PA – Central Athletic League | Archive | May, 2022

HAVERFORD — Friday’s District 1 Class 6A quarterfinal was the sort of game that Haverford senior third baseman Kerri McCallum expects of herself and her mates.

Contrast that to Wednesday’s victory over No. 13 Boyertown, a grind in which neither team scored until the bottom of the eighth inning, when junior shortstop Shannon Gavigan delivered the walk-off hit to send Haverford on.

Scoring more than one run is the expectation for the fourth-seeded Fords. Although coach Bob Newman reminds his players that playoff games shouldn’t be easy and that blowouts are rare, the Fords are too good to be held to one run, in any game at any stage.

So the Fords got the bats rolling early Friday, scoring five first-inning runs on the way to a 9-1 trouncing of 14th-seeded Downingtown East.

That’s more like it.

“I feel like we were a little nervous for (Wednesday) because it had been so long since we played in a district tournament game and there are a lot of younger kids playing on the team. Yeah, we were definitely a little nervous,” said McCallum, who finished with two hits, including a two-run double. “Coming into this game we were more calm and collected with it. At practice we had a fun time and kept all the joy and energy up. We weren’t focused on where we would be after the game, we just focused on the game in general and took it one step at a time.”

Haverford advances to the final four of districts Tuesday to play top-seeded Pennsbury in a rematch of a Class 6A semifinal from last June. The game will be at a neutral site to be determined.

The Fords (22-0) batted around in the opening frame. Emma Taylor ripped an RBI double, and Kylie Ingram drove in a pair of runs with a two-bagger. Claudia Stuck singled home two more to make it 5-0.

Giving Taylor a five-run cushion with which to work meant the Cougars were cooked. The reigning Daily Times Player of the Year allowed four hits and an earned run — by way of a sacrifice bunt in the sixth inning with Haverford up nine — while striking out nine.

“It was super important to score on them early, especially after coming off our game Wednesday,” Taylor said. “And just knowing what the weather was, in case we got cut short we had to score first and score early. It just sets the tone for the game.”

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Haverford High pitcher Emma Taylor, in action against Penncrest, allowed just one run in

a 9-1 win over Downingtown East in the District 1 Class 6A quarterfinals Friday. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group).

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SHIPPENSBURG — Penncrest’s Daniel Munro and Haverford’s Michael Powel had to play a waiting game Friday as Mother Nature forced the start of the afternoon session at the PIAA Track & Field Championships to be delayed by 90 minutes.

Haverford’s Patrick Lawson waited, too, not for the weather to clear, but for when to make his move in the boys 1,600-meter championship.

It worked out for all three athletes.

Munro claimed silver in the Class 3A pole vault, Powel took bronze in the shot put and Lawson placed fourth in the 1,600 on the first day of competition at Seth Grove Stadium.

The skies opened just as the morning session was coming to a close. PIAA officials went back and forth on whether to conduct the pole vault inside, as it did with the girls Class 3A competition, or go outside when the weather cleared.

The decision was made to hold the competition outside, and Munro vaulted a personal best 15 feet, 6 inches to finish second. Hershey’s Justin Rogers went 17-3 to break the meet record that was held by Strath Haven’s Chris Williams (16-6 in 2012).

“I’m happy with what I did,” Munro said. “I jumped great.”

Munro cleared 13-0 on his second attempt and then topped 13-6, 14-0, 14-6, 15-0 and 15-6 on his first try to secure second place. He missed out on 16-0 but almost cleared the bar on his second attempt with the help of the other vaulters and the fans in the stands.

The silver medal wasn’t Munro’s only accomplishment. He finished second in his heat of the 110 hurdles (14.93) and second overall in the preliminary round to qualify for Saturday’s final.

“That was fun,” Munro said. “I had a lot of fun today.”

Powel unleashed his best throw, 56- ¾, on his first attempt in the shot put. He was pretty consistent after that, with three tries over 54 feet and another better than 53 feet.

“The conditions were fine,” Powel said. “The circle was dry, everything was dry. It was perfect.”

Powel said the delay helped settle him down.

“I was antsy this morning getting ready,” Powel said. “It made me hone in on what I needed to do.”

