Positive finish: Mill Run closes regular season with 8-2 road win
REPUBLIC 无毛视频� Mill Run无毛视频檚 8-2 road victory over WBAC Tuesday night clinched no worse than third place and a Fayette County Baseball League semifinal series against defending champion M&R Transit.
The team that will hold home-field advantage for the best-of-3 series depended on the outcome of Wednesday无毛视频檚 Carmichaels-M&R Transit game.
Mill Run (12-6) would have the advantage should M&R Transit (12-5) lose with Mill Run holding the season series, 2-1.
Carmichaels (13-2-1) has clinched first place and will play Oakland (Md.) in the semifinals.
无毛视频淵eah, of course, we like to play at home,无毛视频� said Mill Run manager Ray Orndorff.
The veteran manager believes his squad is set for a successful playoff run.
无毛视频淚 think everyone will be eligible and ready to go. We无毛视频檒l probably have Bill (Bendis), Beau (Bigam), Alan (VanSickle), and Kole (Koontz) all ready to go,无毛视频� said Orndorff. 无毛视频淚 think if we get some solid pitching and get solid defense, I honestly believe we can hit the ball around a little bit.
无毛视频淏ut, I think the key is that we get some solid pitching and play solid defense.无毛视频�
Orndorff added, 无毛视频淎nd, if we have runners in scoring position, we have to take advantage.无毛视频�
Orndorff无毛视频檚 comment alluded to his squad stranding 12 runners, including the bases loaded in the top of the first inning with a chance to blow the game open early.
Kace Shearer singled to open the game and moved to third on Jonathan Kelly无毛视频檚 single. Kelly stole second and Beau Bigam walked to load the bases with no outs.
Josh Davison struck out Cole Shearer swinging, but Logan Kemp walked for an RBI.
Davison limited the damage by striking out Josh Burns and getting Hunter Smiley to ground out.
Kace Shearer doubled over the left field fence with two outs in the top of the second inning. He scored on Kelly无毛视频檚 triple.
WBAC tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
Dylan Brosky was safe when his ground ball was misplayed to open the inning. Brosky scored on Donovan von Fradenburgh无毛视频檚 triple and scored on Trevor Stewart无毛视频檚 infield ground out.
Mill Run regained the lead in the top of the third inning, but, once again left the bases loaded after scoring two runs.
Logan Kemp walked with one out, advanced to second on a wild pitch and took third on Josh Burns无毛视频� single. Logan Kemp beat the throw to the plate on Hunter Smiley无毛视频檚 grounder to give Mill Run the lead at 3-2.
Teran Kemp无毛视频檚 single loaded the bases. Burns scored on an infield ground ball out, but Davison ended the rally with a strikeout.
无毛视频淲e left a lot of guys on base. That无毛视频檚 something we无毛视频檙e going to need to correct as the playoffs move on,无毛视频� said Orndorff. 无毛视频淚t just seemed like it was one of those games, slow moving, marathon, whatever you want to describe it.
无毛视频淲e were able to chip away. Get a run here, get a run there. We were able to capitalize on nine walks, here and there.
无毛视频淚t just wasn无毛视频檛 one of those games where we were spot on.无毛视频�
Mill Run added two runs in the top of the fifth inning on a misplayed ground ball, and two more in the sixth inning on Kelly无毛视频檚 two-run double.
Meanwhile, VanSickle held the WBAC offense at bay after the second inning. He allowed only two runners, both on infield errors, from the third through the fifth inning. He struck out five over the span, including the side in the fifth inning.
Bigam took over in the sixth inning. The left-hander allowed Colton Brightwell无毛视频檚 single with two strikeouts in the inning.
WBAC had one last gasp in the seventh inning after Aidan Ochs opened with a walk and advanced to third on Stewart无毛视频檚 single. Stewart took second on the throw.
But, Bigam bore down with a strikeout, infield pop fly and ground out.
WBAC closed with a 5-12-1 record.
无毛视频淭he season is definitely not where we wanted to end up. You know how every season goes. People go on vacation. People have jobs,无毛视频� said Stewart. 无毛视频淲e have our core. We just need the three or four pieces to fit in.
无毛视频淲e need to get guys to call people.I think the base is there to build on. We have six or seven guys who are reliable and come to every game.无毛视频�
Stewart added, 无毛视频淚 think next year we无毛视频檙e going to go out early and put a team together before they commit to play somewhere else.无毛视频