Wolfpack Splits With PG, Sets Up Winner-Take-All Game
YOUNGWOOD, Pa. - In a pair of sharply played games, the Westmoreland County Community College baseball team used a Nick Fuentes walk-off single to claim a 3-2 win in 10 innings in the first game before Prince George's Community College squeezed out a 3-2 victory in the nightcap of Tuesday's Region XX Division III twinbill.
With the split, the teams will play again Saturday afternoon at Westmoreland in a winner-take-all contest, as the victorious team will advance to the District Tournament at Rockingham (NC) Community College next week. First pitch on Saturday in the tiebreaking game between the Wolfpack and Owls is scheduled for 2:30 pm.
The first game between the teams saw PG jumped in front with a pair of runs in the third inning, but Westmoreland answered back with a run in the last of the third on an RBI double by Matt Wicker. Another RBI double, this one off the bat of Dom Koch, in the sixth inning drew the Wolfpack even with the Owls at 2-2.
After Prince George's runs in the third inning, Westmoreland starter Jared Wagner didn't allow another run. He held the Owls scoreless through the final six innings in posting an impressive outing. He finished with nine innings pitched and allowed two runs on six hits with five Ks and one walk. When the game carried into a 10th frame, Tanner Orndorff came on and threw another scoreless inning to give Westmoreland the chance to win in their at-bat.
The winning rally started with a lead-off single by Wicker and then Tommy Kegerreis hit an infield single. After a fielder's choice took out the lead runner, Koch walked to load the bases. PG got the second out on a force play at the plate to bring up Fuentes. The Wolfpack catcher delivered by dropping a game-winning single into right field and his teammates stormed the field to mob Fuentes and celebrate the win.
Westmoreland totaled 10 hits in the opening game, with two each coming from Orndorff, Wicker, Koch and Matthew Henderson.
The Wolfpack were forced to come from behind again in game two, as PG scored the first run in the third inning and added two more in the fourth for a 3-0 lead. Once again, the Wolfpack starter would not allow another run and gave his team a chance to come back. Westmoreland right-hander Damian Serralta closed the game with four scoreless innings and finished his outing by throwing all eight innings. He have up three runs on nine hits with five punchouts and two walks.
In the sixth inning, Westmoreland finally got on the board. Henderson brought in the first run with an RBI single to score Reid Amundson and later with the bases loaded, Wicker hit into an RBI fielder's choice to trim the Owls lead to 3-2.
Needing a run to tie, the Wolfpack were retired in order in the seventh and eighth innings before mounting a threat in the ninth. Orndorff drew a leadoff walk and after a ground out, Kegerreis walked to put the winning run on base. But a strikeout and ground out ended the inning and the game to give the Owls the split and force Saturday's tiebreaker.
With the bats, Westmoreland managed eight hits in the second game, as Orndorff had two hits again and Fuentes had a pair as well and scored a run.