Hamburg win first-ever PIAA game; advances to Class AAA quarterfinals

LAURELDALE >> The freshly minted District 3-AAA baseball champions wasted no time making more program history Monday evening at Muhlenberg High School.

Hamburg scored four runs in the first inning against District 12 runners-up Franklin Towne Charter and it proved more than enough for the Hawks, who won their first-ever PIAA game with a 5-0 victory to advance to Thursday’s AAA quarterfinals, at a time and locale to be announced.

Hamburg (17-8) scored its four first-inning runs on three hits and one costly Franklin Towne error, then turned duties over to starter Janson Youndt, who responded by throwing a workmanlike two-hitter at the Coyotes (10-12).

With losses Monday by Governor Mifflin in Quad-A and Oley Valley in AA, the Hawks are, suddenly, the last Berks County baseball team standing.

“First state win, yeah. It’s good to come out here and get that win and get back after it the next two days,” Hamburg head coach Nick Evangelista said.

Hamburg got it going immediately in the bottom of the first by sending seven batters to plate against Coyotes’ starter Eric Sanchez. They drew two walks, got a run-scoring single off the bat of Ryan Smith and two more from designated hitter Mike Porcak. FTC suffered a throwing error from the outfield in the midst of the salvo that plated a fourth run.

Sanchez had difficulty locating and keeping runners anchored to first base. Hamburg drew six walks off him (eight for the game) and stole six bases (also eight for the game). A delayed double-steal of second home — a classic softball manuever not nearly as common in baseball — plated a fifth run in the third.

The Hawks were facing a club in Franklin Towne that took second in Philly, despite a losing record. Evangelista knew his club could have had a ton more offense, given all the free passes and swiped bags.

“I don’t think we played our best game tonight,” Evangelista said. “I was pleased with how Janson threw the ball. … But we got a little complacent after the first inning. We have a little bit of a history of that and that’s one thing we’ve gotta work on.

“We were out in front of some pitches. We were anxious, trying to drive some baseballs instead of staying back and taking the ball the other way. We got complacent after that first inning … We’re going to work the next two days to get back after it.”

Youndt kept FTC at bay by mixing his pitches and locations well. He had opposition hitters consistently out in front with his change-up and didn’t hesitate to work all four corners of the plate. Youndt gave up singles in the third and fifth and never came close to facing a jam. He struck out six and walked one in the complete-game win.

“Without a doubt (the change-up) worked,” Youndt said. “It’s great to come out and do this for Hamburg. Being a senior and not being here next year, you want to leave a memory at the school. A lot of us guys are taking this to heart.”

Youndt admitted the four early runs gave him a huge boost.

“First inning, I was a little stressed out,” he said. “We come in and get those four runs, I laid back and I had a lot of good innings after that, then. I trust every guy behind me, and they’re gonna make the plays.

Youndt and his teammates are aware of the history they making, but are determined to micromanage it to the best of their abilities while in the midst of the journey.

“I know a lot of us are talking about it’s the first time making it to states,” he said, “but at the end of the day, every night going to bed, we’re thinking we’ve gotta get focused for the next game. Let’s keep making history.”

 

PIAA Class AAA first round

Hamburg 5, Franklin Towne Charter 0

FTC – 0  0  0   0  0  0   0 — 0  2  1

Hamburg – 4  0  1   0  0  0   x  — 5  6  0

WP: Janson Youndt  LP: Eric Sanchez

2B: H, 1 (Logan Adams)

 

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