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Penncrest’s Daniel Munro, in action at the District 1 Championships,

took second in the Class 3A pole vault at the PIAA Track and Field

Championships Friday. (Austin Hertzog/MediaNews Group)

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SHIPPENSBURG — Before stepping on the track for the Class 3A 4 x 400-meter relay, the final girls event of the day at the PIAA Track and Field Championships, Haverford’s Erin Olsavsky, Olivia Cieslak, Aubrey Leneweaver and Morgan Elliott already knew what the Fords had to accumulate in order to come home from Seth Grove Stadium with some team competition hardware to go with the individual medals dangling from their necks.

“We had to finish fourth or better to finish second overall,” Olsavsky said without hesitation.

The Fords did place fourth, with a little bit of help. Cumberland Valley won the event but was disqualified afterward for a lane violation on the first exchange. That elevated State College to champion and the Fords from fifth place to fourth.

It also created a tie for second between the Fords and the Little Lions in the team race. Haverford got to take the second-place trophy home. State College will get its team trophy in the mail.

“This means everything to us,” Olsavsky said.

The fourth-place finish in the 4 x 400 capped a big day for the Fords. Leneweaver was second in the 300 hurdles, third in the 100 hurdles and earned a medal in the relay.

“The fact that I even got to finals was amazing,” Leneweaver said. “I was satisfied with that. To do what I did was extra special.”

Cieslak came away with two medals in her first PIAA Championships. She was fourth in the 800 and helped the Fords slowly move from last place to fifth in the 4 x 400, and then fourth, thanks to the disqualification.

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Members of the Haverford girls track team hold up the second-place trophy at the PIAA Track & Field

Championships on Saturday. (MediaNews Group staff photo)

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SHIPPENSBURG — It wasn’t a surprise that Strath Haven’s Teghan Sydnor and Haverford’s Aubrey Leneweaver took first and third, respectively, in the girls Class 3A 100 meter hurdles Saturday morning at the PIAA Track and Field Championships.

Nor was it a shock when Leneweaver, Ridley’s Emma Winward and Sydnor finished second, sixth and eighth, respectively in the 300 hurdles.

All three, along with Chester’s Alina LaForest, have been among the state leaders in the hurdles all season.

Sydnor, who will continue her track career at Tufts, entered the championships seeded sixth in the 100 and third in the 300. Leneweaver was seventh and second, respectively. LaForest was 11th and fourth, while Winward ninth in the 300. That made hurdles events at Delcos some of the most contested of the weekend.

“We always have great competition,” said Sydnor, who ran a personal best 14.71 to win the 100 hurdles. “Every league meet we were always there, even last year.”

“Last year, for my first year hurdling, it was nice to have people like Teghan and Emma to push me to get better,” Leneweaver said.

Sydnor, Leneweaver, Windward and LaForest went head-to-head on almost a weekly basis, whether it was in Central League action or invitational meets on the weekends.

Sydnor is the first Delco athlete to win Class 3A 100 hurdles since Penn Wood’s Molly Logan in 1998. Sydnor also is the first Central League athlete to win the event since Lower Merion’s Eliana Yankelev in 2012 and the fifth Strath Haven female to claim an individual state title.

Sydnor won the 100 hurdles at the Haverford Invitational and the Central League Championships, was second at the District 1 Championships and third at the Delco Championships. She was first in the 300 at Haverford, second at Delcos and Centrals, and third at districts.

Leneweaver took second in the 100 at Haverford and Delcos, and was third at the District 1 Championships. She set the county record (43.17) while winning the 300 at Centrals. She also won the event at Delcos and was second at the district championships.

LaForest was fifth in the 100 hurdles at Delcos and District 1 to go with second in the 300 at Haverford, third at Delcos and fourth at districts.

Winward, who plans to run club track at Connecticut, took third in the 300 at Delcos at sixth at districts. She ran a personal best 44.52 to qualify for the 300 final at states.

That constant competition made all of them better.

“Once you have people to push you, then it’s anybody’s game,” Sydnor said. “It’s not like someone is blowing us all out. We’re right there with each other.”

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From left, Strath Haven’s Teghan Sydnor, left, Ridley’s Emma Winward,

center, and Haverford’s Aubrey Leneweaver, right, pose with their medals

from the girls Class 3A 300 meter hurdles at the PIAA Track and Field

Championships on Saturday. (DFM Photo)

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PLYMOUTH TWP. — Strath Haven coach Brian Fili knew what to expect from starting pitcher Sam Milligan in Sunday’s District 1 Class 5A semifinal at Villanova Ballpark.

If there is one player who he could trust to deliver a clutch performance, it’s Milligan. After all, the junior has a history of leading his teams to big playoff wins.

