As early as the second inning of yesterday’s District 6-AA quarterfinal between Tyrone and Richland, it was apparent that – despite the gap between where the two teams were seeded – the clubs were so evenly matched that the game was bound to come down to who got the most of one or two key plays.
Tyrone, the No. 8 seed, had its share, and a daring double steal in the fifth inning that plated Tyler Gillmen was nearly enough to spring the upset on the No. 1 seeded Rams.
But over the sixth and seventh innings, it was Richland that took advantage of key plays and made the most out of apparently hopeless situations, rallying from a 3-2 deficit to win 4-3 on a sacrifice fly by Eric Wingard in its last at-bat.
“Overall, this was a good battle, and it was a shame someone had to lose,” said Tyrone manager Tom Coleman. “Richland never gave up and battled back. You have to give them credit.”
Aside from winning a game that propelled them into the District 6 semifinals, the Rams would get credit for at least two reasons: their patience in battling Tyrone starter Clint Wilson, who without his best stuff worked into a groove by the mid-innings, and their ability to use momentum changing plays on defense to spark crucial rallies at the plate late in the game.
The first came in the sixth inning with the Rams trailing 3-2 with second baseman Andy Rubal on first base following a lead-off walk. Following Wilson’s strike two delivery to Josh Szelong, Rubal wandered too far off the bag, prompting a throw to first by catcher Derrick Soellner, who caught Rubal dead in his tracks.
Rather than return to the base, Rubal broke for second, with first baseman Tyler Golden in pursuit. Three-quarters of the way to second, Golden snapped a throw to shortstop Brice Mertiff, who mishandled the close-range toss, allowing Rubal to slide in safe.
Szelong then grounded out to advance Rubal to third, and one batter later Craig Montag lofted a sacrifice fly to deep center, bringing home Rubal and tying the game 3-3.
Tyrone had a chance to take the lead back in its next at-bat, but never took advantage, thanks to key plays by the Rams. Soellner led off the seventh with a single, and Wilson laid down a bunt in an attempt to sacrifice him to second. But when Freshour came off the mound to field Wilson’s bunt, he fell down, giving Wilson enough time to leg out the throw.
However, on the play, sophomore Jamie Levinson, courtesy running for Soellner, attempted to advance to third, but was gunned down by a perfect throw from Richland first baseman Charles Verostick.
Tyrone batters then followed with a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning.
Richland rode its seventh-inning defensive momentum to a manufactured game-winning run in the bottom of the frame. Verostick started things off with a lead-off double, and he made it safely into third one batter later when Sam Eash attempted a sacrifice bunt. Wilson fielded the bunt clean coming off the mound and went to third with his throw, but in a bang-bang play, Verostick made it in safely under the tag of Tyler Gillmen.
That forced the Eagles to intentionally walk Freshour and play the infield in. Wingard then lifted another fly ball to shallow center field, just deep enough to plate Verostick easily, and send the Rams into the second round.
“There are certainly opportunities that we wish we had back,” said Coleman. “In playoff time, you have to capitalize off of those things.”
Wilson (6-3) ended up with the loss, despite allowing only six hits while scattering four walks. It was Wilson’s third consecutive start, and his second time taking the hill this week after the game was suspended after the first inning Tuesday due to heavy rain showers.
“Clint has been consistent and dependable all year,” Coleman said. “He came in today and threw despite having a sore arm. It wasn’t a hard decision to pitch him. You have to put your best out there in that situation because there is no tomorrow.”
Freshour was the winner in one of the more quietly dominating performances the Eagles have seen this season. He struck out 10 Tyrone batters and stranded 10 runners, and he never gave up a big hit when the Eagles had runners in scoring position, surrendering just one extra-base hit on the game.
After tying the game 2-2 in the fourth on an RBI single by Brit Mingle, Tyrone went ahead 3-2 in the fifth on a gutsy double steal call with two outs. With Gillmen on third, Brandon Maceno broke from first early, prompting the left-handed Freshour to step off the rubber and attempt a throw to second. When he did, Gillmen darted home, and made it in just ahead of Freshour’s throw.
The play brought Tyrone’s dugout to life, but far from demoralized the Rams, who then retired seven of the next eight Tyrone batters and base runners.
DIAMOND NOTES: Tyrone ends its season 12-7 … the Eagles will lose a large and talented senior class to graduation, with Brice Mertiff, Soellner, Wilson, Matt Morrissey, Ben Gummo, Maceno, Jeremy Myers and Jared Rodgers all leaving … the game was restarted at 1-1 in the top of the second inning after being suspended on Tuesday. It was Tyrone’s third trip to Richland this week to finally complete the contest … Mingle ended with two hits and an RBI … Gillmen was stranded on third base in the third after reaching on a one-out double … Evan Petro doubled and scored twice for the Rams.
Richland 4 Tyrone 3
TYRONE – Mertiff, ss, 2-2-0; Mingle, rf, 4-0-2; Soellner, c, 4-0-1; Levinson, cr, 0-0-0; Wilson, p, 3-0-2; Morrissey, cr, 0-0-0; Gillmen, 3b, 4-1-1; Gummo, 2b, 4-0-0; Maceno, cf, 2-0-0; Clark, lf, 0-0-0; Myers, dh, 3-0-0; Golden, 1b, 2-0-1. TOTALS: 28-3-7.
RICHLAND – Freshour, p, 3-0-0; Wingard, ss, 2-0-0; Petro, cf, 3-2-1; Rubal, lf, 3-1-2; Szelong, 2b, 3-0-0; Montag, rf, 2-0-0; Stapleton, c, 3-0-1; Shaffer, cr, 0-0-0; Molchany, 1b, 0-0-0; Verostick, 1b, 3-0-2; Samko, pr, 0-1-0; Eash, 3b, 3-0-0. TOTALS: 25-4-6.
TYRONE 100 110 0 – 3-7-1
RICHLAND 101 001 1 – 4-6-2
2B: Petro, Verostick 2, Gillmen
3B: Rubal
RBI: Wingard, Rubal, Montag, Mingle
SO: Wilson 2, Freshour 10
BB: Wilson 4, Freshour 5
WP: Freshour LP: Wilson
