Lansdale wins big in game 1 of playoffs
Tigers explosive in series opener with Ambler
“I usually don’t hit home runs — that was my third of the year. But when I do get a hold of it, I can hit one. I may be a little guy but I can get a hold of it sometimes.” – Lansdale’s Nick Strizziere
HUNTINGDON VALLEY >> Nick Strizziere’s infield single in the sixth inning put Lansdale in front for good.
In the seventh inning, Strizziere went deep. And his teammates erupted off the bench.
“That’s because it’s not normal,” the second baseman said of the rousing celebration that waited for him at home plate. “I usually don’t hit home runs — that was my third of the year. But when I do get a hold of it, I can hit one. I may be a little guy but I can get a hold of it sometimes.”
The three-run shot to left provided the final bang in Lansdale’s 12-3 victory over Ambler Tuesday night at Joe Donovan Field, as the Tigers took Game One of the semifinal series in commanding fashion.
Game Two is scheduled for Wednesday night at 7:30 at Memorial Park.
“To come out and win Game One against (Ambler starter) Doug Brown is absolutely huge,
especially on their home field,” said Strizziere, a Methacton High grad who went on to play at Montgomery County Community College before shoulder surgery cut short his college career.
“I think everybody, one through nine, is seeing the ball extremely well right now and everyone’s just really hot at the right time,” Strizziere said of the fourthseeded Tigers. “You can’t ask for anything better than that.”
Lansdale battled back from an early 3-0 deficit, tying things up in the fifth and then bolting to a 9-3 lead with six runs in the sixth.
Strizziere legged out an RBI single to push the Tigers in front, 4-3, and additional runs were driven in by Rob Zinsmeister and Joe Casselberry. In the victory, seven different Tigers had hits and eight scored runs.
Zach Hess’ ground-rule double got things started in the seventh, and after Jason Brooke was hit by a pitch and Tyler Coleman flew out to center, Strizziere came through in the No. 8 spot, getting hold of a curveball and belting it over the leftfield fence.
“At the end of the (regular) season, we kind of struggled a little bit, but we’ve started to get hot at the right time,” said the Tiger second baseman, who went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and four RBI’s.
Brett Moyer pitched a complete game for Lansale, not allowing a run in the final six innings.
Top-seeded Ambler jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first, with RBI hits from Pete Moore and Ryan Pater, but the Brewers were limited to just three hits the rest of the way.
Lansdale 12, Ambler 3 #4 Lansdale 0100263—12121 #1 Ambler 3000000— 3 82 WP: Brett Moyer (7IP, 3R, 3ER, 8H, 8K, 5BB). LP: Doug Brown (51⁄3IP, 8R, 6ER, 9H, 3K, 2BB). HR: Nick Strizziere (L). 2B: Zach Hess (L), Pete Moore (A). Multiple hits: L-Rob Zinsmeister 2-for-5, 2RBI, 2R; Joe Casselberry 2-for-4, 3RBI; Hess 3-for-3, BB, 2R; Strizziere 2-for-4, 2R, 4RBI; A-Chris Hens 2-for-3, BB, R; Moore 2-for-3, BB, R, RBI.