Warrington walks off in wild win over MD
By James D’Arcangelo
For BucksLocalSports.com
Given the pervading trend in their games of late, the Warrington Wolf Pack may want to consider a new team name. The Warrington “7s or 6ers” maybe – as they seem to win most of their recent games in the sixth or seventh inning.
Better yet, the Warrington Walk-offs might be more appropriate as, for the third time in their last four playoff games, Warrington scored on the game’s last batter’s last swing to win. This time, Warrington scored four times in the bottom of the seventh to overcome a 12-9 deficit and post an exciting 13-12 win over Maryland Aug. 8 at the Cal Ripken 11s Regional Championships.
The game saw Warrington overcome five deficits, trailing by as much as four runs in the third, three runs in the fifth, and three runs in the middle of the seventh, before putting away the Maryland state champs. Among the game’s many heroes, the biggest stars of the game for Warrington were Will Moller (pictured), who hit the game-winning smash single up the middle to score the tying and winning runs, and Connor Moffat, who just missed hitting for the cycle (or hitting three home runs on the night, had two of his hits gone a just few feet further) as he went 3-for-4 with a single off the fence, a double off the fence, and a 2-run home run, while tallying 4 RBIs.
Maryland’s first lead came when they scored in the top of the first on a single by Nick Gardner who, after stealing second, was driven in by a Chris Moore single.
That 1-0 lead held as both teams were then quiet through the end of the second inning, Will Moller of Warrington and Matt Hanko of Maryland doing steady jobs of retiring the sides without allowing the offenses to stick. That would change, dramatically, starting in the third as the two teams combined for fourteen runs in the next two innings.
Maryland scored three times in the top of the third as Brian McCourt walked, and then Connor Kissinger’s infield hit turned into a McCourt run when Robbie Payne smacked a double to right field. Trevon Riggs knocked in Kissinger and Payne when he was very late on a Moller fastball and cue balled the pitch down the first base line for a single.
Warrington came back, big, in the bottom of the fourth, scoring five times to take the lead. A Brendan Parker walk and steal, followed by a Ky Rossi infield single to shortstop set up Parker’s run, as he scampered home on the throw to first when Will Moller ran to first and was safe on a catcher-dropped third strike.
Connor Moffat then launched a two run, one hop ground rule double to score Rossi and Moller. Jake Fitts came through when he cracked a single to right to score Moffat, and Fitts later scored when Zach Dennis dropped a hit between second and right field. Back to true Warrington baseball, the team seemed to breath a sigh of relief with its first lead of the tournament.
Maryland didn’t let Warrington’s five run fourth get them down as they came right back, taking a 7-4 lead in the top of the fifth as singles by Hanko and Nick Gardner set up a McCourt 3-run homer to right. But Warrington showed serious fortitude of its own, returning the volley with three of their own in the bottom of the inning. Tommy Funk’s infield pop dropped between first and second and, after he stole second, Moller smashed a one-bounce liner off the left-centerfield fence, scoring Funk. Connor Moffat then turned on a fastball for a 2-run homer to dead center to put Warrington back on top, 8-7.
After a quiet fifth inning where neither team scored (and as both teams seemed to be catching their breath for what would follow), Warrington and Maryland got down to business again in the sixth inning. After relief pitcher Zach Dennis picked off Nick Gardner at second (he led off with a single and steal off of pitcher Ky Rossi), Brian McCourt singled for Maryland and Connor Kissinger reached. McCourt scored as Robbie Payne singled him in. Then, Chris Moore scratched a single to score Kissinger and Maryland had grabbed a 2-run lead heading into Warrington’s last at bat.
The Wolf Pack seems most at home when coming from behind in crunch time these days. Down to having only three outs to score at least two runs, they did just that as Tommy Funk walked, and stole second. He scored on a Brendan Parker line drive off the right centerfield fence. And when Parker scored later to tie the game, the teams were off to extra innings.
Maryland’s top of the seventh reflected how very accurate the truism, “baseball is a game of inches” can be. After Dennis struck out Dakota Greening and Matt Hanko popped out to a perfectly positioned Connor Moffat in right, Nick Gardner nicked a ball down the first base line to the waiting Warrington first baseman, and it looked for a second like it would be an easy out and an easy 1-2-3 inning. But that ball rolled just foul of the first base line and Gardner and Maryland had a second life. Two pitches later, Gardner singled, then McCourt singled – and then Connor Kissinger launched a 3-run home run. The easy “1-2-3,” it turned out, represented Maryland’s two out runs in the inning and their lead going into the bottom of the seventh.
As the lights were being turned out on the adjacent fields, and with officials clearly sensing the game was just about over due to Maryland’s big lead, Warrington was, again, just settling into their (comfort) zone. Down three with three outs left this time, Jared Conroy, Ty Rossi, Ky Rossi, and Brendan Parker all hit or walked, scratching out two runs to get to within one.
With Parker on third and Ky Rossi on second, the game came down to Will Moller – and Moller came up with a line drive up the middle to score Parker to tie and Rossi to win. The 13-12 comeback was in the bank and the celebration was on for the Warrington side. Maryland was left to shake its head in disbelief, the latest victims of the Wolf Pack’s walk-off magic.
Moving on to pool play, Warrington took its big win momentum into a game against the North Jersey champions. Maryland, meanwhile, regrouped to play South Jersey. But no matter how future matchups in this tournament would play out, it would be virtually impossible to top this battle for drama and excitement.
