Spring City drops opener in Va.
Vienna walks off in opening round, sends Red Sox into elimination game against familiar foe Souderton
It will be a rematch of last week’s Pennsylvania American Legion State Tournament championship game.
But when Spring City and Souderton face off Thursday, a title finish won’t be the reward. The teams will be looking to stave off elimination from the Mid-Atlantic Regional tournament after opening-day losses at Purcellville, Va.
The Red Sox found themselves done in by Vienna, Va. scoring a walk-off 7-6 victory at Fireman’s Field in the tourney’s third opening-round game. The Pa. champions had rallied from a 6-2 deficit by scoring four times in the top of the sixth, but Virginia’s state titlist singled in the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh.
That outcome came after Souderton, in the tourney’s lid-lifting game, fell to Hamilton, N.J. 7-3. Spring City, having lost a close 2-1 game to Souderton on the second day of the Pennsylvania tournament, posted a 6-1 victory in the championship game for its first state championship since 2010.
Coy Walters had the most consistent bat for Spring City (39-5), going 3-for-3. Kasey Caras homered for the biggest of the Sox’ seven hits, and Pat Jucker drove in two runs.
Brad Clemens and Nick Price drove in other SC runs, both players also hitting safely.
Grant Calvarese started on the mound for the Red Sox, going 4-1/3 innings and touched for 11 of Vienna’s 12 hits and all but one of its runs. Kevin Hynes, however, was assessed the loss for his 2-1/3 innings’ relief at the end.