Spartans rally to oust Raiders

PINE GROVE — It was within reach ... dangling inches away.

Tamaqua was just a play of two away from advancing, but instead victory was snatched away in a cruel millisecond.

The Blue Raiders couldn’t hang on to a late three-run lead as North Schuylkill rallied with the heart of a combat warrior late Friday at Stump Stadium in a tiebreaker game to determine the fourth and final team in Monday’s Schuylkill Baseball League playoffs.

After tying the game in the seventh inning, North Schuylkill got a huge hit from Joel Stancavage in extra-innings to escape with a 4-3 victory.

The win was the second on the evening for North Schuylkill, which belted Pottsville 15-0 sending in the first game of the doubleheader to earn a shot to play Tamaqua for the Division 1 wild card berth.

“This group of kids is just amazing,” said Spartan manager Nick Brayford. “They’re a very young group and to think that they could handle the pressure on this (big) stage says a lot.”

Oh brother did the Spartans make plays.

None of the plays were bigger than two fantastic catches by sophomore left fielder Zack Chowansky, who twice ran down sure extra-base hits, including a potential game saver in the bottom of the sixth to rob Tamaqua’s Nate Boyle.

The Blue Raiders surged in front 1-0 in the second using a Nick Breiner fielder’s choice ground out to plate Isaiah Kupchinsky who had walked. They also stranded two other base runners in the same inning.

In the third, Tamaqua posted an unearned run off starting pitcher Nate Burke and cracked the scoring column for a third run in the fifth, while also stranding two more runners in the frame. Boyle singled and moved to third on an error before sliding home on a passed ball for a 3-0 lead.

“We had opportunities to score more runs but we didn’t get it done,” said Tamaqua manager Jeff Reading. “Baseball is a funny game. We left too many runners in scoring position and we didn’t get a break on Braydon’s (Knoblauch) hit.”

Knoblauch drilled a ball to center field in the home seventh with the score tied 3-3, it bounced over the fence for a ground-rule double, forcing Kupchinsky to stop at third instead of cruising home with a go-ahead run. Walters then escaped the threat with a strikeout.

North Schuylkill had rallied for two runs in the sixth on one base hit — a two-run double by Jaden Leiby and then tied the game in the seventh on an unearned run.

In the eighth, Leiby walked and scored on a two-out double by Stancavage.

“Tate Ligenza pitched a hell of a game for us – flat out,” said Reading. “For him to do what he did, to keep their offense at bay — I can’t say enough about him. Great kid, great competitor, great fighter. He gave us the opportunity to win this ballgame, absolutely.”

MISSED CHANCES … Tamaqua left 12 runners in scoring position.

MONDAY … North Schuylkill plays Division II champion Schuylkill Haven in Game 1 at 4:30. Division III winner Marian meets Division I champ Blue Mountain in game 2 at 7 p.m.

BUSY SPARTANS . This was North Schuylkill’s 12th game in the last 14 days.

No. Schuylkill 000 002 11 – 4 6 2

Tamaqua 011 010 00 – 3 6 2

Burke, Walters (4) and Little; Ligenza, Knoblauch (6) and Rother. W – Walters. L – Knoblauch.