Grand slam ends Laurel Valley season


By RICH MURAWSKI, For the Tribune-Democrat May 23, 2003


PHILIPSBURG -“ Laurel Valley head coach Lew McGlaughin had a simple game plan for the Rams’ District 6 Class AA semfinal against Philipsburg-Osceola.
Throw strikes and play defense.
For six innings, Laurel Valley executed that plan as pitcher Steve Emert was holding the powerful Mounties to just four runs, and was getting great defense behind him. The Rams turned three double plays in the contest and got several sparkling defensive plays from second baseman Matt Blistan.
But the bottom of the seventh was a different story as the Mounties used a Laurel Valley fielding error and a mental mistake to help load the bases.
That set the stage for Philipsburg’s rightfielder Ryan Heeman, who belted a one ball, one strike pitch over the left-field fence to give his Mounties an 8-5 win.
The walk-off, grand-slam home run came with two outs in the inning.
“They battled and we battled,� McGlaughin said. “We made a couple of big plays to stay in it and their guy came up with the big hit in the end. That’s just the way it turned out.�
The Heeman blast ruined what had been a fine pitching performance from Emert, who had held the Mounties to just four runs on nine hits before the seventh inning. He struck out three batters and walked just one.
“Steve Emert pitched a hell of a game,� McGlaughin said. “He gutted it out. You have to take your hats off to them. It was a great high school baseball game. That’s what it’s all about. We really thought we had a shot at it…and we did. I’m proud of our guys.�
Laurel Valley had six hits in the game, with four doubles. Blistan, Josh Leonard, Jon Matson and Ray Shetler all had two-baggers for the Rams.
Most of the offensive damage for Laurel Valley came in the third inning.
Trailing 2-0, Matson led off with a double and was followed by Justin Horrell, who walked. After an out, Blistan and Leonard hit back-to-back doubles. Matson scored on the Blistan hit, while Horrell and Blistan came home on Leonard’s gap shot. Justin Dickert then singled home Leonard.
With the score tied at four in the sixth inning, the Rams took a one-run lead when Adam Catanese was hit by a pitch and then scored on a Shetler double.
Philipsburg got three hits from Heeman and Tyler Good. Jeremy Potter went the distance for the Mounties to get the win.

Philipsburg will now play Central on Thursday in Altoona for the District 6 Class AA title.

Laurel Valley finishes its season at 12-6.

©Tribune Democrat 2003