COLLEGEVILLE — It was nip-and-tuck the whole way, but Greencastle-Antrim found a way to win.
The Blue Devils erased a seventh-inning threat to hold on for a 2-1 victory over the home team, Perkiomen Valley, in a PIAA Class 5A first-round baseball game on Monday afternoon.
Bryce Davidson
G-A (21-3) will now tangle with Pittston (21-3), the District 2 champion, in a quarterfinal game on Thursday, with site and time TBA. Pittston topped Lower Dauphin 8-6 in the first round Monday.
“It was a great team win,” Greencastle coach Eric Shaner said. “It certainly wasn’t perfect, but it’s survive and advance now. We made big plays when we needed to and our pitchers made big pitches when they had to.”
Leading 2-0 entering the bottom of the sixth, G-A pitcher Ryder Linn (9-1) gave up his only run. A walk, a base hit and a hit batter loaded the bases, and Jack Reig singled in a run.
Cam Rakaczewski then entered in relief and induced a fly ball to right field for the final out.
In the bottom of the seventh, Rakaczewski got the first two outs, but Zane Saeger then smacked a triple to right field and became the tying run at third. But Rakaczewski got the next batter to bounce a grounder to third baseman Mason Mellott, who threw first for the final out.
Linn went 5.2 innings, allowing 5 hits, walking one and fanning 3.
“Ryder was awesome,” Shaner said. “He was without his A-plus stuff, but he battled to get himself out of some threats and the defense played well behind him. Then Rak came in and did a great job.”
Catcher Bryce Davidson also had a big hand in slowing down the Indians (19-5), known as a running team. He threw out two runners on the bases and Shaner said, “Bryce almost singlehandedly shut down their running game.”
Greencastle opened the scoring in the top of the first off Perkiomen Valley starter Lincoln Fijalkowski. Rakaczewski singled to right, followed by a booming triple to right by Nolan Sullivan.
The Blue Devils held that lead until the top of the sixth, when Bo Brookens unloaded a two-out solo home run to right field for the eventual game-winning run.