Milligan was the starting quarterback for the Panthers football team last fall. His leadership and sheer determination to get across the goal line on a two-point conversion lifted Haven to a one-point overtime win over West Chester Rustin in the District 1 final.

So when Milligan was handed the ball in place of the injured Mike Valente, Fili had a good idea the right-hander would do the job. Indeed, Milligan pitched six innings of one-run ball with five strikeouts to catapult No. 5 Strath Haven to the district title game with a 4-1 decision over ninth-seeded West Chester East.

Haven (13-8) will try to win its second straight Class 5A district title Tuesday at Neumann University when it meets No. 2 Upper Dublin (15-3).

“Obviously, with Sam, you know he’s going to step up. A kid that was quarterback of the football team that won a district championship,” Fili said. “He’s an amazing athlete and kid. He was great today.”

Valente suffered a broken hand fielding a ground ball in the Panthers’ win over Phoenixville in the quarterfinal round. He was scheduled to start the semifinal, which was postponed two days in a row due to inclement weather. Milligan, who is the team’s third starter, was motivated by Valente’s absence and that this year’s Strath Haven team wasn’t considered a favorite to repeat after losing seven of nine starters to graduation.

“Every good team that I’ve been on, we’ve had good senior leadership,” Milligan said. “We still have it this year, but no one really expected us to do anything. We kind of felt that, with all the seniors that left last year, that was it for us. I think it was 13 seniors. We have two starters from last year’s team. But everybody on this team is like, it’s our time now. It’s important to have a team with a new identity, and we’re a different team, but we’re just as good. We feel like we’re underdogs.”

Alex ***, who has been stellar all year, will take the hill Tuesday in the championship game.

“It’s a big loss losing one of our best players and our No. 1 pitcher (Valente), but it is like a next-guy-up (mentality),” *** said. “Everyone’s got to do their part and everyone’s got to play better.”

The 2021 team was carried by the best player in the county, Koll Peichel, who earned Daily Times Player of the Year recognition. The 2022 squad can be characterized as a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. In April the Panthers were a young and very inexperienced team trying to figure things out and took their lumps along the way, losing five of their first eight contests.

Since April 21 the Panthers are 10-3. In two playoff games, the pitching has allowed only one run.

“I think the guys know we are counting on everybody,” Fili said. “And they are going out and playing well.”

Freshman Luke D’Ancona was called upon to pitch the seventh inning after Milligan neared his pitch limit. All the rookie did was throw back-to-back three-pitch strikeouts and get the final hitter to roll one over to Malarkey at second on the first pitch to end the game.

“Luke is a JV guy who we know can throw strikes,” Fili said. “That was a big situation for a young kid to be in and he handled it well.”

With a berth in the PIAA Class 5A tournament clinched, the Panthers will apply the all-hands-on-deck strategy the rest of the way.

As for Sunday, it was Milligan who jolted the offense in the bottom of the first when he smashed a bases-loaded single to left-center, scoring Matt Defalco. The trail runner, Alex Verona, was thrown out at the plate. East starter Nick Rostock had trouble with his command early and lasted only 1.1 innings after he plunked three batters and walked another two.

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Strath Haven’s Sam Milligan, seen in a game last year, had two hits and tossed six excellent innings on

the mound in a 4-1 win over West Chester East in the District 1 Class 5A semifinal Sunday. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group)

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RIDLEY TWP. — The ball looped into Penncrest’s half of the field tantalizingly, begging for an open stick. It had been outletted in the third quarter by Marple Newtown defenseman Josh Funk, the latest up-and-down passage in a track meet of a District 1 Class 2A final.

The ball hopped out of the reach of Marple attackman Joey Yuknevitch, side-spun past a covering Penncrest pole, then checked up just shy of goalie Luke Pyle-Ballak’s crease. The ball was, in a chaotic moment of a back-and-forth game, up for grabs.

Brian Box was the one who grabbed it, and he knew what to do with it.

Box shoveled home that loose ball, part of four second-half goals that helped Marple Newtown to a wire-to-wire win over Penncrest, 10-9, to lift the District 1 trophy for the first time in program history..

Box, the freshman attackman, also grabbed a GB and scored into a mostly open cage in the fourth, one of three markers in the final 12 minutes to hold off the charge by the top-seeded Lions (14-6) Every time Marple Newtown (17-4) needed a goal, it was the younger Box who seemed to obliged.

