Bucks walk off in 8 to finish sweep of Gabelsville

Valley Forge earns first-ever semifinal appearance

For Ryan Richter, it was a risk worth taking. With Valley Forge and Gabelsville even 4-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning in Game 3 of their Perkiomen Valley Twilight League quarterfinal series, Richter opted to dash towards home plate on Justin Meyer’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly to center field. And with a headfirst slide, the Bucks right fielder evaded a lunging tag attempt by catcher Anthony Rota to score, giving Valley Forge a 5-4 walkoff win Monday night at Heuser Park to complete the sweep in the best-of-five matchup.

“It wasn’t that deep but, I don’t know, we were kind of struggling scoring runs all game, so I decided to take a chance,” Richter said. “The throw was a little bit off and he was kind of out in front of home plate so I just made a slide to back side and I got in there.”

Richter went 2-for-3 with thee RBIs as second-seeded Valley Forge saw its 4-1 lead erased by the visiting No. 7 Owls’ threerun rally in the top of the seventh. But the Bucks responded in an inning later to earn the franchise’s first Perky League semifinal appearance since becoming Valley Forge in 2013.

“We’ve had a couple guys that have been around for a couple of years but we got a lot of pitching this year, a lot of good hitting. It’s a deep team and it’s differ-

ent than past years,” Richter said. “And I think we’re going to do something special here in the playoffs.”

Meyer added two RBIs, Jason Mulvey was 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Nick Mulvey went 2-for-4 for Valley Forge, which waits to find out its semifinal opponent as two quarterfinal series are still going after last week’s rainy weather created a bit of chaos with the league’s postseason schedule.

“I think all around, this is the best team I’ve ever had,” Valley Forge manager Mike Fazio said. “If you look at the lineup, if these guys are really hot they can do some special things. The defense, this is the best defense I’ve had. Pitching-wise, I would say it’s the most arms we’ve had and the most talent but there’s been some things with injuries and lot of different things in the mix where if all these guys were at their peak we’d be unstoppable.”

The Bucks grabbed the early advantage with three runs in the bottom of the first. Gabelsville got on the scoreboard in the second on Dylan Umstead’s basesloaded walk but Valley Forge went back up three in the fifth on a Richter RBI sac fly.

“He’s been pretty much one of our best players through and through, no matter who comes in. And he’s always been Mr. Clutch,” said Fazio of Richter. “And he’s also the one guy I think takes it to the heart the most. So, for him to get over the hump and do what he did tonight, I felt so good for him.”

After six innings from starting pitcher Jacob Marcus, the Bucks turned to Mikey Anthony to seal the win. However, the Owls’ Cory Fox started the seventh with a single with consecutive one-out base hits from Ben Longacre and Bryce Stout loading the bases. A wild pitch brought home Fox to make it 4-2.

Anthony got the second out on a strikeout but Gabelsville again loaded the bases when Danny Monzo was hit by a pitch. On the next at-bat, an error on Rota’s grounder towards third allowed both Longacre and Stout to score, tying the game at four. Anthony proceeded to keep things even with a strikeout.

Valley Forge went down in order in the bottom of the seventh, with Gabelsville doing the same in its half of the eighth.

With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Richter collected an infield single then went to third on Nick Mulvey’s single up the middle. After Nick Mulvey stole second, Ryan Keen was intentionally walked to load the bases. Meyer laced a fly out to center field, which was enough for Richter to reach home.

“This is a different team than we’ve had in past years,” Richter said. “Had a lot of good players, a lot of college guys out here that want to win, so we put some hits together, kind of had a little gut check there in the last inning but put it together and got the win.”

Stout finished 2-for-3 with a run scored a double off the left-field fence in the third for Gabelsville.

Anthony blew the save but picked up the win for Valley Forge. He gave up three runs — one earned — on three hits, struck out four, hit one batter and did not allow a walk. Marcus, a Conestoga grad committed to Division I Richmond, surrendered one earned run on four hits in six innings. He walked five and struck out six.

“His last start, he was so dominating through five innings that we had to give him a shot,” said Fazio of Marcus. “And he the job. Even if he doesn’t have his best stuff, as long as he’s throwing strikes he’s pretty darn good.”

Andrew Bauer took the loss for Gabelsville, allowing two runs — one earned — on four hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out three. Owls starting pitcher Mike Xanthopolos went four innings, gave up three runs — all earned — on five hits, struck out a pair and did not walk a batter.

Valley Forge began the bottom of the first with three straight singles — the third by Ryan Richter to left plating both Jason Mulvey and Tom Richter for a 2-0 Bucks edge. Meyer made it 3-0 with his two-out RBI single three batters later.

In the top of the second, Gabelsville loaded the bases with one out on a Ryan Zakszeski double to deep left center and back-to-back walks by Monzo and Rota. Marcus got a strikeout but then walked Umstead to bring home Zakszeski.

The Bucks went back up three in the fifth. Jason Mulvey hit a one-out infield single, stole second, went to third as Tom Richter reached on an error then scored on Ryan Richter’s RBI sac fly to center.