Young Redskins show poise in district win.
By: Brian Fees | Towanda Daily Review | May 21, 2015 | Photo courtesy Brian Fees
2015 NTL and District 4 News
SAYRE - The Redskins are one of the youngest baseball teams in District 4.
However, you wouldn't have known that from watching their first-round District 4, Class A playoff game on Wednesday.
It was Millville who looked like the team battling nerves all game, while the young Redskins looked poised and confident in a 9-2 victory.
"I was a bit worried in the pre game to be honest," Sayre coach Jon Pack said. "We took infield and it was horrible. I said I hope you got that all out of your system before the game, and they did."
While Sayre was able to play well, Millville struggled with mistakes all game long.
The problems started for Millville in the first inning when they appeared to score a run which would have put them up 1-0 with two outs and a runner on second, however the runner was called out for not tagging up, ending the inning.
In the bottom half of the first inning an error on the Millville rightfielder helped Sayre score a pair of runs.
In the second inning Millville stranded runners on first and third and in the third inning they stranded a runner at third to keep the game at 2-0.
In the bottom of the third a balk on Millville's pitcher allowed another Sayre run to cross making it 3-0.
Pack knew that Millville was a team capable of making mistakes on defense.
"That was one thing I told them before the game," Pack said. "If you put the ball in play against them they are going to throw the ball around."
Four of the first five runs Sayre scored in the games were due to Millville miscues.
A big Sayre defensive play in the fifth inning ended a Millville threat in a 5-1 game. With runners on the corner and two outs Rockwell picked off a Millville runner at first base to end the inning.
While Millville was able to get runners on base against Sayre pitcher Jordan Rockwell, his defense stepped up behind him and Rockwell made the bit pitches when he needed them.
"It feels great just to be able to play baseball in the postseason," Rockwell said. "It was a great feeling today. I knew the defense would make plays behind me."
When the game started Rockwell had some nerves, but as the game went on the freshman started to gain confidence.
"They (the nerves), were definitely there, but after the first inning they started to go down."
For Rockwell getting the 2-0 lead after the first inning was a big help.
"Knowing that you have the lead is great," he said. "It was a lot of confidence for me."
Rockwell struck out one and allowed eight hits in the victory.
Jake Wheeler had a hit and scored a run for Sayre, while Nate Sweet had a hit, two runs scored and an RBI.
Matt Williams had two hits, with a double, and three runs scored and Connor Hanafin had a double, an RBI and a run scored.
John Esposito had a hit and an RBI and Marshall Felt scored two runs in the win.
Jared Solomon struck out nine on the mound for Millville and Brittan Kittle had two hits, with a double, while Trent Longenberger also had two hits in the game.
When the year began the Redskins were 0-3, now they are headed to the district semifinals as Pack believed all along they were capable of.
"To be honest, yes, I always said since the start of the season we had the tools to get to districts," Pack said. "They are young, but they play all year round and they are scary good."
Now the Redskins are on to the district semifinals where they will face Mansfield at 11 a.m. Saturday at Bowman Field.
"It feels really good," Pack said. "As a coaching staff it's what we talked about all week long, getting down there in that atmosphere and letting the young kids get a taste of it."
Rockwell and the Sayre players are excited for Saturday.
"That field is amazing," Rockwell said. "It's going to be a lot of fun. It's going to be a great time and hopefully we can get the win."
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