Parkland High School Baseball

In an early start to the 4pm game at Freedom, many fans were still evaluating whether they should take Rt 22, Rt 378 or a combination of Schoenersville, Linden or any other number of ways as the first pitch was thrown.   Thank goodness for WAZE as the arrivals started to come in clusters.  As the Trojan fans came they were delighted when they saw a bright “5”on the scoreboard for the visitors.  “What Happened” people asked?  Well, they could not have started any hotter.   A Jake Donmoyer single to left started it all, followed by hard hit ball down the 3rd base line by Joe Algard that was unable to be cleanly fielded that 3rd baseman and the rally was just beginning.   A perfectly placed bunt down the 3rd base line by Bryce Ratliff got the bases loaded.   The kids were energized, hollering enthusiastic applause for their Trojan Teammates.   After a couple of outs, there was concern.   Would this potential big rally die too quickly?   Well Owen Lehr worked a bases loaded rbi walk to get things started.  Then the tall first baseman, AJ Carpenter slashed a single to left field knocking in 2 more runs.  Then the clutch hitting of Taiki Horiguchi occurred as he casually placed a ball halfway between the center and right fielders to plate 2 more Trojans.   There you have it….5 runs in the first.  

With one knowledgable parent reporting that Owen Lehr was feeling good prior to the game, the first inning could not have gone better.   Even with an unusually low pitching mound, Owen was able to fool the leadoff hitter into a grounder to first and that play by Carpenter who nicely flipped the ball to the Pitcher while in stride was a good predictor of how the game would go.   A 1….2….3 inning was a good start for the Red and Gray.   However, the offense couldn’t do much more and the 2nd inning had some unmagical things happen with each batted ball taking unusual directions to fool the Parkland infielders and Pitcher.   3 runs were ultimately scored when no hit ball went further than the middle of the infield dirt, but slightly deflected gloved balls gave Freedom the momentum they were hoping for in this battle.    The 5 to 3 score stayed on the scoreboard for each of the succeeding innings.  It started to feel like Parkland Baseball as the weather started getting nice and the team was starting to play some really good defense.   A pitchers best friends are the double play combination behind him.    In 2 innings, Lehr was able to induce double play ground balls that Bryce Ratliff flip to James Miskanic and a strong throw to AJ Carpenter was a thing of beauty to end each inning.    The kids were getting excited with positive vibes being heard throughout the stadium.   However, the only clean hit by Parkland in the final 6 innings was a sharp line drive to left center field by Luke Meehan. 

There were many key plays made by all the players in the game and catcher Luke Meehan was solid behind the plate.   With the close game, each hit ball became a key play in the game.   After 5 successful innings pitched and no earned runs Owen Lehr would root for his teammate in the final 2 innings.  He pitched well with more than 70% pitches for strikes  Although Mariano Rivera had the most multi-inning saves in the last 3 decades with 109, Trojan JV hurler, Ty Tremba got his first in just his 3rd outing this year.   Tremba was magnificent in getting all 6 batters out in the 2 innings he faced for the multi-inning save.   Ty was lights out as his fastball had some extra zip against the 8 win and 2 loss Freedom Patriots.

The team looked good, the players were energized and it was a nice win for the young Trojan team, trying to find their stride!