Cummings’s powerful arm shuts down late Conestoga comeback attempt
Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times
Senior Dominick Solomon winds up in Saturday’s game against Conestoga. After starting strong Coatesville’s pitching became inconsistent later in the game.
CALN – Junior Aaron Cummings’s strong pitching in the seventh crushed Conestoga’s hopes for a comeback in Coatesville’s 10-8 home win on Saturday.
The Red Raiders looked like early favorites, retiring their opponents in order in the top of the first. In the bottom half of the inning, Conestoga hit Coatesville’s first two batters to jumpstart the Red Raider offense. A groundball by senior Clint Leslie and the subsequent overthrow brought the runners in, giving his team a 2-0 lead.
Again in the second, Coatesville’s first two batters reached base. The early runners and some solid small ball gained another four runs for the home team. The Red Raiders did not overpower Conestoga, but consistent hitting and speed on the basepaths allowed them to manufacture runs.
In the middle innings, the Pioneers found their rhythm, scoring a couple to make it 6-2 going into the bottom of the fourth.
The progress appeared to be short-lived, with Coatesville loading the bases and scoring three more, with seniors CJ Young, Clint Leslie, and Jake Kennedy each picking up their second RBIs.
But Conestoga’s rhythm would not be broken. Walks and clutch hitting combined to give them three in the fifth and three more in the sixth to make it 10-8. Though the Red Raiders had the lead, their opponents had all the momentum. When the Pioneers struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth, a last-inning comeback seemed inevitable.
Coatesville’s pitching looked dominant in the early innings, but late in the game, they were inconsistent at best, giving up walks, and allowing line drives for runs. After walking the first batter in the seventh, the story appeared be the same with Cummings. But Cummings adjusted, bringing his pitches lower, and the offense could not catch up to his velocity. Cummings struck out the next two, one of them on three pitches, and got the final batter to pop up, sealing the victory for the home team.
CONESTOGA 0 0 1 1 3 3 0
COATESVILLE 2 4 0 3 1 0 X
