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Bethlehem Catholic handed Parkland its third straight loss beating the Trojans by a score of 6-2. Like they did the day before, the Trojans got off to a good first inning start. The Trojans loaded the bases when Zach Merkle (1-for-3, HBP, run) led off the game with a single, Chris Rabasco reached base on a walk and Hudson Rabenold (1-for-2, HBP, BB) reached base when he was hit by a pitch. Merkle scored to put the Trojans up 1-0 on an RBI fielder's choice hit by Zach Miiller. Another walk, this time to Jeff Strisovsky (1-for-2, BB, RBI), loaded the bases again, but the inning would end with all three runners left on base.
Starting pitcher Gabe Mosser worked 1+ inning and left the game due to injury. Mosser allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on one base hit and three walks, while striking out one. Bethlehem Catholic tied the game at 1-1 after scoring a run in the bottom of the 1st inning. Bethlehem Catholic went on to score three runs in the 2nd inning and take a 4-1 lead. Parkland got one run back in the 3rd inning when Brad Vasilik (1-for-4) led off with a bunt single. Walks to Rabenold and Miiller loaded the bases again. An RBI fielder's choice hit by Strisovsky plated Rabasco, who had reached base on a fielder's choice, to put the score at 4-2. Although the Trojans would load the bases yet again, this time in the 5th inning, they could not manage to score another run in the game.
Alex Flynn came on in relief of the injured Mosser in the 2nd inning and worked a total of three innings allowing three runs (1 earned) on six hits, one walk, and two strikeouts. Rabasco pitched two scoreless innings of relief, working the final two innings of the game allowing two hits, no walks, and three strikeouts.
Parkland JV Trojans Defeat BeCAHi in 5 Innings
In bottom of the second inning Parkland got a lead off single by Bollu and RBI double by Friebolin. Mellinger grounded out to a fielder's choice to score a run. Novobilski came through with a RBI single to make it 10-0 after two innings of play. In the top of the 3rd, Bethlehem Catholic got a run on walks and a single to make the score 10-1. Parkland answered back in the bottom of the 3rd when Nate Markowizc (0-1, 2R, BB) and Bollu both reach base on walks. Another Bethlehem Catholic error loaded the bases. Markowicz scored on a Mellinger RBI walk and Bollu scored on a Novobilski RBI hit-by-pitch o make the score 12-1.
Bethlehem Catholic scored a couple of runs in the fourth on a couple hits and a Trojan error. The Trojans got one run in the 4th after two more Bethlehem Catholic errors and a single by Bollu. Relief pitcher EJ Brandt (IP, 1H, 1SO) shut down Bethlehem Catholic in the 5th inning to end the game 13-3 for the JV Trojan win.
In a wild game played in the blustery cold of Hazleton there was plenty of hitting with both teams combining for 26 hits, plenty of miscues with both teams combining for 9 errors, controversial calls that did not go Parkland’s way, and a game that saw the tying run for Parkland tagged out at homeplate in the 7th inning for the final out of the game. In the end, Hazleton hung on for the 8-7 victory.
The Trojans got right down to business in the first inning when they loaded the bases with one out on singles from Zach Merkle (2-for-4, RBI, run) and Hudson Rabenold (2-for-4, run) and a Chris Rabasco (2-for-3, HBP, run) hit-by-pitch. Another hit batter, this time Zach Miiller (1-for-3, double, HBP, two RBI, run) forced in the first run of the game for a 1-0 Trojan lead. That is all the Trojans would get out of the first inning as the threat ended on a ground ball double play turned by Hazleton. The lead did not last for long. In the bottom of the first inning, Hazleton put up 5 runs on six hits to take a 5-1 lead after one inning of play. Starting pitcher Rhett Jacoby worked 2 1/3 innings allowing 8 runs (7 earned) on 12 hits. Jacoby struck out two and did not walk a batter.
Parkland closed the gap to 5-4 in the third inning putting up three runs. With one out in the inning, four consecutive base hits by Rabasco, Rabenold, Miiller, and Justin Afflerbach (2-for-4, RBI, run) scored two runs. Miiller drove in Rabasco with an RBI double and Afflerbach drove in Rabenold with the RBI single. Miiller scored the third run of the inning on an RBI ground out by Alex Flynn. Hazleton kept up the pressure, however, answering with three runs of their own in the bottom of the third inning to take the 8-4 lead.
Relief pitcher Evan McAndrew came on in the third inning and held the Hazleton batters in check for the rest of the game, giving the Trojan offense a chance to come back. McAndrew worked a total of 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing only two base hits, walked two, hit one batter, and struck out one.
The Trojans did battle back. A lead off double by Isaac Neal (1-for-3, double, run) got things going in 4th inning. Merkle followed with the RBI single to score Neal. When Merkle’s single got past the outfielder he attempted to advance to third base where he was tagged out on a controversial call. Jeff Strisovsky (1-for-3, double, sac bunt) followed with a double, but he would be stranded to end the Trojan threat and the inning. The Parkland bats got right back to work scoring two more runs in the 5th inning to cut Hazleton’s lead to 8-7. Afflerbach singled and Flynn reached on an error that put runners on the corners. Afflerbach scored when Hazleton’s catcher threw wild of first base on a pick-off attempt. Gabe Mosser (1-for-4) followed with a single to put runners on the corners again. A double steal executed by Mosser and Flynn scored another run.
Down a run in the 7th inning with two outs and nobody on base, it looked like the Trojans had a chance to tie the game when Hazleton committed two consecutive errors. Flynn reached base when his fly ball was dropped by the centerfielder. Mosser then hit a fly ball to right field that was also dropped by the outfielder. Flynn tried to score from first base on the play and was tagged out at homeplate for the final out of the game.