“I can’t say I’m surprised,” big brother and senior midfielder Charlie Box said. “I’ve been seeing him do it since he was five, six years old. I’m so proud of him. It’s been awesome playing with him so far this year.”

Brian Box had the answer when Penncrest got within 8-6 early in the fourth. He scored again, on a rush started by LSM David Bertoline in which Yuknevitch made the extra pass in transition, with 5:11 left. Then he applied the eventual game-winner with 3:18 remaining to make it 10-7, even if the final margin was a little close than comfort.

The reason Marple pulled that out was Jack Welsh in goal. Penncrest’s book on Welsh was to shoot low – which Welsh understood given his body of work. But it’s also a weakness he’s worked hard to correct, one that might find itself disappearing from scouting reports soon.

“I’m just ready for anything,” Welsh said. “I was expecting low shots, because I’m sure they saw on film I always let in low shots, so I was ready for it. I’m ready for anything at all times.”

These teams produced a lot of “anything.” In the regular season, it amounted to an 11-10 Marple win between the Central League foes. Thursday night, it summed to a motor rally game, action ready to reverse course at a moment’s notice.

“We definitely did expect that,” Charlie Box said. “Last game, there was probably a stretch of three of four minutes straight of going back and forth, back and forth. There came a time when Damien (Bogshe), I think he settled the ball, we had an opportunity but he made the decision to settle the ball and I think it worked for us and that helped us get the victory.”

Marple led 5-3 at half, thanks to Charlie Box’s two goals and an assist at half, taking the Cornell signee over 100 points for the season. But Penncrest answered right out of the halftime gates with two goals in 93 seconds from Jason Poole to get back level at 5-all.

“Stuff happens,” Poole said. “We came out a little slow, and they went ahead and we never could catch up. … I honestly thought we would smoke them. But they came out and wanted it more.”

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Marple Newtown’s Charlie box, left, and Brian Box celebrate Brian’s fourth quarter goal in the District 1 Class 3A

final Thursday night. (PETE BANNAN – DAILY TIMES

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HAVERFORD – An afternoon-long demonstration of high school softball pitching excellence had reached the bottom of the eighth Wednesday, and that’s when Haverford coach Bob Newman had a vision and a reaction.

The vision: Shannon Gavigan grabbing a bat.

The reaction?

“I just yelled out to her,” Newman said. “I said, ‘Nobody better.””

After struggling for seven-plus innings against overpowering Boyertown pitcher Ella Hurter, the Fords used a little small-ball to place runners on first and second with two outs. By slinging a single into left to plate Claudia Stuk, Gavigan would give the Fords a 1-0 victory, advancement to the quarterfinals of the PIAA District 1 Class 6A tournament, a pile-on celebration and support to her coach’s claim.

At that point, in that game, in that spot, the Fords’ leadoff hitter was ideal.

“I just really wanted to be there for my team,” Gavigan said, “and do something crazy.”

Crazy as it could sound, the Fords improved to 21-0 despite generating just one hit out of the infield against Hurter, who struck out 10 in a fascinating duel of left-handed pitchers. Matching Hurter scoreless inning for scoreless inning in regulation, Haverford’s Emma Taylor whiffed 14 and kept three of the Bears’ four hits in the infield.

“They are both good pitchers and I knew it was going to be like a 1-nothing game,” Boyertown coach Kim Musselman said. “Whoever was going to score first was going to win the game. It was going to be another pitchers’ duel, and we have been dealing with those for the last four games.”

Aware that scoring opportunities would be few, Musselman took a chance in the third, but Fords catcher Morgan Barrett quickly corralled an Alyx Morgan squeeze bunt and nabbed Avery Frey at the plate. The Bears’ best chance for a breakthrough inning came in the eighth, Cydney Kiedaisch lashing a leadoff double to left center and advancing on a wild pitch. Though the Fords kept Kiedaisch at third amid a tapper toward the mound, a late throw allowed Morgan to reach first. Carlee Frantz would load the bases with a bunt single, as the the Fords were careful not to allow Keidaisch to score.

That’s when Taylor – the reigning All-Delco Player of the Year – was at her best.

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Haverford High pitcher Emma Taylor, in action against Penncrest, struck out 14 to lift the Fords to a 1-0

victory over Boyertown in the District 1 Class 6A second round. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group).

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CONCORD – The partisan crowd cheered on Garnet Valley’s Ryan Wootten in the top of the seventh inning Wednesday.

The Jaguars’ senior ace took a deep breath and kept a sharp focus on the task at hand.

