Laurel Valley knocks Rams from playoffs
From CDT staff reports
NEW FLORENCE - One bad inning led to the end of the Penns Valley baseball
team's season.
Laurel Valley scored nine runs in the second inning on its way to an 11-0
five-inning win to eliminate the Rams from the District 6 Class AA playoffs
Tuesday.
"There was one play that could have ended the third inning with just two runs,"
Penns Valley coach Chuck Romig said of a throwing error in the third. "We could
have gotten out of the inning with two runs and the next thing I know, I look up
and there are nine on the board. It just snowballed real fast."
Matt Smith and Josh Hull were the only Rams to record hits while Laurel Valley
finished with nine.
"They were patient. They looked for good pitches to hit and they hit them,"
Romig said.
Laurel Valley (11-5) added two runs in the bottom of the fourth and held the
Rams scoreless in the top of the fifth to end the game on the 10-run mercy rule.
Scott Rachau took the loss, allowing nine runs on seven hits in three innings of
work. Andy Breon allowed the final two runs on two hits in an inning of work.
Penns Valley ends its season with a 9-8-1 record. The Rams lose seven seniors as
Breon, Dan Finocchio, Dustin Snare, Sean McCaffrey, Rachau, Justin Houtz and
Brady Waltz played their final game.
"They were a great bunch of kids to coach. They never gave me any trouble,"
Romig said of the entire team. "It's kind of a sour way to go out. If I had to
coach another team like this, in terms of attitude, I'd do it. They were a very
coachable bunch and did everything they were told."