Baseball

Central rallies from big deficit

MARTINSBURG -- It's tough to put away a champion -- especially one that never believes it is out of a game.

Seventh-seeded Penn Cambria built a six-run lead in the fourth inning, but defending PIAA Class 3A champion Central battled back with two runs in the bottom of the inning, two more in the fifth and three in the sixth inning and held on for a 7-6 win over the Panthers Friday in the District 6 high school baseball quarterfinals.

"It's a tough road, especially in baseball because anything can happen," Central coach A.J. Hoenstine said. "We were down 6-0, and things weren't looking too good. We started to have a little bit better at bats, piece some together, got the momentum and carried it over."

A close victory in the first round of the District 6 playoffs has actually been a good omen for the Scarlet Dragons in the past. In 2010, Central trailed by eight runs going into the bottom of the seventh inning in the first round of the postseason against Tyrone and rallied for a 12-11 win and then made it all the way to the PIAA championship game.

"I see the potential in our team," said senior Jeff Hoenstine, whose team will play Philipsburg-Osceola in the semifinals at home on Thursday at 4 p.m. "We have some good players. If we stick together and keep playing for each other, I think we can make a run."

Central, which went 27-0 last season, went 18-2 this regular season with both losses coming the same day -- to top-seeded Forest Hills and Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic at the Curve Classic. The Scarlet Dragons didn't score a run in either of the losses.

For three and a half innings on Friday, it looked like the bats had gone silent again. Penn Cambria starting pitcher Vinny Chirdon cruised through the first three innings and struck out five batters the first time through the order.

Meanwhile, Central ace Kaleb Mountain struggled with his control. He walked in a run in the first inning and allowed an RBI single by Easton Semelsberger -- who was hit by a pitch in his other three plate appearances -- that made it 2-0 after two innings. The Panthers took advantage of two more walks, a hit by pitch and singles by Zach Grove and Brandon Yeoman in the fourth inning to go ahead, 6-0, in the top of the fourth inning.

Baron Dionis relieved Mountain and got a strikeout to end the inning, leaving Chirdon in scoring position. Chirdon was the sixth runner the Panthers left on base in the first four innings and the fifth in scoring position.

"That's been us all year long," Penn Cambria coach Jim Ronan said. "We have hit the ball well all year long. We have had a ton of baserunners, but we have left a ton of guys on base with less than two outs. We just haven't had those big hits. We had plenty of opportunities with a couple of big hits that could have broken this thing wide open and really put the pressure on them. It's happened all year. We just couldn't break that mold."

The Scarlet Dragons did just the opposite, making the absolute most of their opportunities, especially with two outs.

After Penn Cambria failed to get an out on what could have been a double-play grounder, Dalton Metzger drove home courtesy runners Jay Hoenstine and Troy Butler with a two-out single in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Britton Marko repeated the feat an inning later with a two-run, two-out single that scored Jeff Hoenstine and Griffin Snowberger that made the score 6-4.

Metzger led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single and went to second when Lukas Black was hit by a pitch. Chirdon rebounded with a strikeout, but he reached the PIAA pitch limit and was relieved by Preston Farabaugh.

"I have gone through a few of these," Ronan said. "I have had a pitcher, my son (Mason), who had 15 strikeouts and had allowed just one hit getting ready to go to the district championship, and I had to take him out with 100 pitches. It's tough, because these guys are in shape now. They are big, strong and healthy kids. Vinny was rolling and still throwing well. It's the rule, and I did think Preston did a very good job when he came in. He did everything we could have asked from him, but Central just finds ways. That's one of the things that make them really good."

Farabaugh struck out the first batter he faced, but then Jeff Hoenstine pulled Central within one on an infield single and stole second. A balk brought home the tying run, and Snowberger reached on an error with two outs as Hoenstine scored the go-ahead run.

"We really preach that and two-strike hitting and finding a way to put the ball in play," A.J. Hoenstine said. "In high school baseball, if you find a way to put the ball in play, you're going to be successful a lot of the time."

Penn Cambria put runners on first and third with two outs in the top of the seventh inning, but Dionis retired Gavin Harrold on a pop out to end the game.

"Baron was fantastic, and he brings so much energy to our team," A.J. Hoenstine said. "He's just such a great kid. He loves the game of baseball. He can tell you every player on the Pirates' roster. He came in without getting loose, and I hate doing that with him coming in from center, but he was pumping it tonight. He did a a great job and held them in check for four innings."

Penn Cambria finished the season 8-12 and the loss ended the high school careers of several outstanding three-sport athletes that were part of back-to-back appearances in the District 6 football championship and back-to-back District 6 championships in basketball, including a run to the PIAA semifinals this season.

"Our kids know Penn Cambria has some great athletes," A.J. Hoenstine said. "They were going to come here to play today, and they did. Hat's off to them, but I'm proud of our guys. They kept battling, scrapping and believing in what we teach them to do and found a way to pull it out at the end."

PENN CAMBRIA (6): Grove cf 401, Semelsberger 2b 121, Gar. Harrold c 411, Chirdon p-ss 100, Shuagis 3b 200, Hite rf 300, Gibbons ss 000, Farabaugh dh-p 400, Yeoman 1b 412, Jones pr 000, Gav. Harrold lf 322. Totals -- 26-6-7.

CENTRAL (7): Je. Hoenstine ss 422, Snowberger 3b 411, Dionis cf-p 300, Ja. Hoenstine cr 010, Marko c 301, Butler cr 010, Klotz 1b 301, Metzger 2b 312, Black lf-cf 211, Mountain p 000, Fisher dh-lf 300, Muthler rf 300. Totals -- 28-7-8.

SCORE BY INNINGS

Penn Cambria 110 400 0--6 7 3

Central 000 223 X--7 8 1

E--Yeoman, Gibbons, Shuagis, Snowberger. RBI--Semelsberger 2, Shuagis 2, Gar. Harrold, Marko 2, Metzger 2, Je. Hoenstine.

PITCHING

Penn Cambria: Chirdon--5 1/3IP, 7H, 9K, 1BB, 1HBP, 6R, 3ER, 102 pitches. Farabaugh (L)--2/3IP, 1H, 1K, 0BB, 1R, 0ER, 17 pitches.

Central: Mountain--3 1/3IP, 5H, 4K, 4BB, 3HBP, 6R, 6ER, 79 pitches. Dionis (W)--3 2/3IP, 2H, 6K, 0BB, 2HBP, 0R, 0ER, 58 pitches.

Umpires: Derrick Soellner (HP); Jim Cushion (1B); Frank Garritano (3B).

Records: Penn Cambria (8-12); Central (19-2).