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Scandy dandy as Knightline wins big
Heads-up running
leads to go-ahead
outburst in second
By Dan Hiner
Struthers
Kris Scandy took his lead from second base. For a split second, it looked as if Avalanche 18-U pitcher Josh Pratt picked him off.
However, the second baseman took his eye off the ball and the throw went into center field. Scandy scored to break a tie game in the second inning for Knightline.
Scandy’s score ignited a four-run outburst, leading to a 12-3 win over in the Bob Cene Memorial Tournament game.
“Nobody’s really holding me. The third baseman’s playing back, so I was trying to take third,” Scandy said. “I didn’t think he was gonna turn and try to pick me off. Once he did, I saw he made a bad throw and I kept going.”
Knightline (12-7) sent nine batters to the plate in the second inning. Trevor Strohmeyer and John Ritter had RBI singles.
Knightline added two runs in the third and another four-run inning in the fourth.
Avalanche scored solo runs in the first, second and fourth innings. John King hit an RBI single in the first and Pratt tied the game at 2 with a sacrifice fly.
Brett Bobin allowed one run on three hits in three innings for Knightline. Patrick Coleman pitched the final two innings, allowing a run on an RBI single by Damian Airwyke.
Eight of Knightline’s 10 batters recorded at least one hit.
Scandy finished 1 for 2 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Colton Stoneman was 3 for 3 with three runs scored with an RBI while Travis Harvey hit two doubles, scored once and drove in two runs.
“The past couple games we’ve been struggling getting guys on base,” Scandy said. “We haven’t been hitting very well. I think today was a big game for us, just to get everybody swinging and get everybody in a groove.”
Avalanche doesn’t have any 18-year-old players on the roster. The majority of the team is made up of 16- and 17-year-olds.
Pratt, a 15-year-old from Southern Local, allowed five runs — four earned — on two hits and six walks. He threw 49 pitches in 11/3 innings.
Avalanche manager Don Zeisler said the loss was a product of their youth. The veteran players that were on the roster left the team, which has a 4-15 record.
“There’s no light at the end of the tunnel for ‘em,” Zeisler said.
Knightline is in playoff mode. They sit in third place in the Class B standings, and are eyeing a berth in the National Amateur Baseball Federation.
The game was also classified as a Class B game.
“We’re not only play well to get into the Bob Cene Tournament, but get a regional bid and extend our season a couple weeks,” Knightline manager Tommy Otto said.
“Credit our kids. We faced adversity the whole year, and I think it’s made us a better team. They just believe in each other and we keep making plays.”