NESHANNOCK TOWNSHIP — In high school baseball, momentum is among the most important things a team can have.
Those that capture and then maintain it often go on to victory. Those that fail to do so typically do not.
The latter was the case for Otto-Eldred (17-6) on Monday in its 9-4 loss to District 10 champion West Middlesex (20-1) in the first round of the PIAA Class A state playoffs.
The Terrors certainly grabbed momentum early, as starting pitcher Chase Sebastian worked three scoreless innings and his team built a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the fourth.
But then momentum swung the other way for good.
The Terrors lost their steam, and West Middlesex posted nine runs over the next three innings and held O-E to just one run the rest of the game for a 9-4 victory.
“Once we hit that fourth inning, (West Middlesex) came out to hit. They battled,” said Otto-Eldred coach Jame Thomas. “We just weren’t able to take care of business, and kudos to (West Middlesex).”
O-E struck for one run in the top of the first on a bases-loaded RBI single from Cameron Magee, and then added two more in the top of the fourth on an RBI sacrifice grounder from Trent Windsor and an RBI single from Jacob Bell.
“It’s been like this for us all season. It’s sporadic, you never know who will come out and get hits for us,” Thomas said of his lineup. “And that was the case today. Even our nine-hitter had a hit today.”
Meanwhile, Sebastian worked three scoreless frames thanks in large part to pop-flies. Of the nine outs he had recorded through those frames, six were on flyouts.
But in the bottom of the fourth, those easy flyouts soon became hard-hit ground balls and line drives. With just one out, West Middlesex loaded the bases with a single, double and a walk.
Jake Bowen lined a two-RBI single to pull the Big Reds to within 3-2, and then Ricky Ladjevich followed that up with an RBI single to tie the game.
With momentum quickly slipping from O-E’s grasp, Thomas opted to go to reliever Cole Sebastian to try to limit the damage to the three runs.
Then, with the Terrors on their heels and with Bowen on second and Ladjevich on third with one out, West Middlesex coach Kevin Hoffman called for a squeeze play.
The play worked to perfection, as Kaz Hoffman laid down a perfect bunt that rolled up the first base side of the infield and brought in a run to score. Then, on Cole Sebastian’s throw to first for the out, Ladjevich quickly darted home to bring across a second run on the play.
“That’s a play we’ve practiced all year, and our kids can execute it,” Hoffman said. “Kaz put down a great bunt, and likely could have beat it out, but we teach them not to beat it out, because we don’t want opponents to rush the throw.
“We want them to baby the throw, and they babied that throw and it allowed (Ladjevich) time to score from second. It’s a play we’ve practiced, but it’s the first time we’ve used it this year.”
Cole Sebastian got out of the inning two batters later, but the damage was done, as the Big Reds were up 5-3.
Then, with the lead, Hoffman relieved starting pitcher Logan Hurley, who gave up three runs on four hits through four innings of work.
Jake Bowen came on in relief for West Middlesex and successfully slammed the door on the Terrors by allowing just one run on two hits over the final three innings.
“I don’t know that I have a 1-2 (pitching rotation),” Hoffman said. “I believe I have a 1-1. Logan pounds the zone, and he may give up hits, but he also keeps us in ballgames. And Jake may walk people, but he also strikes people out. I’m comfortable with both of them.”
Meanwhile, the Big Red offense struck for another run in the fifth and then for three more in the sixth to push the lead to 9-3.
Chase Sebastian knocked an RBI single in the top of the seventh, but that would be it for the Terror rally on the day.
With the win, West Middlesex now goes on to face District 7 champion California, who defeated Rockwood 17-7 in five innings. A time and location were not yet announced as of publication time.
For O-E, the loss brings to an end a season that included a state playoff berth, a share of the Northern Allegheny League championship and the highest win total with Thomas as coach.
“This (season) was absolutely a success. This was the furthest Otto-Eldred has ever gone in baseball,” Thomas said. “I’ve enjoyed the family in the dugout, and that’s what we were this year.”
AT NESHANNOCK TOWNSHIP
R H E
Otto-Eldred 100 200 1 4 6 3
West Middlesex 000 513 X 9 13 3
Chase Sebastian (2 SO, 3 BB), Cole Sebastian (4) (1 SO, 2 BB) and Chris Connelly
Logan Hurley (5 SO, 2 BB), Jake Bowen (5) (6 SO, 2 BB) and Chase Tomko
