SCOTLAND — What used to be a routine expectation has been a huge challenge for the Chambersburg baseball program to achieve.
But the Trojans exorcised an irritating demon Monday afternoon when it qualified for the PIAA Tournament for the first time since 2015.
Brady Truett
Chambersburg used a strong pitching performance by Brady Truett and an opportunistic offense that gratefully took advantage of two crucial errors to down Northeastern 3-0 in a District Class 6A quarterfinal game at Greene Township Park.
The No. 5 seed Trojans (16-6) will face No. 1 Hempfield (17-3) in a semifinal game Thursday at Hempfield at 4:30. The top four teams qualify for states and Hempfield did by beating Cedar Cliff, 8-3.
“We’re just trying to enjoy it,” Chambersburg coach Scott Folmar said. “Our defense was good in most games this year and it was today, and when you play good defense and get good pitching, even if you get out-hit 3-2, you can still win the game.”
Yes, the Trojans had only two hits. But they made the most of the traffic they did put on the bases. The defense was excellent, pulling off a pair of double plays that were far from routine, and Truett put together a solid effort.
The Chambersburg junior right-hander handcuffed the Bobcats (11-11) on three hits, walking two and striking out 4. He threw 79 pitches and 45 were for strikes.
Folmar said, “Brady was all around the plate after the first two innings. We just told him to throw strikes and let our defense and the big park hold them. And that worked well. He knows he can throw it over the plate because of the defense.”
Truett (4-1), who frequently caught the outside corner with his pitches, said, “Yeah, I was living out there. Once I saw (the umpire) was giving it, I was trying to push it out there a lot. And they were letting those pitches go.”
In the top of the first, Bobcat leadoff hitter Ryan Wilson walked on four pitches, and he was running on a pitch to Brandt Johnson, who hit a routine fly ball to Aiden Appleby in left field. Since Wilson was on his way to third, Appleby was able to lob the ball to second baseman Brycen Murray, who flipped it to Konner McMullen for a double play at first base.
Truett picked off a runner off first base after issuing a walk in the second. In the sixth with a runner on first, Wilson lined a shot up the middle, but it was right at shortstop Aaron Vasquez, who threw to first to easily catch the runner halfway to second.
“Those double plays came in crucial situations and helped limit his pitch count,” Folmar said.
Chambersburg’s first run was manufactured off Wilson in the second inning. Appleby’s leadoff grounder was booted and Murray bunted him to second. On a wild pitch that didn’t get far from the catcher, Appleby sprinted to third and made it. And then he ran home when Matt Murphy sent a fly ball to centerfield.
Folmar said, “That’s the way we can play small ball. We got a nice bunt, then Aiden made a nice read on that wild pitch to get to third and then Murphy got him home.”
The Trojans kept that 1-0 lead until scoring two more unearned runs in the fifth. Walks to Vasquez, Ryne Mills and Truett loaded the bases with none out and ended Wilson’s day.
Conner Bissinger relieved and got Ceagan Truett to hit into a 1-2 fielder’s choice. A fly ball to center by Appleby wasn’t deep enough to score a run and Northeastern was able to go back to normal depth in the infield. When Murray hit a routine grounder to short, it appeared Bissinger had gotten out of the threat.
But with courtesy runner Cooper Stevens trying to beat the throw to second, Brayden Ford jerked his throw to second and the ball rolled into right field, allowing to runs to score.
Folmar said, “It looked routine, but Cooper was really going hard into second and maybe that caused him to make that bad throw.”
“We didn’t have a good day on offense, but getting those extra runs was really nice,” Truett said. “Loved the insurance runs.”
NOTES: Cohen Reisinger had 2 of NE’s hits … Truett threw only 10 pitches to get 6 outs in the fifth and sixth innings … Waynesboro, the No. 3 seed in the other side of the 6A bracket, was knocked off by Muhlenberg, 9-7.