojans got on the board in the bottom of the 2nd after Jared Kuharchuck singled and was driven in on a Matt Ervolina double to give the Trojans the early 1-0 lead. Cullan Wadsworth had a double to the gap in the bottom of the 3rd but was LOB. In the bottom of the 4th Adam Mellinger led off with a walk and stole 2nd prior to and Adam Smith single who took 2nd uncontested, but the pair were LOB and the score remained 1-0 Trojans after 4. Duff & the Trojans retired the Eagles in order in the Top of the 5th, with the bottom of the frame that saw both Cullan Wadsworth and Dylan Miller reach base via the free pass only to be LOB. The team from Nazareth tied it up in the top of the 6th 1-1 and Koby Staivecki came on in relief of Duff and was treated to a Cullan Wadsworth diving web gem catch in CF to end the inning with a runner on base. In the bottom of the 6th Jared Kuharchuck doubled and Matt Ervolina reached on error, Kuharchuck was moved to 3rd on a Ethan Russell SacFly with Ervolina later taking 2nd uncontested but the pair were LOB. The Eagles got a runner on in the top of the 7th looking to mount a rally but George Jenkins promptly dispatched that theory as he picked the runner off first after a failed bunt attempt by the Nazareth batter at the plate. Dylan Miller was HBP and stole 2nd in the bottom of the 7th but was LOB. With Staivecki still working efficiently in relief for the Trojans the Blue Eagles took another run at a rally in the top of the 8th getting a runner to 3rd with 1 out but Staivecki and the Trojans held and headed to the bottom half tied 1-1. Adam Smith started the inning with a single and was pinch ran for by Austin Imler who was advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch and then third on a Jared Kuharchuck SacBunt. Imler then scored as Matt Ervolina hit the ball to the first baseman and Imler crossed the plate safely for another Trojan Walk Off Victory.