DonegalRecap
No one expected earlier in the season that Manheim Township’s first home night game would be played in 40° weather and feature a 10-minute delay on the field for issues with the lights. While it was bitterly cold with wind gusts all night, there was still plenty of action in this Section 1 – Section 2 showdown when the lights came on. Donegal jumped out to an early 2-0 lead off of some hits and a defensive error by the Township infield. Ethan Kile took the mound for the Blue Streaks and was able to settle down in the inning and retire the Indians before any other runners could cross the plate.
The Blue Streaks returned the favor in the bottom of the 1st by batting around the lineup and putting up 4 runs to take a 4-2 lead. The first runs coming with no outs in the inning after Ben DeMarco walks, Rece Bender singles, and Nick Kurtz walks. DeMarco scored Township’s first run on a wild pitch during Kurtz’s AB. Still with no outs, Kile helped out his own cause and singled in the infield to bring home Bender from 3rd to tie up the game at 2-2. Colin Yablonski walked to load the bases and Colin Fitzgerald singled to give Township their first lead of the evening 3-2. Still with the bases loaded, Tom Cesarone picked up a walk that forced a run across the plate 4-2. Township was retired with three men on base, but held a lead in the 2nd inning.
The offense picked up again in the 3rd when Donegal was able to retake the lead with a 3-run half inning. Trailing 5-4, Brenden Moshos lead off the bottom of the 3rd for Township and hit his 2nd homerun of the season – this time a solo shot to right field to tie the game 5-5. Township had the bases loaded again with only 1 out in the inning and couldn’t bring any other runs across the plate to regain the lead. Donegal scored the final run of the game in the top of the 4th off a wild pitch to take a 6-5 lead.
Kile settled down after the wild pitch in the 4th and picked up a complete game, but Township’s offense could not get anything going until the bottom of the 7th inning. Moshos lead off with a single and was replaced on the bases by courtesy runner Will Greiner. Greiner was moved over 3rd base by a Colin Morrisette SAC bunt and a passed ball. With the tying run standing at 3rd base with only 1 out, Township’s last two batters were retired and unable to score the run. Final score: 6-5 Donegal.
