Parkland High School Baseball

The JV Trojans remained undefeated with a convincing 9-1 over visiting Freedom.  The JV's pounded out 8 hits with Tyler Bruno leading the way going 2-for-4 with 4 RBI's, along with Alec Bartholomew who was 2-for-3 with an RBI.  The JV's scored three runs with two outs in the 2nd inning.  Bruno drove in the first two runs with a single, followed by Jeff Strisovsky (1-for-2, RBI) who singled in the next run.   Bruno drove in another pair of runs with a single in the 4th inning.  Kyle Novobilski (1-for-2), Connor Higgins (1-for-2), and Jarrod Afflerbach (1-for-1) each added a hit each.  Tanner Stufflet added an RBI sacrifice fly.  On the mound, starting pitcher Higgins worked 4 innings striking out eight batters, while Stufflet struck out three in two innings of work, and Strisovsky finished it working the 7th inning.

The Parkland Trojans took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the 7th inning today thanks to Brad Vasilik's (2-for-5, run, 2 RBI) go-ahead, two out, RBI single that broke the 2-2 tie, but Freedom managed to tie the game again with a run in the bottom of the 7th inning.  After a walk-off win a few weeks ago in extra innings against Freedom, the Trojans needed extra innings again to defeat Freedom 5-3, this time in 9 innings. 

Parkland was held hitless through five innings of play, but enjoyed a 1-0 lead nonetheless thanks to two Freedom errors in the 4th inning that allowed the game's first run to score.  Parkland finally got its first hits of the game in the 6th inning on consecutive singles by Justin Afflerbach (1-for-5, 2 runs) and Damin Muth (1-for-5).  Afflerbach later scored Parkland's second run on a wild pitch. 

Starting pitcher Tyler Duff held Freedom scoreless until the 6th inning when Freedom tied the game at 2-2 after Freedom strung together a few hits.  In 5 2/3 innings of work, Duff scattered a total of seven hits, walked none, and struck out eight batters.  Reliever Alex Flynn came on in the bottom of the 6th with two outs and ended the Freedom threat.  Flynn would go on to finish out the game, working 3 1/3 innings on the mound, allowing three hits and one walk (intentional), and striking out three.

After a scoreless 8th inning, Jordan Jones (1-for-3, HBP, run) led off the 9th inning with a single.  After advancing to third on a ground-out and wild pitch, Jones scored the go-ahead run thanks again to Vasilik who hit a 2-out RBI infield single.  Vasilik would come around to score after stealing second base followed by a Freedom error on a ground ball off the bat of Afflerbach.  Flynn then held Freedom batters hitless in the bottom of the 9th to secure the 5-3 win.

Sophomore Justin Afflerbach pitched 3 1/3 innings of shutout baseball against visiting Governor Mifflin in his first varsity start on the mound, leading the Trojans to a 4-0 win over Governor Mifflin.  Afflerbach allowed three hits and two walks, and struck out one batter before handing the ball to reliever Gabe Mosser in the 4th inning.  Mosser continued the strong effort from the mound, pitching the rest of the way in 3 2/3 innings of work, earning his first varsity win of the season.  Mosser allowed only one base hit and no walks, while striking out three Governor Mifflin batters. 

The Trojans got on the scoreboard in the first inning when Alex Flynn (1-for-3, BB, 2 R) singled and then later scored when Tyler Graeff (1-for-2, 2B, BB, RBI) doubled to left center field.  The Trojans took a 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning when Jordan Jones (2-for-2, BB, RBI) singled on a pop up that dropped in the infield and came around to score later in the inning on a Brad Vasilik (2-for-4, RBI) single.  After walks to Flynn, Damin Muth, and Graeff to load the bases in the  5th inning, the Trojans scored two more runs on RBI infield singles by Adam Schneck (1-for-3, RBI) and Jones.  With the win, the Trojans improved their season record to 7-1.

The Parkland JV baseball team remained undefeated with a convincing 14-0 win over visiting Dieruff in a 5-inning, mercy rule shortened game.   Four Parkland pitchers combined for the shutout.  Starter Jeff Strisovsky went two innings with three strikeouts and Isaac Neal struck out the side in the 3rd inning.  Evan McAndrew and Kyle Novobilski each worked one inning apiece with Novobilski striking out two Dieruff batters.  Tanner Stufflet led the hitting attack going 3-for-3 with three doubles.  Jarrod Afflerbach and Kyle Friebolin were both 2-for-3 at the plate, and Neal roped a triple off the left field fence.  McAndrew, AJ Konya, and Anthony Sorrentino each contributed one hit each.

Seniors Damin Muth and Tyler Graeff had big days at the plate today to lead the Trojans to a 12-4 win over Dieruff.  Muth was 4-for-5 with a double and a triple and drove in five Parkland runs to lead the offensive attack, while Graeff was 3-for-5 with a triple, homerun and four RBI's.  With Parkland enjoying a 4-1 lead in the 3rd inning of play, Dieruff mounted a rally scoring two runs to close the gap to 4-3.  With Dieruff looking to put more on the board with runners on base with only one out, Muth, Parkland's catcher, took control with his arm and picked off two Deiruff base runners to end the threat.  Parkland scored runs in every inning of the game, but one.  They put the game out of reach with four runs in the 7th inning, capped off by a towering 3-run homerun by Graeff (3-5, 3B, 3-run HR, 2 R, 4 RBI) that landed on the stone staircase in centerfield.

Alex Flynn earned his second win of the season pitching 3 2/3 innings of shutout baseball in relief of starter Rhett Jacoby.  Flynn allowed only two hits with no walks and struck out seven Dieruff batters.  Jacoby worked 3 1/3 innings allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out two.   Other Parkland batters contributing at the plate were Brad Vasilik (2-5, 3 R, 2 RBI), Adam Schneck (1-3, 2B), Ryan Dumbach (1-1), and Zack Merkle (1-1, R).