Saegertown baseball falls behind early, never recovers in Class 2A championship
· Yahoo Sports
SLIPPERY ROCK — No. 1 Mercyhurst Prep used a six-run first inning to run away quickly from No. 2 Saegertown in the Class 2A championship game.
It was the first meeting between the two teams this year and it was the fifth consecutive title for the Lakers.
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The Panthers were first at bat, but went three up and three down.
In the bottom of the second, Mercyhurst Prep loaded the bases after two walks and a single. Cameron Aresco singled, bringing home two runs. Levi Gardner, who got the start for Saegertown, walked the Lakers' starting pitcher, Hunter Krahe, to load the bases again with no outs. Jack Natemeier then singled, bringing home Hayden Spencer and giving Mercyhurst Prep a 3-0 lead.
Panther's head coach Nick Leslie brought in William Shaffer to replace Levi Gardner, but the floodgates had already been opened.
Shaffer was able to strike out his first batter, but Aresco was brought in after Mike Manendo grounded out. A wild pitch by Shaffer scored another run, bringing the score to 5-0. After Mike Schloss walked, Zack Kruszewski drove home Natemeier to give the Lakers a 6-0 lead.
Shaffer ended the first with a strikeout, but the five walks and four hits allowed had essentially ended the game.
Leslie commented postgame on his team's first inning struggles, saying, "It's just about getting out there the first inning and throwing strikes and making them hit their way on, and we did not do that."
For the game, the Panthers' pitching rotation gave up eight hits, eight runs, and 12 walks.
Saegertown's lone score came off a Levi Gardner triple in the top of the third, which scored Everett Gardner.
Mercyhurst Prep tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, bringing the final score to 9-1.
Saegertown will compete in the PIAA 2A baseball championship after finishing as the runner-up in District 10. It will play the District 6 winner in the opening round on June 1.
"I think overall it was a good season," Leslie said.
"Unfortunately, we had a goal in mind this season, and we worked really hard towards that, and you know, we fell a little short of that. So, it's not doom or gloom. We're not going to hit the panic button. We're just going to have to reset a little bit and start on the state playoffs."
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Saegertown (x)
(AB-R-H-RBI) L. Gardner 3-0-1-1, Leslie 3-0-0-0, B. Burchill 3-0-0-0, Shaffer 2-0-0-0, Young 3-0-0-0, Cherpak 2-0-0-0, Q. Burchill 2-0-0-0, Wilkinson 1-0-0-0, E. Gardner 2-1-1-0.
Mercyhurst Prep (x)
(AB-R-H-RBI) Kruszewski 3-2-2-1, Reigel 2-2-1-1, Spencer 3-1-1-0, Aresco 4-1-2-3, Krahe 1-0-0-0, Natemeier 2-2-1-1, Ashton 1-0-0-0, Manendo 2-0-0-2, Schloss 3-0-0-0.
Saegertown 001 000 0 — 1 2 2
Mercyhurst Prep 601 110 x — 9 7 0
BATTING
3B: S — L. Gardner; MP — Kruszewski.
PITCHING
(IP-H-R-ER-BB-SO) S — L. Gardner 0.0-3-6-6-3-0, Shaffer 4-3-2-2-6-6, Cherpak 2-1-1-1-3-1; MP — Krahe 7-2-1-1-2-5.