D-11 Baseball: Witmer deals, Marian rallies, Haven survives to set Class AA semifinal field
Williams Valley's Cayden Witmer takes a lead off first base. Shenandoah Valley's Chase McCole holds first base (Photo by Eli Doyle).
Williams Valley, Marian, Schuylkill Haven advance
FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — Cayden Witmer set the tone early and never let Shenandoah Valley get comfortable.
Witmer struck out 10 over six strong innings as Williams Valley defeated Shenandoah Valley 8-2 in a District 11 Class AA quarterfinal game Thursday at North Schuylkill’s Robert Wetzel Field.
The victory advances Williams Valley to Sunday’s semifinals against No. 2 seed Marian, which used a four-run sixth inning to defeat Minersville 4-2 in the opener of Thursday’s twinbill. The Class AA semifinals will be Sunday at North Schuylkill, with times to be announced.
The Blue Devils (12-9) grabbed an early lead lead over the Vikings in the top of the first inning on an RBI single from Haden Kechula. Shenandoah Valley had chances to add onto its lead but strong defense by the Vikings kept the score at 1-0.
Williams Valley (15-8) responded in the third as Gavin Deiter delivered an RBI single to spark a three-run frame. The Vikes then added three more runs in the fourth and two in the sixth to pull away, capitalizing on five Shenandoah Valley errors.
Deiter stayed hot at the plate, finishing with three hits, while Witmer, Fletcher Thompson, John Rautzahn, Chevy Green, Mason Bowser and Cam Berger each added hits in a balanced nine-hit attack.
Witmer controlled the game from the mound, allowing just one earned run while limiting Shenandoah Valley’s chances.
Jostin Lajara and Chase McCole each had two hits for the Blue Devils.
| Teams | 123 | 456 | 7 | — | Runs | Hits | Errors |
| SV (12-9) | 100 | 000 | 1 | — | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| WV (15-8) | 003 | 302 | x | — | 8 | 9 | 2 |
McCole, Bench (5), Kechula (6) and Jt. Lajara. Witmer, Hubler (7) and Thompson. W — Witmer (7-1). L — McCole (3-3).
HITS: Shenandoah Valley — McCole 2, Kechula, Jt. Lajara 2, Jw. Lajara. Williams Valley — Thompson, Witmer, Rautzahn, Deiter 3, Green, Bowser, Berger.
Umpires: HP — Grant Yoder. 1B — Mike Groody. 2B — Leroy Boyer. 3B — Jason Barndt
Marian 4, Minersville 2
FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — Chase Quinn-Gutsie sparked a game-deciding rally as Marian knocked off Minersville in a Class AA quarterfinal game that was resumed at Robert Wetzel Field.
Minersville (8-13) took a 1-0 in the top of the first Wednesday when Cam Rogers was hit by a pitch, took third on an errant pickoff attempt and scored on a Garrett Sukeena sacrifice fly. The game was suspended in the top of the seventh due to rain and was moved to Thursday at North Schuylkill.
The Miners added another run in the fifth to build a 2-0 lead before the Colts were able to solve Minersville ace Nolan Plesnarski.
Trailing 2-0, the Colts broke through in the sixth, stringing together timely hits to flip the game. Quinn-Gutsie and Cole Defrancisco each delivered RBI singles before a sacrifice fly by Noah Bauder and an error brought home two more runs to give Marian the lead for good.
Chase Grier tossed six innings and struck out seven for the Colts.
Plesnarski led the Miners with two of Minersville’s seven hits, while Jayce Rizzardi, Cam Rogers, Jason Correll, Brody Rogers and Aidan Ryan each chipped in one. Plesnarski also added a milestone with his 100th career hit.
Roman Bednarek added two hits for Marian, while Danny Lemus, Grier, Quinn-Gutsie and Defrancisco each contributed as the Colts finished with six hits. Grier’s base knock was a double.
| Teams | 123 | 456 | 7 | — | Runs | Hits | Errors |
| Min (8-13) | 100 | 010 | 0 | — | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| Mar (16-4) | 000 | 004 | x | — | 4 | 6 | 2 |
N. Plesnarski and B. Rogers. Bednarek, Grier (2) and Reaman. W — Grier (5-1). L — N. Plesnarski (2-5).
HITS: Minersville — N. Plesnarski 2, Sukeena, Rizzardi, Correll, B. Rogers, Ryan. Marian — Quinn-Gutsie, Bednarek 2, Lemus, Grier, Defrancisco.
2B — Grier.
Umpires: HP — Jason Barndt. 1B — Grant Yoder. 2B — Mike Groody. 3B — Leroy Boyer.
Schuylkill Haven 2, Executive Education 1
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Alan Evans delivered at the plate and on the mound as Schuylkill Haven edged Executive Education in a Class AA quarterfinal game that resumed Thursday at Scott Buffington Field.
The teams played 4.2 innings Wednesday at Scherersville Road Park, with Schuylkill Haven taking a 2-0 lead.
Evans tossed 4.2 strong innings Wednesday, striking out six, and also accounted for the Hurricanes’ lone hit — a triple. Haven scratched out runs early, with Chase Yoder driving in Evans on a groundout in the first before Chase Maley added another on a fielder’s choice in the third.
The Raptors threatened but couldn’t break through consistently against Evans and Yoder, who came on to close things out Thursday and earn the save.
With the win, Schuylkill Haven (13-9) advances to face top-seeded Tri-Valley in Sunday’s semifinals at North Schuylkill, with the time to be determined.
| Teams | 123 | 456 | 7 | — | Runs | Hits | Errors |
| SH (13-9) | 101 | 000 | 0 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| EE (11-9) | 000 | 010 | 0 | — | 1 | 3 | 1 |
