https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5yVp_42nMk
The No. 7 seed Batting 1000 Seminoles defeated the No. 3 seed Titans behind a clutch performance from their LHP Chris Wiercinski (Mineola 2018). He was dominant through out; shutting down the hard-hitting Titans lineup allowing no runs in his six and a third innings of work.
@jonahkarp82 interviews the winning pitcher Chris Wiercinski after his stellar Championship Game outing for the @liboysofsummer pic.twitter.com/bmTlO1Q8Wu
— Axcess Baseball (@axcessbaseball) August 13, 2017
“It felt good, I haven’t felt that good out there in years,” said the winning pitcher, Wiercinski. “After that performance I’m really confident now and I hope to keep that going in the future.”
The hard throwing lefty would fan ten batters and walk just one while allowing three base hits all game. He was on the same page as his catcher as they worked through the lineup putting together three hit-less frames. The game would be closed out by Kenny Hoefer. After allowing back-to-back singles, the hard throwing sidearm righty would dig deep and strike the next two batters out.
The scoring would be kick started by the Seminoles in the second inning. Wiercinski and his catcher, Vin Pecora, led off the inning with back-to-back singles. The next two batters, however, would be retired in order giving their nine hitter a chance with two outs. Mike Pokorny (Calhoun ’18) would step into the box and drive a hard-hit single to the left fielder, he would bobble the ball allowing both Wiercinski and Pecora to cross the plate giving them a, 2-0, lead early.
“Yeah it was a lot of pressure because it was second-and-third with two outs and I felt like I had to be the guy to come up in a clutch spot like that.” Pokorny said.
Pokorny would finish 1-for-3 with two RBI. Evidently the offensive powerhouse of the team would be Wiercinski and Pecora, as they crossed the plate twice each to account for all four of the Seminoles’ runs. The pitcher-catcher combo would replicate the second inning in the sixth, but with back-to-back walks to start the inning.
“It feels great, I’m on top of the world.” Wiercinski said.
After a strikeout the eight hitter, Nick Jaskolski, knocked an infield single to advance the runners, but a throwing error would allow Wiercinski to score from third. After a strikeout, their leadoff hitter, Mason McLane, would hit a routine grounder to short, but the ball would go right through the fielder’s legs allowing Pecora to score easily from second.
“The first fastball that I got in the at bat looked so good, I knew I was going to swing at it,” Pokorny said. “I knew I could hit that pitch hard and it worked out well for me.”
The Seminoles rode their momentum all the way into an impressive championship performance at Ducks Stadium. After winning a playoff single-elimination double header the day before, the Seminoles defeated Diamond Spikes Baseball, 13-3, in a 9 a.m. game from Hofstra University this morning.
B1000 showed heart and resilience coming into the playoffs as a seven seed. This is a team that lost their first game of the summer, 14-2. Their clutch playoff performance goes to show that hard work always prevails in the game of baseball.
