JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com
ROYERSFORD – I’m still not quite sure how they pulled it off, but Hempfield’s baseball team squeaked past District 12 champ Frankford 3-2 in a PIAA Quad-A quarterfinal game Thursday afternoon at Spring-Ford High School.
All I can say is – wow.
One game after Hempfield scored five runs in the seventh to force extra innings in a 6-5 win over District 1 champ North Penn, the Black Knights were up to their old tricks again Thursday.
Down 1-0 in the sixth, outfielder John Moser hit a 2-run homer off Frankford starter Estaban Meletiche – he was filthy, by the way – and Hempfield led 2-1.
The Knights got another run on a wild pitch to make it 3-1 in the top of the seventh, before Frankford twice loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but scored just one time and Hempfield held on for dear life, 3-2.
Up next for Hempfield is a trip to the state semifinals, where, on Monday, the Knights will get the winner of today’s quarterfinal game featuring Red Land against Spring-Ford.
Much, much more coverage coming – I’ll post my game story first thing Friday, so stay tuned for that.
But for now – what a win by Hempfield.
