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Parkland Wins LVC North Division Title; Sweeps DH Defeating Whitehall in First Game, Muth Walk-off Hit Lifts Trojans Over Emmaus in Second Game
The Parkland Trojans hosted a day-night doubleheader against two of the top teams in the league today and came away with two wins, the LVC North Division Title, and the #1 seed heading into the LVC playoffs next week. The wins capped off a regular season schedule that saw the Trojans win their last 10 games in a row and finish with a league best conference record of 13-1 and league best overall record of 18-2.
In the first game against Whitehall, the Trojans scored three runs in the 3rd inning when Alex Flynn (2-3, run) singled and Damin Muth (1-3, BB) walked to put runners on first and second. Tyler Graeff (2-4, 2 runs, RBI) plated the first run with an RBI single, Chris Rabasco reached on an error that scored another run, then Adam Schneck walked with the bases loaded to give the Trojans the 3-0 lead. Parkland added another three runs in the 5th inning when Hudson Rabenold (1-3, RBI) singled home Graeff who had reached base on another single. Brad Vasilik (1-4, 2 RBI) then singled with the based loaded to drive in two runs and give Parkland a 6-0 lead. Jordan Jones (1-1) added a single to Parkland’s offense.
Whitehall scored two unearned runs in the 6th inning, but that is all they would get as starting pitcher Gabe Mosser pitched six strong innings earning his fourth win of the year. This was Mosser's second strong outing against the highly ranked Whitehall Zephyrs. Earlier in the year Mosser pitched a complete game against Whitehall at Coca-Cola Park, but was on the wrong end of a 1-0 loss. Mosser allowed 5 hits and two walks while striking out three. Connor Higgins worked the 7th inning, striking out two and worked around a double to end the game for a 6-2 Parkland victory.
The night game against Emmaus provided another example of why baseball is the greatest game. The game featured Parkland starting pitcher Alex Flynn and Emmaus’ crafty southpaw Josh LeMaster. After two scoreless innings, Emmaus struck first to take a 3-0 lead in the 3rd inning, taking advantage of two Parkland errors. All three runs were unearned. Flynn took matters into his own hands after that retiring the next 10 batters in a row until another Parkland error in the 7th inning allowed a batter to reach base. Flynn finished with a complete game allowing only three hits, one walk, while striking out two.
After the first eight Parkland batters of the game were set down in order, Nate Case (2-3, 2 runs) got things going for the Trojans in the 3rd inning with a two-out infield single. Brad Vasilik (2-4, double, 2 runs, RBI) then followed with an RBI double to score Parkland’s first run, and Alex Flynn (2-4, RBI) then singled home Vasilik to cut Emmaus’ lead to 3-2. LeMaster also took control of the game after Parkland’s two-run 3rd inning, only allowing one hit, a double to Chris Rabasco (1-3, double), through the next three innings.
The score remained 3-2 entering the 7th inning in favor of Emmaus. With Parkland’s first two batters of the 7th inning retired in order, it looked like a sure win for Emmaus with two outs, the bases empty, and a 1-run lead. However, unlike other sports where games can be won by dribbling out the clock or taking a knee to watch the clock wind down, in baseball you not only have to score runs, but you must also get 21 outs (7 inning games). Emmaus only had 20 outs, not 21.
Like he did in the 3rd inning with two outs, Nate Case kept the Trojans alive in the 7th inning with another two-out single, hitting the first pitch of his at-bat. Vasilik followed suit with a single of his own to put the tying run in scoring position at second base. Emmaus was one strike away from victory with a 1-2 count on Alex Flynn, but Flynn put the ball in play and legged out an infield single to load the bases. LeMaster was finally lifted for an Emmaus reliever. On a night that Parkland honored its eight graduating senior players in a pre-game ceremony, it was fitting that two seniors led the way to victory over rival Emmaus. Senior Nate Case started both of Parkland’s two-out rallies with base hits in the 3rd and 7th innings. With Case only 90 feet away with the tying run and the winning run standing on second base, Parkland’s senior catcher, Damin Muth (1-4, double, 2 RBI), stepped to the plate. After watching the first strike go by, Muth drove the next pitch deep down the right field line that landed for a double, scoring two runs for the 4-3 walk-off win.
JV's Finish Season with Comeback Victory Over Whitehall
The Parkland Trojan JVs came back from a 5-1 deficit to beat Whitehall 10-5 and finished their season with a 16-2 record. Strong pitching and timely hitting were the overriding themes of the year and were on display this game.
In the second inning, the JVs opened the scoring when LF Alec Bartholomew (2-3, 1 run, 2 RBI, 1BB) and C Dan Zaccaro (1-1, 1 run, 1 HBP) led off with singles and Bartolomew scored on a groundout by SS Braeden Duff (2-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI , 1 2B).
