Walks, errors doom Archbishop Wood in PIAA AAA 1st round

SPRINGFIELD >> Scoring five runs and holding the opponent to two hits is typically a recipe for success.

That wasn’t the case Monday afternoon.

(Archbishop Wood lost in the first round of the PIAA Class AAA state playoffs, 6-5, to Susquehanna Township at La Salle College High School’s Ward Field.

The Vikings pitchers walked 11 batters and the defense made three errors.

“When you do that it’s tough,” Wood coach Jim DiGuiseppe Jr. said. “I thought we overcame some of that, but obviously we didn’t have enough there. That’s a lot to overcome. Our kids kept playing, they battled and that’s all I can really ask for.”

“I told the fellas you beat a very good baseball team with two hits because you have spirit and you have soul,” Susquehanna Township coach Rob Martin said. “As long as you’ve got that, we can make things happen.”

It looked like it was going to be an easy one for Wood early on. It sent all nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning and tallied four runs on four hits to take a 4-0 lead. Sean Kelly hit a two-run double and Matt Cummiskey and Matt Schwartz each had RBI singles.

That comfortable advantage didn’t last long. The Indians pushed three runs across in the top of the second on three walks and their only two hits of the game — an RBI single by Ben Moser and a two-run single from Austin Dressler.

Those two runs weren’t Dressler’s only contribution. He pitched all seven innings for Susquehanna Township. The right-hander allowed five runs on eight hits while walking two batters and striking out three.

“Austin pitched a phenominal game,” Martin said.

“He’s not overpowering speed. He’s sneaky fast. He can move his ball. He’s a very crafty pitcher. We’re not here without Austin — there’s no question about that.”

“(Dressler) did a good job of pounding the zone,” DiGuiseppe said. “He changed speeds well and they made the plays defensively. They did a good job of that. He was working the zone and we were attacking the ball, staying aggressive. We squared up some balls and they went and made the plays.”

Wood doubled its lead to two, 5-3, in the bottom of the third when Sam Reynolds hit a two-out RBI single.

That score would stand until the top of the fifth inning. Dressler reached on a walk to lead off the inning and was sacrifice bunted to second. Jeremy Gismenpi pinch hit and reached on an error, setting up a first-and-third situation with one out.

Dan Warshawsky hit a sacrifice fly to cut the Indians deficit to one and the next two batters walked to load the bases with two outs.

Chris Ciotti hit a low line drive to second that was booted into the outfield. Two runs scored and Susquehanna Township had its 6-5 lead, a score that would stand to be the final.

Wood had one player get on base with a single in the fifth and another reached on an error in the sixth, but that’s as close as they’d get to tying the game.

The loss brings the Vikings’ season to an end.

“It’s never a disappointment when our kids put forth the effort,” DeGuiseppe said of the season. “You come out and win 16 games, that’s obviously quality from a win standpoint. Nobody wants their season to ever end. There’s only one team who’s going to be left standing at the end and unfortunately that’s not going to be us.”

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