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WARFORDSBURG -- Williamsburg extended its season by scoring two runs in the top of the fifth inning against Southern Fulton on Monday afternoon.
Unfortunately, the Blue Pirates had dug themselves too deep of a hole in the early innings, and the District 6 runners-up were never able to muster anything more.
Despite taking the contest to the full extent, Williamsburg saw its historic season end with a 12-4 loss to the Indians in PIAA Class 1A first round action at the Forrest H. Mellott Sports Complex.
"I'm just happy we got here," Williamsburg coach Bob McCall said. "We've never been this far in school history whatsoever. So, this is a big accomplishment for this team here. We're young, and we've got a whole pile of potential for next year. We've got a big core coming up."
The Pirates, which ended their season at 7-13, advanced to the state baseball playoffs for the first time in school history.
In the other dugout was a team that had plenty of state playoff experience as Southern Fulton, improving to 19-5, lost in the PIAA semifinals a season ago.
"That kind of left a bad taste in our mouth," Southern Fulton coach Kent Hendershot said. "All year, we're trying to get to State College (state championship game). That's our goal."
While WHS battled as it had all year long, the four runs it gave up in the first and the five runs in the third were too much to overcome.
Luke Uplinger led off the game for the Blue Pirates with a single to center, but then was caught stealing on a throw by SF catcher Trayton Younker.
Southern starter Ethan Mellott got Lambert Palmer looking at a third strike before Rowan Gorsuch grounded out to Jett Burger at third.
The Indians jumped all over Palmer from the start as Kasey Fitz led off with a double inside the third base bag, then scored when Ethan Powell delivered a single to right field and went to second on the throw home.
Konner Pittman, who went 4-for-4 on the day, hit a double that hopped over the right center field fence to score Powell.
Dane Harvey reached on an error by Blue Pirates' center fielder Liam McGregor, moved to second on a Palmer balk and then came around to score when Burger also plated Pittman with a single to put the home team up 4-0.
Williamsburg went down 1-2-3 in both the second and third innings, while Palmer retired the Southern Fulton side in the second before its big third inning.
"We knew they (Southern Fulton) were going to hit," McCall said. "We just tried to hit with them, but we just didn't have it tonight."
Powell walked to leadoff, then stole second before coming in to score when Pittman singled to left.
Harvey reached on a error by WHS third baseman Colten Wagner allowing Pittman, who was given two bases as the pickoff throw over from Palmer sailed out of play, to score.
Younker's double pushed Harvey to third, who would score on a wild pitch to make the contest 7-0,
With two outs, Zach Price was hit by a pitch before advancing to second on a wild pitch and then touching home, along with Younker, on Hunter Ward's single to left to put Southern Fulton up 9-0 after three innings of play.
The Blue Pirates battled back with two runs in their half of the fourth as Palmer and Gorsuch reached on back-to-back singles. The two executed a successful double steal that was followed by Dylan Shawver getting walked to load the bases.
McGregor pushed Palmer home on a fielder's choice that went from SF second baseman Ward to Pittman, the shortstop, who threw to first to try to get the double play but the ball was mishandled by Harvey -- allowing Gorsuch to score to pull Williamsburg to within 9-2.
"We knew this was a real good hitting team (Southern Fulton)," McCall said. "We had guys watching them the last game, and their 1-8 batters are just crushing the ball. We knew coming into it. I don't know what the hits was, but I'll guarantee they doubled or tripled our hits tonight."
McCall was correct as Southern Fulton pounded out 12 hits, including six that went for extra bases. Meanwhile, Williamsburg managed just four total hits.
At that point, Palmer had thrown 76 pitches, and was pulled in favor of Gorsuch, but the Indians jumped all over the sophomore as well to the tune of three more runs.
Southern Fulton advances to the quarterfinal round to play Clarion Limestone, an 8-5 winner over Union in eight innings, on Thursday at a site and time to be announced.
Williamsburg graduates four seniors.
"Dylan Hartman was out, because he played in that Lezzer Lumber game and sprained his ankle. Now, he did come in and bat that last inning, but you could tell he was hobbling on it," McCall said. "My center fielder (McGregor) and left fielder (Gator Hughes) are both seniors, and we're going to miss them big time. Of course, Lambert Palmer, he's our stud, and we're really going to miss him too."
WILLIAMSBURG (4): Uplinger c 401, Palmer p-1b 211, Gorsuch 2b-p-cf 311, Shawver ss 201, McGregor cf-p 200, Brantner 1b-2b 300, C. Hughes rf 110, G. Hughes lf 210, Wagner 3b 200, Hartman 3b 100. Totals -- 22-4-4.
SOUTHERN FULTON (12): Fitz cf 422, Powell rf 321, Pittman ss 434, Harvey 1b-p 120, Younker c 322, Lawrence cr 000, Burger 3b 301, Morgan cr 000, Stotler dh 401, Mellott p-1b 000, Price lf 210, Ward 2b 301, Souders cr-2b 000. Totals -- 27-12-12.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Williamsburg 000 220 0-- 4 4 3
Southern Fulton 405 300 X--12 12 2
E--McGregor, Palmer, Wagner, Harvey, Mellott. 2B--Pittman 3, Fitz, Younker. 3B--Fitz, RBI--McGregor, Palmer, Powell 2, Pittman 2, Burger 2, Ward 2, Younker, Stotler. SB--Palmer, Burger, Powell, Souders. CS--Palmer, Uplinger, G. Hughes, Burger. WP--Palmer 2, Mellott, Harvey. PB--Uplinger. HBP--Price (by Palmer), Harvey (by Gorsuch), Burger (by Gorsuch), Younker (by McGregor).
PITCHING
Williamsburg: Palmer (L) --3 innings, 7 H, 3 K, 1 BB, 9 R, 9 ER, 76 pitches. Gorsuch -- 1 inning, 4 H, 0 K, 0 BB, 3 R, 3 ER, 26 pitches. McGregor -- 2 innings, 1 H, 2 K, 0 BB, 0 R, 0 ER, 30 pitches.
Southern Fulton: Mellott (W) -- 4 innings, 3 H, 3 K, 3 BB, 2 R, 2 ER, 56 pitches. Harvey -- 3 innings, 1 H, 5 K, 3 BB, 2 R, 2 ER, 49 pitches.
Records: Williamsburg (7-13); Southern Fulton (19-5).