In a classic pitchers' duel in which the teams combined for just seven total hits, it came down to a question of who made the most out of the ones they got and that was Middlesex today as the visiting Chargers scraped across single runs in the 1st, 5th and 7th innings to hold off the Gladiators and advance to Friday's state semi-finals. Despite having its lowest scoring outing of the season, the Big Red still managed to have several chances to score but just could not get the key hit when they needed it and instead stranded batters in at least four of the seven innings.
Ethan Fitzgerald started for Riverheads and pitched the first six innings. Despite taking the loss, the sophomore pitched a great game, throwing only 62 pitches in those six innings. He might have gone the distance but he was lifted when Middlesex led off the 7th with a double that eventually led to their insurance run. His cousin Holden finished out the game for RHS and surrendered that final run on a passed ball.
Middlesex used the duo of Kayden Huntley (4 innings) and Patrick Larson and between them they only gave up two hits. However the Gladiators still took advantage of walks, stolen bases, and especially hit batsmen to get numerous runners in scoring position but spent the entire game being that one big hit or productive inning away from victory.
Their best opportunity to make some major noise came in the bottom of the second when Huntley hit consecutive batters, giving the Big Red runners at first and second with just one out. But in keeping with the kind of game it turned out to be, the Gladiators hit into an inning-ending ground ball double play on the very next pitch. Riverheads' lone run then came in the bottom of the third when Brendan Fortune walked, was sacrificed to second, and came home on the Big Red's first hit of the game, a sharp grounder that hugged the first base line and went deep enough to allow Fortune to score.
As you would hope to see, both teams played a clean game and ironically Riverheads' only error of the game gave Middlesex the chance to take its early lead. The shortstop could not handle a slow roller from Middlesex's lead off man and he eventually came around to score.
Once Riverheads tied things up in the third, and neither team scored in the fourth, it looked like we were headed for a photo finish. But The Chargers took the lead for good in the top of the fifth when their gigantic first baseman Hudson McMinn led off with a single. He was sacrificed to second and came home on a hit up the middle by Huntley.
The biggest hit of the game for either team was a solid lead-off double by Trey Fitchett to open the 7th, which prompted the decision to replace Ethan Fitzgerald, who left the game to a well-deserved round of applause by the Gladiator fans who certainly realized the efficient game he had pitched. Fitchett eventually came in to score on the aforementioned passed ball and the Gladiators did not seriously threaten in the 7th.
By now the other A/B match-up should be over as Region B runner-up William Campbell was slated to travel to the home field of Region A champ Lancaster this afternoon. Best of luck to whomever won that one and of course to Middlesex as the eastern half of the state will now try to take care of the west in Friday's semis. I would assume that perennial powerhouse Auburn is considered the front-runner but that is why they play the games.
As for Riverheads, a disappointing loss of course but to put it in perspective, the Gladiators were a very young team this year with only two seniors having graduated. So even though they will move up to Class 2 next season, they will do so with a more experienced but still quite young team. My guess is that those returning players have already started looking forward to that challenge.
Ethan Fitzgerald started for Riverheads and pitched the first six innings. Despite taking the loss, the sophomore pitched a great game, throwing only 62 pitches in those six innings. He might have gone the distance but he was lifted when Middlesex led off the 7th with a double that eventually led to their insurance run. His cousin Holden finished out the game for RHS and surrendered that final run on a passed ball.
Middlesex used the duo of Kayden Huntley (4 innings) and Patrick Larson and between them they only gave up two hits. However the Gladiators still took advantage of walks, stolen bases, and especially hit batsmen to get numerous runners in scoring position but spent the entire game being that one big hit or productive inning away from victory.
Their best opportunity to make some major noise came in the bottom of the second when Huntley hit consecutive batters, giving the Big Red runners at first and second with just one out. But in keeping with the kind of game it turned out to be, the Gladiators hit into an inning-ending ground ball double play on the very next pitch. Riverheads' lone run then came in the bottom of the third when Brendan Fortune walked, was sacrificed to second, and came home on the Big Red's first hit of the game, a sharp grounder that hugged the first base line and went deep enough to allow Fortune to score.
As you would hope to see, both teams played a clean game and ironically Riverheads' only error of the game gave Middlesex the chance to take its early lead. The shortstop could not handle a slow roller from Middlesex's lead off man and he eventually came around to score.
Once Riverheads tied things up in the third, and neither team scored in the fourth, it looked like we were headed for a photo finish. But The Chargers took the lead for good in the top of the fifth when their gigantic first baseman Hudson McMinn led off with a single. He was sacrificed to second and came home on a hit up the middle by Huntley.
The biggest hit of the game for either team was a solid lead-off double by Trey Fitchett to open the 7th, which prompted the decision to replace Ethan Fitzgerald, who left the game to a well-deserved round of applause by the Gladiator fans who certainly realized the efficient game he had pitched. Fitchett eventually came in to score on the aforementioned passed ball and the Gladiators did not seriously threaten in the 7th.
By now the other A/B match-up should be over as Region B runner-up William Campbell was slated to travel to the home field of Region A champ Lancaster this afternoon. Best of luck to whomever won that one and of course to Middlesex as the eastern half of the state will now try to take care of the west in Friday's semis. I would assume that perennial powerhouse Auburn is considered the front-runner but that is why they play the games.
As for Riverheads, a disappointing loss of course but to put it in perspective, the Gladiators were a very young team this year with only two seniors having graduated. So even though they will move up to Class 2 next season, they will do so with a more experienced but still quite young team. My guess is that those returning players have already started looking forward to that challenge.