That’s part of what makes him so good. No matter how big the moment, Wootten is the same kid.

Ice in his veins.

“I was telling myself, ‘We got this. Let’s go.’ The whole crowd was behind me, everyone was behind me,” he said. “They believed (in) me and I just got it done.”

Wootten threw a filthy offspeed pitch to record the final out and send No. 6 Garnet Valley to the quarterfinal round of the District 1 Class 6A tournament with a 1-0 victory over 11th-seeded Downingtown West. The Jags travel to No. 3 Owen J. Roberts Friday.

Wootten struck out eight and allowed seven hits and one walk. He worked around a two-out double in the seventh off the bat of Jay Sister, but came back with a game-ending strikeout of nine-hole hitter Connor Blence on his 103rd pitch of the day.

“You can’t ask for a more confident and in-control person than him,” GV coach Rudy Shiller said. “He just doesn’t get rattled. … He stays composed, does his thing, fires strikes and keeps the batters off balance. He stays the same way. You wouldn’t know it was 1-0 or 10-0. That’s what’s amazing about him.”

While Wootten dazzled on the mound, the Jags were stellar on defense, particularly the outfielders who recorded a pair of assists. In the sixth inning, Cooper Young hit a check-swing flare to right fielder Colin Simmons, who unleashed a perfect throw to Carter Wilson to nab John Morse trying to go from first to third.

“I saw a big hole over there in the four-hole, so I was ready to throw it to third no matter what,” Simmons said. “I knew he was a big run in that spot. As soon as he took off I knew that he was going to try to take third. The check swing brought me a little bit closer, I grabbed the ball and looked up and just fired.”

Sister got greedy in the fifth inning when he spanked a single down the third-base line and attempted to stretch it into a double. Left fielder Eddie Cwiertniewicz had other ideas. He made a great throw to second baseman CJ Wood who applied the tag on Sister for the out.

“Colin made a great throw, we know he has a strong arm. It was right on the money, that was great. And the play that Eddie made in the fifth, the kid hits a rope down the line and he makes a great throw to second,” Wootten said. “That stopped the momentum. If it wasn’t for them, it would have probably been a different game.”

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Garnet Valley’s Ryan Wootten, in action against Radnor earlier this month, scattered eight

hits and drove in the only run as Garnet Valley topped Downingtown West, 1-0. in the

District 1 Class 6A tournament Wednesday. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group).

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BUCKTOWN — Anna Sidlowski knows it sounds curious.

But according to the Garnet Valley junior pitcher, pressure isn’t just a privilege, it’s power.

“Honestly, when I’m in pressure situations I feel so much better, more confident. It’s really weird, but it helps me,” Sidlowski said. “I switch my mentality and get way more focused.”

Sidlowski’s love for those moments came through on five occasions with runners in scoring position during Wednesday’s District 1 Class 6A second round game at Owen J. Roberts and the right-hander came through coolly each time to deliver No. 9 Garnet Valley a 2-0 victory over No. 8 Owen J. Roberts.

The Jaguars (18-4) advance to a quarterfinal matchup with No. 1 seed Pennsbury on Friday.

It was a textbook playoff softball performance from Sidlowski and the Jaguars, who blended clutch pitching, timely hitting and minimizing mistakes to return to the district quarters after being stopped in the second round a year ago. Sidlowski scattered eight hits, struck out four and walked none.

The result spoiled a 15-strikeout pitching performance from Wildcats junior right-hander Natalie Alldred. Alldred allowed just five hits and walked one.

Alldred was the offensive leader going 3-for-3 for the Wildcats (15-6) as part of their eight-hit attack. Senior Sophia Winnick had two hits as well, but OJR couldn’t string things together the hits to generate runs.

“I feel like my defense definitely helped me out today,” Sidlowski said. “I don’t think I was as strong (pitching) as I normally am. But I feel like we definitely executed when we needed to. It proved how little mistakes can cost you.”

Jenna Fulmer’s one-out triple led to the game’s first run in the second inning, the sophomore coming home on a sacrifice bunt from Kate Dugery.

“It was great. She’s been stepping up,” said Sidlowski. “It’s great to see an underclassmen like her step up in a big situation. I was so happy for her. And then Kate executed the bunt – and she usually doesn’t bunt – so that made all of us really happy and excited for them.”

Sidlowski was the architect of the Jaguars’ sixth-inning run. She walked, advanced to second on a Anna Sareyka groundout, stole third base and ran home on the overthrow past third base for a 2-0 Jaguars advantage.

