Coatesville’s amazing season came to a close in the state class AAAA quarter finals with a loss to the Golden Hawks
By Dave Conard Sports Editor, CoatesvilleTimes.com
Coatesville 's Justin Moore pitched seven solid innings against CR South
UPPER PROVIDENCE—Isn’t curious, how one inning can make or break a baseball season these days?
On Thursday, Coatesville (17-12) fell victim to a weapon they have had in their arsenal the entire post season; the big inning.
Despite a solid effort on the mound by Justin Moore (1-1), who struck out five in seven innings of work, while allowing 10 hits, six of which came in the fateful second inning, the Red Raiders season came to a close one win short of the state championship game with a 5-1 loss to Council Rock South.
The District One runner up Golden Hawks, combined six base hits including two doubles and a triple with the only error Coatesville committed to post all of their offensive out put in the inning.
The Red Raiders in their pre game C-Mac chant
“It has been an up year for us no matter what happened today,” said Coatesville head coach Hal Ziegler. “This team just refuses to quit and has given the entire community a great season. “If we catch the ball at the plate and make a play on a fly ball there, they don’t’ score and we may have scratched out another 1-0 game.”
After left fielder Kane Price rapped a single back through the middle, Mike Chaykin got the Golden Hawks on the board by crushing a ball to the wall in right center, scoring Price as the throw got loose at the plate.
Two batters later, lead off man Zack Fitzgerald lofted a ball deep in right field that it appeared that Clint Leslie (1-for-3), who has been one of the offensive catalyst through out the post season, did not get a great jump on, as it found its way to the fence, plating Chaykin and Steve Wright, who had singled.
Emmett Hunt then gunned down Fitzgerald at the plate, as Brian Donnelly ripped one down the line at third that Hunt immediately rifled to catcher Jake Kennedy for the second out of the inning.
Council Rock records the final out in a PIAA class AAAA win over Coatesville
“We got another outstanding performance from our pitching staff, “ added Ziegler. “Justin did a great job today, with out that one inning, which was more us than him, it’s a one run game again. He really focused and did a great job.”
The Red Raiders threatened their classic “big inning” in the sixth, when C.J. Young led off with a single and was followed by Brady Carras who hit a screamer destined for the gap in right center, before second basemen Donnelly made a leaping grab of.
Jake Kennedy, who got Coatesville on the board in his previous at bat with a solo home run, his ninth of the season, followed up Carras’ smash by drawing a base on balls, but that is as much damage as the Red Raiders could do, as South left-hander Bret DeStefano got Emmett Hunt to fly to deep right field before fanning T.J Mayo to end the threat.
As they have all season, Coatesville refused to go quietly as Chris O’Hagan led off the home seventh with a single, which was followed by an amazing ten pitch at bat by Tommy Stumm, who fouled off four DeStefano offerings, before eventually getting going down on strikes.
Coatesville's Jake Kennedy gets greeted after his fourth inning bomb at Rams Stadium
Clint Leslie kept the rally going by drilling a 2-2 fastball through the middle, but DeStefano was again able to escape further damage, sending the Golden Hawks into the Pennsylvania State class AAAA semi finals against District Six champion Altoona.
Council Rock South 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 -5 10 0
Coatesville 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 -1 5 1
.
