DISTRICT 3-AAAA BASEBALL: Chambersburg punches ticket to district final with win over Warwick
DILLSBURG >> We can officially say the Chambersburg baseball team is peaking at the right time.
The Trojans went into the District 3 Class AAAA Tournament as the No. 10 seed; now, they are headed to the championship game.
Chambersburg broke its semifinal game open with a big fourth inning, and Tristan Daywalt held Warwick to just four hits in a 6-1 victory Tuesday night at Northern York.
The Trojans (15-8) will face No. 1 seed Hempfield (22-3) in the District 3-AAAA final at Santander Stadium in York at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. According to District 3, Chambersburg won its 70th District 3 playoff game, which is the most in D-3 history.
The Warriors (18-5) will face Governor Mifflin (19-7) on Thursday for third place and the winner will clinch a berth in the PIAA Tournament. The two finalists are already qualified for states, which begin Monday.
"We told this team at the beginning of the year that they have the talent to do this," Chambersburg coach Bob Thomas said. "Hitting was going to be the key for us, and our bats have really started going here lately."
"Early in the season, we just didn't have that motivation," Chambersburg shortstop Carlin Christian said. "We've found that motivation now, and it's not just because we're winning. We're playing together and having fun."
Chambersburg put up five runs in the fourth inning, despite registering only two hits. After an out to start the inning, Hunter Brindle and Bryce Fiegl both worked walks. After Brindle stole third, Austin Suders scored him with a single deep into the hole at shortstop. The next batter, Manning Brookens, hit a ground ball off the pitcher to bring in Fiegl and put runners on first and second with one out.
Trent Ebersole then hit a high fly ball to short centerfield, but Luke Hackman couldn't make the charging catch, scoring pinch runner Johnnie Myers and putting runners on second and third. After an intentional walk to Christian, Matt Stonesifer hit into a fielder's choice to score Brookens, and courtesy runner Hayden Kissel came in after a throwing error to give the Trojans a 6-0 lead.
"Our pitching has been there all season, so when we can score runs, we're tough to beat," said Christian, who finished 2-for-2, scored a run and reached base all four times. "I just try my best to see pitches, get on base and take advantage of my chances on the base paths."
"When you get to this point in the season, whichever team blinks and makes mistakes is most likely to lose," Warwick coach Bob Lockey said. "We made some mistakes and some errors that just aren't us, and that was the difference tonight."
The rest of the game belonged to Daywalt. He limited damage throughout the night, giving up just four hits and stranding seven Warriors on base. He threw 113 pitches.
"I felt pretty good all night," Daywalt said. "My fastball was working, and my curveball was actually working tonight, too. Anytime you get six early runs, you're able to settle down and pound the strike zone."
Christian and the Trojans manufactured a run in the third inning after he worked a two-out walk. He then advanced to second on a wild pitch and got a good jump to take third on another ball in the dirt. Matt Stonesifer then scored him with an infield single between third and short.
Warwick got one back in the fourth on a pair of singles, a wild pitch and an error to make it 6-1, but Daywalt got a strikeout to end the threat.
Lockey said, "We hit a lot of balls hard, but they went right at them, and they were able to find some holes. That's just how baseball goes."
NOTES >> Drew Betz finished 2-for-4, and Brookens was 2-for-3 for Chambersburg ... Justin Smith was 2-for-3 for Warwick ... Chambersburg last won the district title and advanced to states in 2009.
Chambersburg 6, Warwick 1
ChambersburgWarwickabrhbabrhbChristan ss2120Hackmn cf1000Stonsifr cf4012Marino 3b4000Betz 2b4020Keller dh3000Daywalt p4000Martin ss0000Brindle 1b2100Griest 1b3010Fiegl 3b2110Zmrmn lf3000Suders dh4012Peters p1000Myers cr0100Cover ph2010Carbaugh rf0000Smith c3020Brookens lf3121Martin 2b2000Ebersole c2000Elliot ph1000Kissel cr0100Perezos rf2000Hess cr0100Totals27694Totals25140
Chambersburg0015000—6Warwick0001000—1
E: Chbg 1, War 1; LOB: Chbg 7, War 7; SAC: Hackman; SB: Brindle, Hackman, Griest; CS: Christian, Stonesifer.
Chambersburg pitching
Daywalt (W, 6-0)741017
Warwick pitching
Peters (L)3.154340Cover3.242022
WP: Daywalt 2, Peters 3; HBP: by Daywalt (Hackman).