Dock Mennonite survives a wild one over Masterman in PIAA-3A 1st round
CHELTENHAM >> Dock Mennonite had a long day at the office Monday, in more ways than one, but in the end every player in the lineup either had a hit, scored a run or knocked one in to survive a 21-15 marathon over Masterman.
“I’m glad we won but we didn’t play very well,” said Pioneers coach Wayne Benner, whose team advances to the PIAA-3A quarterfinals to take on either Mifflinburg or Pine Grove Area on Thursday. “Hopefully we can play better next game.”
Dock saw its early 6-0 lead turn into a 6-6 tie in the third and later saw an 11-6 cushion tighten to 11-9. But through it all, the Pioneers kept swinging — and connecting — in racking up 22 hits in the first-round victory.
Theresa Beck, who lived on the base paths in this one, went a robust 4-for-5 with five runs and five RBIs for the District One Champs.
“It was a little crazy, and stressful,” Beck said of the contest.
First, Dock had to wait almost two hours to play due to the first two contests at Arcadia going longer than expected. Then, they battled through a back-and-forth match-up with the District 12 champs.
“I just took my time (at the plate) and just made sure I could get good contact,” said Beck, who reached base all five times against Masterman starter Sasha Brehouse. “It felt really nice to help my team out.”
Also for Dock, leadoff Olivia Boyle scored six runs and had five hits, including a triple and a pair of doubles, and Jill Bolton also tripled with four hits total, four runs and four RBIs.
Dock’s four-run seventh pretty much locked it up, extending the margin to 21-12. Masterman, led by Margarita Ortiz’s three RBIs, cut it to 21-15 but Beck’s fastball finished things off, with starter McKenzie Gordon having gone five and two thirds innings to get the win.
“Good to get this one through,” Benner said. “With the weather, the delay, not playing well…It was kind of like ‘let’s put this behind us, move on, get a couple practices in and be ready for the next game.’”
Top Photo: Dock Mennonites McKenzie Gordon at bat during the Pioneers’ PIAA-3A first round game against Masterman at Arcadia University on Monday, June 5, 2017. (Gene Walsh/Digital First Media)