In OJR’s last chance, Rachel Epps singled and reached third, but Sidlowski locked in, got a game-ending strikeout and kept her scoreless streak that dates back to a May 9 defeat against Haverford.

She’s pitched four straight shutouts, blankings of Unionville and Chichester to close the regular season, plus Monday’s first round 2-0 win over No. 24 Abington.

“I worked really hard this winter to get where I am,” Sidlowski said about her current streak. “It’s taking opportunities, but also having fun because someone is going to win and someone is going to lose at the end of the day.”

“She was definitely a good pitcher, you have to be to get to round two of districts,” said OJR senior Sarah Gautreau. “We weren’t making the solid contact and getting the momentum we needed. Even when we had it, somehow it got stopped.”

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Garnet Valley pitcher Anna Sidlowski, in action against Springfield earlier

this year, tossed her fourth straight shutout as the Jaguars blanked

Owen J. Roberts, 2-0, in the District 1 Class 6A softball tournament. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group).

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MARPLE — There were plenty of home runs, bat flips and to be completely transparent, walks and players hit by pitches.

But it was all worth it for Marple Newtown, which advanced to the District 1 Class 5A semifinals with one final and dramatic swing of the bat by Justin Brennan. His two-out, two-run shot in the seventh inning elevated the third-seeded Tigers to a 10-8 win over Oxford, the sixth seed that wouldn’t go away.

“I just wanted to get a pitch,” said Brennan, who also drew one of the 14 walks issued in the game. “I knew I was getting off-speed. I just sat back on it, and it was the greatest moment of my life. I mean I felt like I was on Cloud 9. I sprinted to first base, stood in front of with my bat and when it went over I flipped it.”

Brennan rolled down the third-base line into a sea of teammates along with head coach Rick Zimmerman, all doing the victory dance.

Almost lost in the walk-off madness were the big-time contributions players made to get to the Tigers to that point.

Dom Carafa drew a walk to lead off the final winning, then gave way to a pinch runner. Getting a baserunner was huge.

Not as big, though, as when Carafa stepped to the plate in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and the Tigers trailing, 7-4. Zimmerman figured it was a good time to call his guy over and offer a few words of encouragement.

“He was a little down on himself,” Zimmerman said. “He’d been struggling a little bit at the plate, and I just told him ‘go back to what you do. Go back to what you believe in.’ Two pitches later I’m looking at the ball and it’s going over the fence.”

Carafa’s believe-it blast whipped the crowd at Thomas Field into a frenzy. Cars came to a halt in the parking lot. Adult men, women and students were high-fiving and yelling “Carafa” to each other.

“I was just thinking about scoring some runs,” said Carafa, who went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks. “When you’re in the playoffs, you can’t miss your opportunity and I was just really grateful to get one, drive it, do my job. That feeling was really surreal. I mean, there’s no other way to explain it. Coming up clutch in a situation like that … It’s amazing.”

Stunning as Carafa’s first varsity grand slam was, it wasn’t enough to finish the Hornets, who were like one of those insects you step on but keep wiggling away.

For the Tigers, no inning was crazier than the sixth. With an 8-7 lead, two walks by reliever Dylan Can and an infield error loaded the bases.

Can, by the way, was having an outstanding day. He plated the first four runs for the Tigers, including a pair with a line drive over the fence in left centerfield.

Can struck out the next two batters, but he hit Ryan Dewees in the elbow, kind of, and that forced in the tying run for the Hornets. You could make an argument that the Hornets were purposely leaning into pitches all day, as the Tigers officially had five HBPs. Tigers starter Owen Mathes hit four Hornets, including the first two batters of the game.

Can was upset. But he kept his cool, as did Zimmerman because really, it was totally the home plate umpire’s call.

“I wouldn’t try and hit him with two strikes on him,” Can explained respectfully. “He was so on top of the plate with two strikes. It was a little frustrating. But I had faith in my team to come back. The grand slam by Dom Caraffa and the walk-off homer by Justin Brennan, I mean, when everybody has each other’s backs, it’s the greatest. It’s the greatest feeling in the world.”

The Hornets kept plugging away until they ran out of time. It was a heartbreaker for the visitors and coach Tim Rector.

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Marple Newtown’s Justin Brennan’s flips his bat after hitting a two-run, walk-off home run to give

the Tigers a 10-8 vicotry over Oxford. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group).

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