After falling behind 5-1 due to 3 errors, the Trojans batted around in the fourth inning to tie the score. Zaccaro was beaned by a pitch and was removed from the game for precautionary measures. Courtesy runner Andrew Roth advanced to third on a double by Duff and scored on a sacrifice fly by 1B Kyle Novobilski (0-3, 1 RBI, SF). 2B Tyler Bruno (2-5, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 3B) launched a triple to deep RF to easily score Duff. 3B Harrison Rabenold (4-5, 2 runs, 1 RBI) stroked a 2-strike, RBI single over the SS head , scoring Bruno. Rabenold took second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by RF Jeff Strisovsky (1-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, BB).
The score remained tied until the sixth when the Trojans scored two. Strisovsky reached on an error. DH Tanner Stufflet (1-3, 1 run, 2 HBP) singled to left. CF Isaac Neal (2-3, 2 RBI, HBP) was hit to load the bases. Bartholomew rifled a 2-run single to center to score Strisovsky and Stufflet. Parkland doubled up the score by plating three in the seventh. Duff singled, stole second and wisely advanced to third as the throw trickled into short left. Bruno drove him in with a sinking line drive single to RF. Rabenold singled to center. Stufflet loaded the bases with his second plunking of the game. Neal followed with a 2-run single to close the scoring.
Evan McAndrew (102 pitches, 71 strikes) pitched a strong, complete game allowing 5 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits, while stiking out 8. He retired 16 of the last 19 Zepher batters he faced, including 8 in a row in the middle innings.
Parkland Defeats Northampton on Duff Complete Game
The Parkland Trojans defeated Northampton tonight for their eighth consecutive win to improve their record to 16-2. Tyler Duff had another strong performance on the mound pitching another complete game to lead the Trojans to the 4-1 victory. Duff pitched no-hit ball until the lead off batter for Northampton in the 5th inning reached base with a single. Although the next two Nortampton batters would reach to load the bases with no outs in the 5th, Duff worked himself out of the jam only allowing one run to score on a ground out. Duff allowed only three hits, two walks, and struck out four. Duff improved his record to 5-0 and with a 0.98 ERA, Duff is one of three regular Parkland pitchers with an ERA below 1.00.
Parkland scored its first run in the 1st inning when Brad Vasilik (4-4, 3 runs) reached base on an error and later scored on an RBI sacrifice fly by Damin Muth (1-3, SF, 2 RBI). Parkland added two more runs in the 3rd inning. With two out and the bases empty, Vasilik reached on a bunt single and Justin Afflerbach (1-3, BB, run) singled to put runners on the corners. Muth then drove in his second run of the game with the RBI single and Tyler Graeff (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI) scored Afflerbach on an RBI ground-rule double. Graeff added another RBI hit in the 5th inning when he singled home Vasilik who had reached base earlier in the inning on a single, giving the Trojans a 4-0 lead. Zack Merkle (1-3) added a single to the Parkland offense. After Northampton scored its only run of the game in the 5th inning, Duff took control and retired the next seven batters in a row to cruise the Trojans to victory.
JV's Beat Northampton, End Two-Game Skid
The JVs defeated Northampton 9-4 to end a two-game losing streak. The Trojans jumped on the Kids by scoring five in the first, and tacked on single runs in the second and fourth innings and two in the third.
2B-SS Tyler Bruno (0-1, 1 run, 2 BB, 1 HBP) led off the bottom of the first with a walk. 3B Harrison Rabenold (3-4, 2 runs) singled to left, with Bruno scoring on an error. LF-P Jeff Strisovsky (2-3, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2B) singled to right advancing Rabenold to third. CF Isaac Neal (2-3, 2 runs, 1 RBI) and SS Evan McAndrew (1-3, 1 run, 1 RBI) both singled to third, scoring Rabenold and Strisovsky, respectively. RF Josh Dieter (1-2) singled to right and 1B Kyle Novobilski (2-2, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 2B) walked to load the bases. C Kyle Friebolin (1-2, 1 run, 2 RBI, SF) tallied McAndrew with a sacrifice fly to right.
In the second, Rabenold singled and stole second. Strisovsky plated him with a double to deep left center. With two outs in the third, Novobilski stroked a double down the left field line and Friebolin scored him with a single. After a walk to Bruno, Courtesy runner Andrew Roth scored on an error. The Trojans closed out their scoring in the fourth with Neal singling, stealing second and scoring on a Novobilski single.
Starting P Braeden Duff pitched four innings, allowing 3 unearned runs on four hits, while striking out five batters. Reliever Strisovsky gave up a run on one hit and K’d five.
Defensive gems were turned in by 3B Tanner Stufflet, knocking down a smash targeted for LF and gunning out the hitter at first, and Neal going a long way into the left center alley to track down a long fly ball.
