Warrington walks off with state title
By James D’Arcangelo
For BucksLocalSports.com
Big time pitching wins big time games. And when the stars, or, in this game, the rainbow is aligned, both the winner and loser of a big time battle put up big time pitching.
With the sixth inning view from behind home plate revealing a rainbow that ended at the Warrington dugout, Warrington seemingly co-opted the karma to decision Langhorne, 1-0, as both teams’ pitchers threw barely-touchable three-hitters.
The decisive hit was rung up by Warrington clutch offense instigator-of-late J.M. Clauss who smacked an infield chopper up the middle in the bottom of the sixth, scoring Jared Conroy (on board with a single), earning Warrington its first Cal Ripken 11-year-old Pennsylvania State Championship.
Walking away with the title, this represented Warrington’s latest addition to their 2009 wall of state championship banners, as Warrington’s 8s, 9s, 10s, and now 11s, have grabbed first place in Pennsylvania (the 12s had to settle for a semifinal state appearance).
In an amazingly bizarre and exciting turn of events, the title tilt, like the tournament’s two semifinal games, was decided in a wild walk-off win. And, just like this tournament’s semifinal games, the winner never held the lead until the winning run crossed the plate.
Gritty hard-luck hurler Timmy Mulhern, who pitched the complete game three-hitter for Langhorne, had a no-hitter in progress, as he sent down Warrington 1-2-3 in each of the first three frames.
Warrington’s Will Moller was just as stingy, as his no-hitter was disrupted in the third inning when Timmy Mulhern singled to right off of his counterpart. Mulhern reached as right fielder J.M. Clauss’ sliding effort was just inches short of enough to reach the sinking liner.
Nolan Jones then poked an opposite field single. However, even though Moller, who allowed only these two hits in four innings, faced runners on first and second and the vaunted top end of the Langhorne batting order, he fought back to end the inning undamaged.
The Lions surged again in the top of the fourth. Zach Winkler reached on an error, and Danny Bishop and Eric Chapman walked to load the bases. After striking out the next batter, Moller relied on his defense, just as every pitcher has to at some point. Thwarting the next batter in what may well have been a game-decider, Ky “Special K” Rossi made a sliding snag at short on a hard hit grounder, then threw to second base to his brother Ty, who relayed to Zach Dennis at first to record a critical double play that ended the inning.
Meanwhile, though Brendan Parker broke up Mulhern’s no-hitter with a single in the top of the fourth inning for Warrington, he was stranded, as Mulhern kept Warrington’s offense eerily quiet.
In between the fifth and sixth innings, a short rain delay was called. As play resumed to start the sixth, the rainbow that bowed over the Warrington dugout when viewed from behind home plate seemed to indicate championship gold ahead for Warrington. With what followed, one might start to believe in such omens.
In the top of the sixth, Langhorne’s Bishop walked. He stole second, and then third. “Big Z” Dennis turned down the next two batters, but, with the game on the line, the Langhorne batter lofted a soft fly into the gap between second and center in shallow center.
Even with both Rossis running back full tilt, the ball seemed sure to land. But center fielder Tommy Funk, legs churning, came from nowhere to make a title-saving diving catch, and was greeted by swarms of high-fives and backslaps from his teammates before he could even get back to the infield on his way to the dugout.
Once again, as it had the night before, the Wolf Pack entered the bottom of the sixth without a lead but with a steely focus. Jared Conroy reached on a watery field-aided single past third that the shortstop kept in the infield. Conroy stole second and third, giving the next batter J.M. Clauss the chance to win the game for his team.
Clauss came through too, smacking a chopping grounder straight to second base, and though the ball was miraculously kept in the infield, the desperate throw home was not in time. Players piled on Clauss and Conroy. Fans piled over the yellow-rimmed fence in right in celebration of the new Cal Ripken State Champions, the Warrington Wolf Pack.
So, with yet another big game between the two teams decided by one key hit, the latest chapter of Warrington-Langhorne rivalry was somehow even better than its enthralling predecessors this season. In this instance, the state championship was decided on an infield chopper, no less.
As Warrington looks ahead to the Cal Ripken Regional Championships in New Jersey next week, they are quietly confident in that they showed all tournament that they could stay more than composed when behind, and knowing they can come through when pressed to the very last batter’s last swing.
In the end, both teams gave their fans quality baseball, entertaining spectators from both sides with their grit and determination. Both squads should be proud of themselves, as everyone who played or watched has a lot of great memories to savor this winter and for years to come.
