Penn-Trafford stuns Wildcat baseball, 8-5

WOODWARD TOWNSHIP, PA – Central Mountain’s otherwise fantastic baseball season unraveled a bit on Monday, visiting Penn-Trafford upsetting the Wildcats by an 8-5 score in a first round PIAA Class 5A playoff game at Lock Haven University’s Watkins Field.

The usually steady Wildcats struggled for much of the game, unable to get their offense going until late in the contest and three pitchers touched up for 12 hits. The loss ended the CM season at 20-2, the Warriors now 16-6 and the Westmoreland County team advancing into the PIAA quarterfinals.

The tempo for the game was set early as Wildcat starter Gabe Johnson struggled with his command, surrendering three first inning walks, along with two singles, giving the Warriors a first inning three run lead they never relinquished. Johnson was followed on the mound by Chase Brush and Brady Myers as the Warriors put the ball in play all game long, led by catcher Ian Temple who went 3-for-3 with a homerun and two RBIs.

Meanwhile two Penn-Trafford pitchers, Nolan Maristi and Dylan Grabowski held the usually hard-hitting Wildcats to a season low four hits, including only a bouncing single from Johnson through the first five innings. By then the visitors had built a 5-3 lead and added three insurance runs in the top of the sixth to go up by 8-2.

Coach Mike Kramer’s team made a late run, scoring one in the bottom of the sixth and two more in the bottom of the seventh to close the gap to 8-5 as the game and the Wildcat season came to an end.

The first Wildcat run came in the first inning on a sacrifice fly from Braylon Corter. They used a Cru Stover sac fly to get a second run in the fifth. The sixth inning run came on an outfield error after a Levi Schlesinger single. The two runs in the seventh came after a single from Kevin Grenninger, the Wildcat junior scoring on a Johnson double; Johnson later scored on a Warrior misplay, the Wildcats closing to 8-5 at that point. But reliever Grabowski got a final out flyout to center and the game and season ended for CM.

Central Mountain received seven walks but could not take advantage of its opportunities and saw one runner thrown out at home trying to score on a groundball to the Warriors’ third baseman.

It was a somber Wildcat squad that assembled around coach Kramer after the game as he said goodbye to the 10 team seniors who had contributed so much to the Central Mountain record over the last several years.

Coach Kramer said, “One game won’t define this season” and made a point to thank his 10 seniors for their commitment to the program. As for the late comeback attempt the veteran coach said, “I was very pleased everyone battled to the end; that’s what I’ll remember.” He complimented Penn-Trafford, calling them a good team and noting they won their division in the WPIAL and finished third overall in the sprawling district. He said, “things just weren’t in our favor today” as the season closed on another outstanding year.

PT 3 0 2 0 0 3 0 = 8-12-1

CM 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 = 5-4-1