Paxton halts red-hot Norchester
EPHRATA >> A pitching staff giving up 11 walks is difficult to overcome almost anytime and nearly impossible in a playoff game. And that’s what happened to Norchester as its pitchers had trouble finding the strike zone Monday night during a 10-2 loss to Paxton in the Pennsylvania American Legion State Tournament winners’ bracket final at War Memorial Field.
The Bulldogs (25-13-2) managed only four hits for the night and will try to keep their season alive today in a 3:45 p.m. contest against Uniontown, a 14-4 winner over French Creek Valley. Paxton (22-5) - which clinched a spot in Wednesday’s finals and a berth in the Mid-Atlantic National Regional - will play at 6:45 p.m. against Ephrata, a 4-3 winner over Northampton.
“You’re not going to beat any team with 11 walks,” said Norchester manager Alex Condello. “We were lucky it was only 3-2, 4-2 much of the game. You’re not going to beat that team or any team in states with 11 walks.”
Sam Morris homered to left to pull the Region Two champion Bulldogs to within 3-2 in the bottom of the third. But that was the third and last hit allowed by Paxton starter Hudson Morris, who pitched six innings before reaching the maximum allowed 105 pitches. The lefty retired the last seven batters he faced.
“We had him up pretty high in pitch count after three innings,” said Condello. “We had some hard outs. We just didn’t capitalize in those early innings. He was a good pitcher. He found a groove.”
“He righted himself,” Paxton manager John Mazzolla said concerning Hudson Morris. “He has good stuff. As soon as he got control, he got into a nice groove. He was still throwing strong.”
Paxton, the Region Four champion from the Harrisburg area, scored one in the first on a leadoff double by Julian Santana, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly by Bubba Dorris.
Norchester had a chance to score in its half after walks to Ethan Sabatino and Sam Cerimele and a sacrifice bunt by Sam Morris. But the next two batters went down on a strikeout and a fly to right.
The Bulldogs tied it in the second on a walk to Aaron Kirby, a single by Mario Billetta and a double steal. Then Sabatino singled to left, but Billetta was thrown out at the plate by left fielder Christian Foltz to retire the side.
Paxton regained the lead in the third on a single by Kyle Belmont, two walks and a two-run double by Foltz and added a run in the fifth. Then Post 730 broke it open with a six-run seventh that included four walks, a costly error, a three-run double by Belmont and a double by Dorris.
“The scoreboard said 102, but it wasn’t indicative of the game,” said Condello.
Paxton – made up of players from Central Dauphin, Central Dauphin East and Bishop McDevitt – had won four straight after losing in the second round of the regional tournament.
“We have a lot of young guys and a couple veterans,” said Mazzolla. “Kyle Belmont is the only returning guy from our state team in 2019. These guys are growing up right in front of your eyes. They have motivation and they’re coming together. We have a lineup that grinds out at bats. We’ve been getting production from all parts of the lineup.”
Norchester drew seven walks on the night, including two in the seventh that helped to fill the bases along with a single by Sabatino. But Foltz made a diving catch in foul territory of a deep line drive by Sam Morris to end the game.
“We came out in the first two games and scored, but our hitters weren’t on top of their game tonight,” said Condello. “They’ll bounce back tomorrow. We’ll have to survive tomorrow and see where we are on Wednesday.”