| "Those are game saving plays,” Mid-East/Meadville head coach Travis Stevenson said after his junior league baseball team defeated Titusville 6-4 to win the District 1 title at the Jake Boyle Memorial Field in Randolph Township Friday. He was referring specifically to a play by his right-fielder to end the sixth inning. Titusville, as they did the night before against F.L.A.G., were charging back from behind. Down 6-2 Titusville got their first two batters on via walks. Smart decisions on two fielder’s choices got two outs, but a third walk loaded the bases. A hard shot to second could’ve ended the inning, but instead an error allowed two runners to score. Titusville's Mason Wagner, with two runners in scoring position, found a gap between first and second. Right fielder Hugo Heller, playing up, charged the ball and quickly released it to first for the force out. His heads up play prevented at least one more run to score and ended Titusville’s comeback. M/M kept gnawing away at Titusville's starting pitcher Kelvin Thomas until he cracked. After the first inning where Ty Neely and Santino Trenga jumped on first pitches for outs and Greyson Stevens swung at the second pitch for the third out, they became more patient at the plate. In the second Isaac Beebe hit one to centerfield, scoring Bryce Huddleson for the first score of the game. Titusville, who missed opportunities in the second due to sloppy base running, scored in the fourth to tie it up on an infield hit by Ethan Walter scoring Charlie Ackerman. They then took the lead when Mason Wagner plated Ackerman on a base hit to right. But that's all they could muster leaving the bases loaded. |    |
M/M stormed back in the bottom of the fourth scoring four runs to take command.
Neely reached on an error at first. Trenga hit one just past the outstretched diving right fielder’s glove moving Neely to third and Trenga ended up on second. A few pitches later Neely caught Titusville sleeping and stole home on the throw back to the pitcher to tie the game. Trenga scored on a fielder’s choice, beating the throw home to take the lead.
They weren’t done.
Neely reached on an error at first. Trenga hit one just past the outstretched diving right fielder’s glove moving Neely to third and Trenga ended up on second. A few pitches later Neely caught Titusville sleeping and stole home on the throw back to the pitcher to tie the game. Trenga scored on a fielder’s choice, beating the throw home to take the lead.
They weren’t done.
Beebe hit a sacrifice fly to center scoring Hochstetler and after loading the bases on walks, Aiden Marvin lined one to right to put M/M up 5-3.
They scored another in the bottom of the fifth on a Trenga double to score Neely, who reached on a liner up the middle, then made it into scoring position on a throwing error on a pick-off attempt at first.
That was all they needed.
M/M did this without one of their top players, Mason Potosky who was playing in a JO volleyball tournament in Florida. “He told the team before he left, ‘hey I’m not done playing, stay on it for us.’ So I can’t wait to give him that ball,” coach Stevenson said. Potosky was the winning pitcher in the first meeting between the two squads.
Meadville’s starting pitcher Ty Neely pitched four solid innings for M/M.
They scored another in the bottom of the fifth on a Trenga double to score Neely, who reached on a liner up the middle, then made it into scoring position on a throwing error on a pick-off attempt at first.
That was all they needed.
M/M did this without one of their top players, Mason Potosky who was playing in a JO volleyball tournament in Florida. “He told the team before he left, ‘hey I’m not done playing, stay on it for us.’ So I can’t wait to give him that ball,” coach Stevenson said. Potosky was the winning pitcher in the first meeting between the two squads.
Meadville’s starting pitcher Ty Neely pitched four solid innings for M/M.
Greyson Stevenson pitched a couple and survived the potentially big Titusville sixth. Assistant coach Vince Trenga visited the mound during Titusville's rally to calm his pitcher down and give everyone a second or two to refocus.
"What did you have for breakfast," he asked the young pitcher who just smiled and said nothing. Coach Trenga said he just trying lighten the mood on the mound and get Greyson to settle back into his pitching. It worked and they got out of the inning.
"What did you have for breakfast," he asked the young pitcher who just smiled and said nothing. Coach Trenga said he just trying lighten the mood on the mound and get Greyson to settle back into his pitching. It worked and they got out of the inning.
Trenga came in to shut Titusville down to close the game.
“Santino Trenga has been huge for us this whole tournament,” coach Stevenson said.
“Santino Trenga has been huge for us this whole tournament,” coach Stevenson said.
M/M moves on to the state championships in Loyalsock, at Lycoming College, beginning July 9. The team will be doing a go-fund me to help with expenses and have already been promised some help from the Meadville Medical Center. Stevenson said anyone interested can keep an eye on there Mideast Baseball Facebook page www.facebook.com/groups/939117783687272/.
“What we did here today was what we hoped for, but I told the boys 'lets go out there and fight 'em, see what we can do and give' em our best.'" If we keep hitting the ball, keep putting the ball in play and make kids make plays - we can be competitive. I really do believe that. I can’t say enough about how these kids came together.”
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