Saturday, May 30, 2009
The Bulldogs will play for a regional title today.
By RYAN JONES
vindicator correspondent
HUDSON — Poland’s ace, Sean Gabriel, came on in the sixth inning with one out and the score tied. Louisville had just hit a two-run homer and were on the comeback trail.
But something uncharacteristic happened. Gabriel wasn’t able to stop the bleeding and the Leopards tacked on another run to take an 8-7 lead.
Fortunately, Poland scored two runs in the seventh inning to upend Louisville 9-8 in a Division II regional semifinal on Friday at Hudson High School.
Trailing 8-7 in the top of the seventh, Poland’s leadoff batter, Matt Pitzulo, walked and advanced to second on Drew Petro’s sacrifice bunt. Trent Vallinger walked and Ross Lopez smashed a 0-1 pitch to deep left field that scored Pitzulo to tie the game.
“I was just trying to put the bat on the ball,” Lopez said. “I struggled all day at the plate [0-for-3 before the game-tying hit], but I knew I had to make a play somehow. Last year I was in a similar situation and let my team down. I wasn’t going to let that happen this year. I got a curveball and drove it.”
Murray said it wasn’t the first time Lopez has come through in the clutch.
“He’s been a starter for three seasons,” he said. “He can hit the ball pretty well. And even though he struggled he made a play when it counted most.”
Vallinger advanced to third on Lopez’s double and scored the go-ahead run on Phil Lapari’s sacrifice fly.
Gabriel got his shot at redemption in the bottom of the seventh.
“My team gave me a second chance,” Gabriel said. “I didn’t want to let them down again. I went to the mound only thinking about getting the last three outs.”
After striking out the first batter, Gabriel gave up a single and hit a batter. He got Louisville’s John Cook to fly to left for the second out.
Bobby Swigert, who launched a two-run bomb that tied the game at seven the previous inning, worked a walk to load the bases.
“We were trying to keep the ball away from him [Swigert] ,” Gabriel said. “With two outs we thought we could be careful and pitch around him a little.”
Gabriel (9-1) got the next batter, Neal Seaman, to ground to short. Pitzulo fielded the ball and threw to first for the final out.
“I ecstatic I soon as I saw Drew [Petro] squeeze the ball at first,” Gabriel said. “I saw teammate Ryan Rovnak running at me and I tried not to get swallowed up in the pile.”
The Bulldogs jumped to an early lead with a six-run first inning.
Zack Custer singled and advanced to second on Gabriel’s infield hit. Matt Pitzulo walked to load the bases.
Drew Petro drew a second consecutive walk for a 1-0 lead.
With the bases still loaded, Vallinger raked a three-run double to left-center to give the Bulldogs a 4-0 advantage.
“We put ourselves in a good position,” Murray said. “Six quick runs and you think you’re sitting on easy street, but we knew they [Louisville] wouldn’t quit.”
Louisville pitcher, Hunter Potts, shutout the Bulldogs over the next four innings.