D-III tourney; Day 4First-inning crush and walk-off rush

By James D’Arcangelo
For BucksLocalSports

The opposite ends of the Upper Makefield Youth Baseball League (UMYBL) complex seemed like they were more like conflicting ends of the baseball world in the second round games of the Bucks County Cal Ripken District 3 Championship Thursday night, July 9.
At one end, Langhorne turned on a fire-hose torrent of runs in the top of the first, taking a 9-0 lead, to effectively quiet the crowds and settle the game before Tri-Township had even batted.
At the other end of the complex, Warminster and Plumstead fought back and forth each half inning like their baseball lives depended on it – and they did, for Warminster knocked Plumstead out of the tournament with a gut-wrenching, gut-checking, raucous walk-off 9-8 win.
One-sided triumphs, settled early, have been the norm in the tournament’s winners’ bracket so far. After Warrington beat Upper Makefield, 12-0, Wednesday night, Langhorne showed they could flash metal and score big as well. The 9-0 win brought to 23 the number of runs they’ve scored already in the tournament.
Langhorne batted around in the first, using combinations of walks and singles to fuel their win. Eight of their starting nine scored in the first inning, and Tyler Galazin scored twice in the frame. Tri-Township shut down Langhorne from there, but it was too late to save the game, especially given Nolan Jones’s four-hit shutout pitching gem.
In the other bracket, with one team going home in this double elimination tournament game, Warminster and Plumstead exchanged shots and runs, slams and volleys, leads and come-backs, all the way to the bottom of the sixth.
After jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first, Warminster appeared to be cruising, until Plumstead kicked sand in their ice cream cone with a third- and fourth-inning rally to take a 4-3 lead.
After Warminster stepped it up to tie it up in the bottom of the fourth, Plumstead showed its resilience by coming back to snatch the lead, 6-4.
Warminster could have been upset and dejected, but they chose to make a statement of their own, riding three singles to put four runs up on the board in the bottom of the fifth and seemingly put an end to Plumstead’s season with an 8-6 lead after five.
But Plumstead smirked at the quandary, scoring two runs with two outs to tie the game. Warminster took the shot, and then took the game. With an anything-you-can-do,-I-can-do-better attitude, Warminster won 9-8 as Henry Swanson scorched a two-out, walk-off single to right with men on second and third.
For the game, Tom Hinks had three RBIs for Warminster.
The Langhorne win sets up a rematch of the Cal Ripken River League championship as they face Warrington Saturday (Warrington won that game).
Tri-Township will relight the burners to challenge Doylestown Friday night, while Warminster will try to carry the good feelings of this dramatic win into its game with Upper Makefield Friday night as well.
And Plumstead goes home, but with its head held high, strong and positive, aggressive and feisty to the end.
***
Cal Ripken District 3 Championships
Upper Makefield Youth Baseball League Complex
1090 Eagle Road, Newtown

On Deck:
Friday, July 10 – 6 p.m.
* Upper Makefield vs. Warminster
* Tri-Township vs. Doylestown