LEHMAN TWP. — Bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh of a tie game. A district playoff opener, no less.
Lake-Lehman had freshman Justin James stepping into the box. The message from the Black Knights coaching staff was simple. Have fun and hit the ball.
No worries here.
With Wyoming Seminary forced to move in its outfield, James sent a 3-1 pitch over everyone’s head into right field, giving Lehman a 5-4 walk-off win against Wyoming Seminary in Friday’s District 2 Class 3A first round.
Lake-Lehman will now get a rubber match against WVC Division 3 foe Holy Redeemer in Monday’s quarterfinals.
A Lehman lineup that featured two freshmen and two sophomores didn’t flinch when Seminary rallied to tie the game with two runs in the top of the seventh. In the home half, the sixth-seeded Black Knights quickly loaded the bases and won the game without recording an out.
“We made the plays when it counted,” Lehman coach Len Sincavage said. “That last inning, we had some great at-bats. Very competitive game. My hat’s off to Wyoming Seminary.”
Jake Wesley and Chris Hadsall both drove in runs with early doubles and Noah Gorski made it 4-1 with a run-scoring single in the fourth.
The No. 11 Blue Knights ultimately rallied to tie, however, as Michael Oravic (3 for 4, two RBI) singled in the seventh and another run came home on a double-play ball.
But Seminary nearly took control in the sixth when Frankie Nockley sent a line drive to right with the bases loaded.
Lehman sophomore C.J. Cercone dove to make an inning-ending grab. A miss may very well have cleared the bases and given the Blue Knights the lead.
“Awesome play. Incredible play,” Sincavage said. “That was a game-saver, no doubt about it.”
GAR 8,
Hanover Area 1
Ben Marte drove home three runs and scored another and Gerson Peralta and Simon Peter also had three hits and scored twice for the 10th-seeded Grenadiers, who advanced to Monday’s quarterfinals against rival Meyers.
Austin Yelland limited No. 7 Hanover Area to one run on four hits over 6.2 innings to earn the victory. Kyle Windt had two hits, including a double, and scored the lone run for Hanover Area.
In the other half of the bracket, No. 12 Carbondale upset No. 5 Dunmore 5-3 and No. 9 Riverside beat No. 8 Montrose 9-5.
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District 2 Class 3A first round
Lake-Lehman 5, Wyo. Seminary 4
Wyo. Seminary`AB`R`H`BI
Gabriel cf`2`0`0`0
Kachi ph`0`1`0`0
Kehl ss`3`1`1`0
Oravic c`4`1`3`2
Sweitzer 2b`4`0`1`1
Jerome 3b`4`0`0`0
Hromisin p`0`0`0`0
Nardone p`0`0`0`0
RPhillips dh-p`3`0`1`0
TPhillips lf`3`0`2`0
Negron 1b`2`0`0`0
Nockley rf`3`1`2`0
Totals`28`4`10`3
Lake-Lehman`AB`R`H`BI
Sincavage 2b`2`1`0`0
Weston ss`4`1`3`0
Hadsall 3b-p`2`1`1`1
Sikora c`1`1`0`0
Wesley 1b`3`0`2`2
Selingo p`0`0`0`0
JJames dh-3b`4`0`2`1
Kurtz lf`3`0`0`0
Cercone rf`3`1`1`0
Gorski cf`2`0`1`1
Totals`24`5`10`5
Wyo. Seminary`001`001`2`—`4
Lake-Lehman`201`100`1`—`5
2B — Sweitzer, Kehl, Wesley, Hadsall, Cercone
Wyo. Seminary`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Hromisin`2.1`4`3`3`3`2
Nardone`1.1`5`1`1`2`1
RPhillips (L)`2.1`1`1`1`1`1
Lake-Lehman`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Selingo`6.0`8`2`2`2`3
Hadsall (W)`1.0`2`2`2`1`1
District 2 Class 3A first round
GAR 8, Hanover Area 1
GAR`AB`R`H`BI
Shinal c`4`1`1`0
Peter ss`4`2`3`1
Peralta rf`4`2`3`1
Lake 3b`3`0`0`0
Marte lf`4`1`3`3
Edwards 1b`4`1`1`1
Yelland p`3`1`2`0
ODay 2b`3`0`0`0
Peguero cf`4`0`0`0
Totals`33`8`13`6
Hanover Area`AB`R`H`BI
Windt p`4`1`2`0
Piscotty 3b`3`0`2`0
Clarke ss-p`4`0`0`0
Kowalski 2b`2`0`0`1
Hart c`3`0`0`0
Gately 1b-p`3`0`0`0
Wasickanin lf`3`0`1`0
Flaim rf`3`0`0`0
Wheeler cf`3`0`1`0
Totals`28`1`6`1
GAR`000`030`5`—`8
Hanover Area`100`000`0`—`1
2B — Shinal, Peter, Windt; 3B — Peralta
GAR`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Yelland (W)`6.2`4`1`1`1`2
Lake`0.1`2`0`0`1`0
Home`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Windt`3.1`4`0`0`2`2
Clarke (L)`2.2`9`4`4`1`3
Gately`1.0`0`4`0`1`1