Uniontown out-rallies Derry
FARMINGTON — The moon loomed faintly above Wharton Park on Wednesday as Dylan Jackson’s infield grounder drove in Josh Nypaver with the run that capped Uniontown’s wild 10-9 win over Derry Area.
The Red Raiders’ four-run seventh inning rally capped an emotional roller coaster in which Uniontown snatched a win from certain defeat after the Trojans had seemed to do the same in the top of the inning after scoring eight runs that turned a 6-1 deficit into a 9-6 Trojan lead.
All that came after Derry’s Robbie Hebenthal and Uniontown’s Cody Karpiak had battled through a scoreless pitchers’ duel for the first three innings.
Derry Area (4-1, 1-1) took the lead in the fourth when Hebenthal and Luke Ridilla each singled. Hebenthal scored on a double steal when the throw to third base went into left field.
But Uniontown escaped further damage on a key double play from third baseman Tim Risha to first baseman Tyler Conway to catcher Dante O’Connell.
Uniontown (1-2, 1-1) took the lead with four runs in the bottom of the inning. Zach Stashick singled with one out, both Stashick and Mike Haines were safe on Haines’s bunt, and Joe Superick’s bloop single loaded the bases. Chase Manches walked to drive in Stashick, Conway singled to drive in Haines and Superick and Manches scored two batters later on O’Connell’s ground out.
The Red Raiders added insurance runs in each of the next two innings to lead 6-1. Manches singled to drive in Stashick in the fifth and Nypaver doubled and scored on O’Connell’s hit in the sixth.
But the seventh was a nightmare for the Red Raiders as four different pitchers surrendered four consecutive walks, a two-run single and two more walks as the Trojans cut the lead to 6-5.
With Jackson on the mound, Hebenthal hit a line drive at defensive replacement Luke Wallace, who caught the ball and stepped on third for an unassisted double play. One out from victory, the Red Raiders saw Ridilla single to tie the game, Wolford double in two runs and Jon Lukon single in another run for a 9-6 Trojan lead.
The Red Raiders came right back in bottom of the inning against DA reliever Eric Reitz when Haines led off with a double and Superick followed with a single that cut the deficit to two. Tyler Mayers walked and Kyle Richter bunted both runners into scoring position. In a key reversal of fortunes, Nypaver struck out but reached base when the ball bounced to the backstop.
Reitz got an 0-2 count on O’Connell, who fouled off the next pitch before delivering a double to left centerfield that drove in Superick and Mayers to tie the score and moved Nypaver to third.
With the infield in, Jackson grounded to shortstop, but Nypaver beat the throw and tag at home to complete the comeback win.
When asked about being behind in the count, O’Connell said, “(Reitz) came at me with a curve ball and I knew a fast ball was coming next. I just wanted to catch up to it. It felt great (seeing his line drive find the gap).”
Uniontown coach Art Hruby said, “Everything improbable happened in this game. I can’t be any prouder. They’re coming together as a team. They were individuals before this.”
Neither Risha nor Wallace had a plate appearance, but had key defensive plays at third base, including being part of three double plays. Hruby said, “We lean on one another and that’s the continuity we want as a team.”