Recap

Traveling to Messiah University’s campus in pursuit of their first District III title since 2006, the Manheim Township Blue Streaks came face to face with a very familiar foe, the Warwick Warriors, on Thursday afternoon. Warwick got the better of Township in both regular season meetings earlier this year, but would the third time be the charm for the Blue Streaks?

In the top of the 1st, the Blue Streaks got their first look at Warwick’s starter Seibert after facing him briefly in both contests earlier this season. Michael Heckman was the first Blue Streak to reach base on the day, but a double play off the bat of Ryan Flury quickly ended the hope for early visitor runs. Township starter Ben Shenosky (7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 7 K) worked a similar start in the bottom of the 1st using a double play (6-3) to keep the Warriors off of the board.

Double plays became a common occurrence throughout the early innings of the game as Warwick got the Blue Streaks again with a 4-6-3 double play in the 2nd and Shenosky got out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the 3rd using a 6-4-3 DP (Heckman to Jack Armstrong to Fisher Druck). As the game progressed, both pitchers settled in and neither offense was able to breakthrough.

Township’s first real chance for runs came in the top of the 4th after a 2-out single from Flury gave the Blue Streaks their first baserunner since the 2nd. Courtesy running for Flury, Cole Stoltzfus rounded 2nd on a single from Druck to center field, but was thrown out at 3rd on the throw from Warwick’s Stuhltrager in center – ending the half inning. Three up, three down half innings for both squads in the 5th sent the scoreless affair into the 6th.

In the top of the 6th, a 2-out walk and steal of 2nd for JT Weaver followed by a Heckman fly out to the fence in left stranded another runner in scoring position for the Blue Streaks. Warwick threatened in their half of the 6th putting runners on 1st and 2nd with only 1 out, but a fielder’s choice force out at 3rd and a routine 4-3 ground out once again left us locked at 0-0.

Finding his 2nd hit of the game, Flury singled to center field to lead off the top of the 7th. Courtesy running again, Stoltzfus advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch and later moved to 3rd on a SAC bunt from Druck. Standing on 3rd with only 1 out, Stoltzfus attempted to score on a squeeze bunt laid down by Shenosky in which the Warriors’ Seibert flipped the grounder home to Montgomery who put down a successful tag to erase the Blue Streaks’ tie-breaking run.

Heading into extra innings, the pitch count ceiling came into play as Shenosky was replaced on the mound by Weaver in the bottom of the 8th inning. After a first pitch HBP to Hess, Seibert lined a walk off double into the right field corner and ended it as Hess came around to score and sent the District Championship trophy home to Lititz. Warriors 1, Blue Streaks 0.