FREDERICKSBURG — It might be time to believe that the baseball gods are smiling on Greencastle-Antrim.

The Blue Devils worked a little magic Thursday afternoon — to the tune of a 3-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning — to advance to the semifinal round of the PIAA Class 5A Tournament.

Manny Brookens

By overtaking Pittston with the late rally, G-A picked up a 6-5 victory in a quarterfinal matchup at Wenger Field. The Blue Devils (22-3) will now play in the semifinals Monday against the winner of the game between West Chester Rustin (17-6) and Springfield-Delco (17-9), which will be played Friday.

“The boys really showed up today … they were not intimidated at all,” Greencastle coach Eric Shaner said. “With the talent we have, that gives us a chance against everybody.”

The Blue Devils completed the huge rally with only five batters getting involved and without making an out.

The bottom of the seventh began with leadoff batter Andrew Weaver placing a ground-ball single down the leftfield line. Cam Rakaczewski then hit a grounder in nearly the same place for a hit.

Shaner said, “We had been doing our jobs at the plate all day and seeing the ball well. But we kept hitting it at them and they made the plays. We kept saying the hits will start falling and they did.”

Avery Horst

Nolan Sullivan then bunted back to the pitcher, Alex Rosencrance, who decided to try to get Weaver out at third base. But Weaver beat the throw to load the bases. Avery Horst stepped up and grounded a single into left field to bring in a run and make it 5-4.

The next batter was Manny Brookens, who lined a hit into left-centerfield to chase in Rakaczewski and Sullivan and end the ballgame.

“Manny hit the ball in the gap and it went to the fence, so he probably would have had a triple,” Shaner said.

Greencastle starter Jaxson Bostick had a rough start, as the Patriots scored four runs in the top of the second, all with two outs. Nick Innomorati singled in a run, Beau Widdick blasted a 2-run triple and a run scored on a wild pitch.

In the top of the fourth, G-A substitute Tucker Newcomer played a big role without getting into the scorebook. The Patriots, who finished 21-4, had a runner on second with two outs when Widdick singled to bring him home.

“Tucker saw right away (from the dugout) that their runner had missed third base, so we appealed,” Shaner said. “And since they used four umpires, the ump at third saw it, too, so that kid was out and it saved us a run.”

Pittston starter Elijah Barr held the Blue Devils in check until the fourth when Bo Brookens walked and Mason Mellott belted a double to right to score him.

The Patriots matched that run in the fifth when Jacoby Harnen doubled and scored on a base hit by Gavin Wardecki.

Greencastle got it going in the fifth when Weaver was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a passed ball and Rakaczewski singled him home. Sullivan then delivered an RBI single to make it 5-3.

Bostick lasted 5.1 innings, giving up 7 hits and 4 earned runs. Horst then entered and threw for five straight outs, striking out 2.

Shaner said, “Jaxson really did pitch well; he just had one bad inning. He grinded it out and continued to make good pitches and so we rode with him. Then Avery was warmed up and ready to go. He struck out the leadoff batter (Widdick, going to UMass) and Barr (going to Pitt) back-to-back to end the sixth.”

That set the stage for G-A’s big rally.

“I’ll watch that game tomorrow (Rustin vs. Springfield-Delco) and take notes,” Shaner said. “I think we’re ready to go and compete. I believe we’re where we need to be mentally and physically.”