Yankees edge Cetronia 3-2

Two runs in the 7th enable NY to earn their first playoff series win in franchise history.

By Steve Smull

    CETRONIA -- The Northern Yankees rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh to escape with a 3-2 win over the Longhorns to sweep the best-of-3, first round series 2-0 for their first playoff series win in the 14-year history of the franchise.

    "It was a good win considering the way we played," said Yankees' skipper and 2008 Trico Manager of the Year Brian Polaha. "They outplayed us for the first six innings."

    Yankees' starter J.D. Wyborny did not allow a hit through the first eight batters of the game, but suddenly, the Longhorns rallied for four consecutive hits.

    Josh Hunter went opposite field for a single with one out in the third. After Hunter stole second, Ron Konapelsky singled to center. Hunter held at third base on the single, until the throw home skipped to the backstop, allowing Konapelsky to scamper to second and Hunter to score for a 1-0 Longhorns' lead. Ryan Schmidt singled to put runners on the corners. After Schmidt stole second, Jason Falco singled sharply to left, scoring Konapelsky for a 2-0 lead, but Schmidt had to hold at third. Wyborny got a big strikeout and then a come-backer to limit the damage.

    As good teams often do, the Yankees answered immediately with a run in the top of the fourth. Adam Sandt laced a one-out double to right-center. He advanced to third on an errant pick-off throw and scored on a wild pitch and it was now 2-1 Longhorns.

    The Longhorns would get a chance to answer that run an inning later in the fifth as they loaded the bases (singles by Schmidt and Falco and an error) with one out, but Wyborny induced a shallow fly-out to center and another fly-out to center to end that threat.

    Then the Cetronia defense got sloppy with two outs the next two innings.

    Sandt singled with two outs in the sixth and was attempting to steal second when Darren Lenhart grounded to third. The throw got away at first and Sandt never stopped running until he ran over catcher Andy Holva at the plate. Holva held on to the accurate throw by first-baseman Mike Costello and Cetronia maintained their slim 2-1 lead.

    And it stayed that way into the seventh.

    J.R. Graver blooped the first pitch of the inning to left for a single and Mike Venarchick laced the very next pitch to left for a single and the Yankees were in business. Ryan Birkenstock sacrificed both runners up 90 feet. Pinch-hitter Steve Wanamaker lifted a fly-ball to center that was deep enough to score Graver and the game was tied at 2-2. Marshall Garger then pinch-hit and grounded to third, and the throw skipped away again, but there was not enough time for Costello to throw home this time around as courtesy runner Dan Johnson raced home for the go-ahead run as the Yankees took a 3-2 lead. Landon Parker then singled and Steve Benavage walked to load the bases.

    Exit Nathan Alpaugh. Enter Ryan Schmidt.

    Schmidt got out of the jam as he got Sandt to end the inning and keep it a one-run game.

    Exit Wyborny. Enter Sandt.

    The Yankees' closer needed just three outs to end the series, but they would not come easy.

    Konapelsky walked and Schmidt singled to right to start the inning. But after two failed bunt attempts, Sandt induced a 4-6-3 double-play and then a grounder to first to strand Konapelsky and end the series.

    "This team has been finding ways to win all year," said Polaha, who rounded his troops up before the start of the seventh inning. "I told them that we just have to find a way to get our leadoff guys on base, and we did. We were fortunate to win this game."

    Polaha also praised Cetronia Starter Nathan Alpaugh (4-1, 0.98 ERA during the regular season), for a well-pitched game, despite being the tough-luck losing pitcher.

    But plenty of praise should also go to this 2008 Yankees' squad, who finished the season with their best record in franchise history (24-7-1) and became the first team in league history to beat Gabelsville four times (4-0) in the regular season. The Yankees were also the only team of the "Trico elite 4" to have a winning record against these teams (7-5).

    The Yankees (now 26-7-1 on the season) will meet the Volpe's Fleetwings (25-7) in the semifinals, beginning at Scherersville #1 at 4:30 on Saturday. These two teams split their four meetings in the regular season. Polaha will stick with his four-man rotation, throwing Matt Reppert in Game 1 and Josh Ziegler (the 2008 Trico ERA leader) in Game 2.

    As for Wednesday's game, Parker finished 2-for-4 and Sandt was also 2-for-4 with a double for the Yankees. For Cetronia, Schmidt was 3-for-4, Falco was 2-for-4 and Hunter was 2-for-3.