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Fannett-Metal (10-3) matched up against Cambria County opponent Blacklick Valley(9-4) in the quarterfinal round of the eight-team tournament with a 7-4 win. With the victory Thursday, the Tigers will square off against Claysburg Kimmel on Friday at 2:30, with the winner advancing to the Championship Game at 8:00.
Tiger starter Drew Goshorn sat the Vikings down in order in the top of the first inning. In the bottom of the first, F-M struck first for two runs. Goshorn walked to start the game. Jake Coffman laid down a well-placed bunt, but the throw to first was off target, allowing Goshorn to advance to third. Landon Arnold reached on an infield error, scoring Goshorn and moving Coffman to third. Wade Appleby’s sacrifice fly scored Coffman to make it 2-0.
The Tigers scored four more runs in the third inning to build a 6-0 lead. Goshorn and Coffman both singled to start the inning. An overthrow moved both runners to second and third. Goshorn scored on Arnold’s deep sacrifice RBI fly to center. Coffman was also tagging on the play. Coffman then crossed the plate on a wild pitch. Wade Appleby singled with one out. Daxten Detweiler reached on an infield error. Adam Hammond’s RBI single scored Appleby and Detweiler crossed on Ayden Ryder’s RBI groundout to make it 6-0.
The Vikings scored their first run in the 4th inning to cut the lead to 6-1. With the bases loaded and one out, Goshorn got an infield pop up and a strikeout to limit the damage. The Vikings added a run in the 5th and two more in the 6th to cut the lead to 6-4. Goshorn picked a runner off to end the threat in the 6th.
The Tigers got a much needed insurance run in the bottom of the 6th. Goshorn walked to start the inning and was able to steal second. Jake Coffman’s sacrifice bunt moved Goshorn to third and he scored on Landon Arnold’s RBI sacrifice fly to make it 7-4.
The Vikings could get no closer in the seventh, as the Tigers held on for the 7-4 victory. The victory extended the Tigers’ winning streak to nine consecutive games.
Tigers starter Drew Goshorn threw a complete game. He scattered five hits and worked around four Tiger errors. He had 2 K and 3 BB while allowing 4 runs (1ER). “Goshorn battled through some tough innings where they had runners in scoring position, but he was able to make quality pitches to limit the damage. He also picked off two base runners to halt the Vikings momentum”, Coffman said.
Blacklick Valley starter Wade Bartoletti was tagged with the loss. The big right-hander pitched 6 innings, allowing 6 runs (3 ER) on 8 hits. He had 5 Ks and 2 BBs.
Offensively for the Tigers, Goshorn scored three runs, and Coffman scored a pair of runs. Arnold had two RBI, and Appleby, Hammond, and Ryder each had an RBI.