For BucksLocalSports.com
Big time pitching wins big time games. And when the stars, or, in this game, the rainbow is aligned, both the winner and loser of a big time battle put up big time pitching.
With the sixth inning view from behind home plate revealing a rainbow that ended at the Warrington dugout, Warrington seemingly co-opted the karma to decision Langhorne, 1-0, as both teams’ pitchers threw barely-touchable three-hitters.
The decisive hit was rung up by Warrington clutch offense instigator-of-late J.M. Clauss who smacked an infield chopper up the middle in the bottom of the sixth, scoring Jared Conroy (on board with a single), earning Warrington its first Cal Ripken 11-year-old Pennsylvania State Championship.
Walking away with the title, this represented Warrington’s latest addition to their 2009 wall of state championship banners, as Warrington’s 8s, 9s, 10s, and now 11s, have grabbed first place in Pennsylvania (the 12s had to settle for a semifinal state appearance).
In an amazingly bizarre and exciting turn of events, the title tilt, like the tournament’s two semifinal games, was decided in a wild walk-off win. And, just like this tournament’s semifinal games, the winner never held the lead until the winning run crossed the plate.
Gritty hard-luck hurler Timmy Mulhern, who pitched the complete game three-hitter for Langhorne, had a no-hitter in progress, as he sent down Warrington 1-2-3 in each of the first three frames.
Warrington’s Will Moller was just as stingy, as his no-hitter was disrupted in the third inning when Timmy Mulhern singled to right off of his counterpart. Mulhern reached as right fielder J.M. Clauss’ sliding effort was just inches short of enough to reach the sinking liner.
Nolan Jones then poked an opposite field single. However, even though Moller, who allowed only these two hits in four innings, faced runners on first and second and the vaunted top end of the Langhorne batting order, he fought back to end the inning undamaged.
The Lions surged again in the top of the fourth. Zach Winkler reached on an error, and Danny Bishop and Eric Chapman walked to load the bases. After striking out the next batter, Moller relied on his defense, just as every pitcher has to at some point. Thwarting the next batter in what may well have been a game-decider, Ky “Special K” Rossi made a sliding snag at short on a hard hit grounder, then threw to second base to his brother Ty, who relayed to Zach Dennis at first to record a critical double play that ended the inning.
Meanwhile, though Brendan Parker broke up Mulhern’s no-hitter with a single in the top of the fourth inning for Warrington, he was stranded, as Mulhern kept Warrington’s offense eerily quiet.
In between the fifth and sixth innings, a short rain delay was called. As play resumed to start the sixth, the rainbow that bowed over the Warrington dugout when viewed from behind home plate seemed to indicate championship gold ahead for Warrington. With what followed, one might start to believe in such omens.
In the top of the sixth, Langhorne’s Bishop walked. He stole second, and then third. “Big Z” Dennis turned down the next two batters, but, with the game on the line, the Langhorne batter lofted a soft fly into the gap between second and center in shallow center.
Even with both Rossis running back full tilt, the ball seemed sure to land. But center fielder Tommy Funk, legs churning, came from nowhere to make a title-saving diving catch, and was greeted by swarms of high-fives and backslaps from his teammates before he could even get back to the infield on his way to the dugout.
Once again, as it had the night before, the Wolf Pack entered the bottom of the sixth without a lead but with a steely focus. Jared Conroy reached on a watery field-aided single past third that the shortstop kept in the infield. Conroy stole second and third, giving the next batter J.M. Clauss the chance to win the game for his team.
Clauss came through too, smacking a chopping grounder straight to second base, and though the ball was miraculously kept in the infield, the desperate throw home was not in time. Players piled on Clauss and Conroy. Fans piled over the yellow-rimmed fence in right in celebration of the new Cal Ripken State Champions, the Warrington Wolf Pack.
So, with yet another big game between the two teams decided by one key hit, the latest chapter of Warrington-Langhorne rivalry was somehow even better than its enthralling predecessors this season. In this instance, the state championship was decided on an infield chopper, no less.
As Warrington looks ahead to the Cal Ripken Regional Championships in New Jersey next week, they are quietly confident in that they showed all tournament that they could stay more than composed when behind, and knowing they can come through when pressed to the very last batter’s last swing.
In the end, both teams gave their fans quality baseball, entertaining spectators from both sides with their grit and determination. Both squads should be proud of themselves, as everyone who played or watched has a lot of great memories to savor this winter and for years to come.
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