For BucksLocalSports.com
Given the pervading trend in their games of late, the Warrington Wolf Pack may want to consider a new team name. The Warrington “7s or 6ers” maybe – as they seem to win most of their recent games in the sixth or seventh inning.
Better yet, the Warrington Walk-offs might be more appropriate as, for the third time in their last four playoff games, Warrington scored on the game’s last batter’s last swing to win. This time, Warrington scored four times in the bottom of the seventh to overcome a 12-9 deficit and post an exciting 13-12 win over Maryland Aug. 8 at the Cal Ripken 11s Regional Championships.
The game saw Warrington overcome five deficits, trailing by as much as four runs in the third, three runs in the fifth, and three runs in the middle of the seventh, before putting away the Maryland state champs. Among the game’s many heroes, the biggest stars of the game for Warrington were Will Moller (pictured), who hit the game-winning smash single up the middle to score the tying and winning runs, and Connor Moffat, who just missed hitting for the cycle (or hitting three home runs on the night, had two of his hits gone a just few feet further) as he went 3-for-4 with a single off the fence, a double off the fence, and a 2-run home run, while tallying 4 RBIs.
Maryland’s first lead came when they scored in the top of the first on a single by Nick Gardner who, after stealing second, was driven in by a Chris Moore single.
That 1-0 lead held as both teams were then quiet through the end of the second inning, Will Moller of Warrington and Matt Hanko of Maryland doing steady jobs of retiring the sides without allowing the offenses to stick. That would change, dramatically, starting in the third as the two teams combined for fourteen runs in the next two innings.
Maryland scored three times in the top of the third as Brian McCourt walked, and then Connor Kissinger’s infield hit turned into a McCourt run when Robbie Payne smacked a double to right field. Trevon Riggs knocked in Kissinger and Payne when he was very late on a Moller fastball and cue balled the pitch down the first base line for a single.
Warrington came back, big, in the bottom of the fourth, scoring five times to take the lead. A Brendan Parker walk and steal, followed by a Ky Rossi infield single to shortstop set up Parker’s run, as he scampered home on the throw to first when Will Moller ran to first and was safe on a catcher-dropped third strike.
Connor Moffat then launched a two run, one hop ground rule double to score Rossi and Moller. Jake Fitts came through when he cracked a single to right to score Moffat, and Fitts later scored when Zach Dennis dropped a hit between second and right field. Back to true Warrington baseball, the team seemed to breath a sigh of relief with its first lead of the tournament.
Maryland didn’t let Warrington’s five run fourth get them down as they came right back, taking a 7-4 lead in the top of the fifth as singles by Hanko and Nick Gardner set up a McCourt 3-run homer to right. But Warrington showed serious fortitude of its own, returning the volley with three of their own in the bottom of the inning. Tommy Funk’s infield pop dropped between first and second and, after he stole second, Moller smashed a one-bounce liner off the left-centerfield fence, scoring Funk. Connor Moffat then turned on a fastball for a 2-run homer to dead center to put Warrington back on top, 8-7.
After a quiet fifth inning where neither team scored (and as both teams seemed to be catching their breath for what would follow), Warrington and Maryland got down to business again in the sixth inning. After relief pitcher Zach Dennis picked off Nick Gardner at second (he led off with a single and steal off of pitcher Ky Rossi), Brian McCourt singled for Maryland and Connor Kissinger reached. McCourt scored as Robbie Payne singled him in. Then, Chris Moore scratched a single to score Kissinger and Maryland had grabbed a 2-run lead heading into Warrington’s last at bat.
The Wolf Pack seems most at home when coming from behind in crunch time these days. Down to having only three outs to score at least two runs, they did just that as Tommy Funk walked, and stole second. He scored on a Brendan Parker line drive off the right centerfield fence. And when Parker scored later to tie the game, the teams were off to extra innings.
Maryland’s top of the seventh reflected how very accurate the truism, “baseball is a game of inches” can be. After Dennis struck out Dakota Greening and Matt Hanko popped out to a perfectly positioned Connor Moffat in right, Nick Gardner nicked a ball down the first base line to the waiting Warrington first baseman, and it looked for a second like it would be an easy out and an easy 1-2-3 inning. But that ball rolled just foul of the first base line and Gardner and Maryland had a second life. Two pitches later, Gardner singled, then McCourt singled – and then Connor Kissinger launched a 3-run home run. The easy “1-2-3,” it turned out, represented Maryland’s two out runs in the inning and their lead going into the bottom of the seventh.
As the lights were being turned out on the adjacent fields, and with officials clearly sensing the game was just about over due to Maryland’s big lead, Warrington was, again, just settling into their (comfort) zone. Down three with three outs left this time, Jared Conroy, Ty Rossi, Ky Rossi, and Brendan Parker all hit or walked, scratching out two runs to get to within one.
With Parker on third and Ky Rossi on second, the game came down to Will Moller – and Moller came up with a line drive up the middle to score Parker to tie and Rossi to win. The 13-12 comeback was in the bank and the celebration was on for the Warrington side. Maryland was left to shake its head in disbelief, the latest victims of the Wolf Pack’s walk-off magic.
Moving on to pool play, Warrington took its big win momentum into a game against the North Jersey champions. Maryland, meanwhile, regrouped to play South Jersey. But no matter how future matchups in this tournament would play out, it would be virtually impossible to top this battle for drama and excitement.
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