Parkland High School Baseball

The JV Trojans took a close one over the Kids scoring two in the bottom of the seventh for a 6-5 Victory on Wednesday at Trojans Stadium. The mound trio of Koby Staivecki,Tanner Lehr and Phillip Schoch limited the Kids to 5 runs, striking out five and walking five while waiting for the offense to mount the comeback in the bottom of the seventh that sealed a dramaticvictory over the Kids from Northampton.

Offensively Hani Kitabwalla (2) Jared Kucharczuk (1) Austin Imler (1) Austin Brockel (1) Joseph Webber (1) all scored to makeup the six Trojan runs. With Imler and Webber scoring the decisive runs in the seventh and Kitabwalla producing the game winning hit. As a whole the offense on the day received hits from Josh Miller, Webber, Kucharczuk & Kitabwalla.

The JV Trojans travelled to Liberty on Thursday but unfortunately could not mount the same type of offensive magic that translated to a blowout and come from behind victory in the first two games of the season. Couple that with the fact that Liberty was able to put 8 runs on the board against the Trojan Defense  and pitching trio of Alex Oliver, Andrew Sorrentino and Mitchell Marciniak and it adds up to the first loss of the season for JV.

 Offensively the JV Squad went down in order in the first and third innings except for a Matthew Ervolina HBP and in the second and fourth the only Trojans to reach base were Julian Nalesnik (1B, BB), Joshua Miller (BB). The fith saw Jared Kucharczuk reach base with a Triple & Ervolina get HBP for the second time on the day. The sixth & seventh saw Hani Kitabwalla and Joseph Webber as the only men on base both reaching after singles.

On a sunny and beautiful 80 degree day at Coca Cola Park the Trojans shut out Northampton with strong defense supporting a complete game by Mike Jenkins and the hot bat of first baseman Matt Mellinger. Mellinger finished a homerun shy of the cycle as he hit the ball hard all over the yard  at Coca Cola Park in every at bat. Jenkins, once again, put on a clinic in pitching efficiently and inducing ground balls, yielding 3 hits and no walks while striking out two. The action started in the top of the 2nd when Austin Mueller singled and Matt Mellinger plated him with a triple and later scored on a wild pitch to put the Trojans up 2-0. Jenkins and the Trojans retired the Kids 3 up 3 down in the bottom half of the inning. Top of the 3rd saw Adam Mellinger and Mike Jenkins single but were left on base. In the bottom of the 3rd the Kids were set down in order.

The top of the 4th and the Trojans loaded the bases after Matt Mellinger singled, Adam Smith singled and were advanced to 2nd & 3rd on a perfectly executed Ethan Imler sacrifice bunt. Dylan Miller then reached base via an error. With the bases loaded CK Kinsley singled 2 runners home and Mike Jenkins plated Kinsley & Miller with a single and advanced to 2nd on an error. Jeremy Piatkiewicz pinch running for Jenkins then scored on a single by Cullan Wadsworth. After 3 ½ the Trojans had built the lead to 7-0. In the top of the 5th Matt Mellinger added a double to his day advancing to 3rd on a Adam Smith single and later scored on a Dylan Miller ground out and the Trojans led 8-0 over the Kids. In the top of the 6th Cullan Wadsworth doubled and Austin Mueller walked but the Trojans left them on base. The Kids then were retired in order in the bottom of the 6th. The Trojans offense saw Adam Smith walk and Will Algard single in the Top of the 7th. You know it’s a great day at a great venue culminating in a W when your starting pitcher, 1st baseman and Coach are all in front of the cameras after the game.

It has been said that the true test of character is revealed in times of adversity. If that is the case, the Judicious Trojans of 2017 will have a chance to show what they are made of the balance of the season after a tough loss to Liberty on Thursday night; on the Trojans home field when victory seemed well at hand after a late game rally to tie the game and then take the lead. 

The Top of the 1st started with the Trojans defense and starter Ryan Giovenco working around a walk and an error to get out of the inning with a Smith to Kinsley to Mellinger double play (6-4-3) shut the door on a Liberty threat. The bottom of the 1st saw the Trojan lineup retired in order. Liberty scored first to take the lead in the Top of the 2 on a single and an error. In the bottom half of the inning both Austin Mueller and Adam Smith reached via walk but were left on base. Giovenco and the Trojans got thru the Top of the 3rd working around a walk. In the bottom of the 3rd the Trojans got their first hit of the game when CK Kinsley singled but was left on base. Giovenco set Liberty down in order in the 4th via a ground out and 2 K’s.

The bottom of the 4th saw the Trojans threaten for the first time after Austin Mueller singled and found his way to third when Matt Mellinger grounded out to the right side. Unfortunately, the threat stalled there. Giovenco and the Trojan Defense made quick work of Liberty in the top of the 5th. In the Bot 5 the Trojans broke thru to tie the game. Ethan Imler singled and Jeremy Piatkiewicz was brought in to pinch run, CK Kinsley sac bunt & reached first on an error by the pitcher. After Liberty got the out at third on a sac bunt attempt by Will Algard; Kinsley scored from second to tie the game on a Cullan Wadsworth single to tie the game at 1-1. Giovenco and the Trojans retired Liberty quickly in the 6th working around a walk. The bottom of the 6th saw the Trojans take the lead after Matt Mellinger ROE followed by an Adam Mellinger single and Matt Mellinger scoring on an error and for the first time in the game the Trojans led 2-1.

Giovenco’s day was done after 6 strong innings and only giving up a run, after facing 1 batter in the Top of the 7th. From that point on things unraveled fast for the Trojans and before you knew it the Trojans with Liberty having put 4 runs on the board to take the lead 5-2. The damage could have been worse if not for a Jenkins to Mueller to Mellinger double play (5-2-3) stifled what could have been an even bigger inning. In the bottom of the 7th Dylan Miller and Mike Jenkins singled but the Trojans did not mount enough of a threat to get back in the game and that quickly the Trojans suffered their first loss of the season.