Four 1st-inning errors drag down Blue Streaks as season comes to an end with 4-1 loss in States

Returning to the PIAA State 6A tournament for the second consecutive season, the Manheim Township Blue Streaks, the 3rd Place finisher in District 3, traveled 3.5 hours west to Upper St. Clair, PA to face the District 7 champion Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils in the State First Round. This was the first ever meeting between these two teams.

In the 1st inning, Nick Tomlinson took a fast ball off his back to reach base for the Blue Streaks, but Township was quiet early on otherwise. After a strikeout to his first batter, Gavin Glass, starting his 3rd straight playoff game, induced a pair of ground balls that were misplayed by his infield. With the two men now on base, an error on a pickoff attempt allowed the first Blue Devils run to score. Another error on a bases-loaded grounder to 3rd put another two Mt. Lebanon runs up before a wild pitch allowed the home team to take a 4-0 into the 2nd inning. The four errors in the 1st inning already matched Township’s season high of four errors in a single game.

Tyler Mulholland singled to lead off the 2nd inning before being picked off at 1st two batters later. Glass settled in on the mound and worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the 2nd to keep the Blue Streaks deficit at just 4-0. A quick 3rd inning for both teams was highlighted by a double down the right field line for Ryan Brader and Tomlinson throwing out the leadoff Blue Devils’ runner at 2nd to bring the Blue Streaks back to the plate in the 4th. Ben Connors and Mulholland stood at 1st and 2nd respectively in the 4th, but again Township couldn’t drive in any runs.

Back-to-back singles for Trey Eckman and Ty Jenkins to start the 6th gave the Blue Streaks some much-needed life. With 1 out and both runners in scoring position, Tomlinson beat out an infield grounder to 1st and Township was on the board. The Blue Devils were able to escape the top of the 5th with a 4-1 lead after retiring the next two batters on ground outs. Glass continued to control the mound working scoreless half innings in the 5th and 6th to give the Blue Streaks one final chance at another miraculous comeback in the 7th.

Township had a handful of chances all day to drive in runs, but the top of the 7th was not one of them. Eckman, Jenkins, Brader and were retired in order in the Blue Streaks’ final half inning of the 2023 season as Mt. Lebanon took the victory 4-1.

The loss in the First Round of the state tournament finalizes Township’s 2023 season record at 14-11 and wraps up a tremendous run in the playoffs following a rough final week to the regular season. Thank you to all the families and fans of MT Baseball for their support this season.