Heritage Wins ‘Home Run Derby’ But Pine Crest Wins Game

American Heritage poled eight home runs yesterday at Pine Crest’s Roschman Field, but it wasn’t enough as the Panthers clawed their way back from four deficits to take the seesaw battle with a three run rally in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Heritage got on the board first when Esteban Puerta hit a shot over the left field fence to take the early lead 1-0.

Pine Crest responded quickly, quietly and efficiently in their half of the inning. Playing small ball, they picked up a pair of runs on two free passes, a successful one out bases loaded suicide squeeze by Dylan Smith and DH David Abers’ RBI sac fly to center to take a 2-1 lead entering the third.

Two third inning Heritage walks were followed by a pair of two-run homers off the bats of Brandon Diaz and Derrick Fritz and the Pats jumped out to a 5-2 lead after two and a half innings of play.

Things got quiet, but only for a short time. Panthers pitcher Ben Arkin got thing started in the fourth, grounding a single to left field. After a walk to Alex Perez and Smith’s single loaded the bases, Abers unloaded a grand slam, once again putting Pine Crest on top 6-5 after four innings.

When asked if he was guessing on the pitch, Abers replied, “I’m a fastball hitter, so I’m always sitting fastball. Recently I’ve been working on curve balls with the coach, so when I got a ‘hanger’ outside, I just went with it and drove it over the RCF fence.”

Back-to-back solo homers by the Patriots’ Jim Nesselt and Puerta, his second round-tripper of the game, and once again Heritage was back on top 7-6.

The Panthers came right back for the third time when Zack Kessinger legged out a slow roller up the third base line for a lead-off single. His hustle was rewarded when Arkin followed with a blast over the center field fence and again Pine Crest had regained the lead. Three consecutive walks loaded the bases and Jake Toffler added another run with a sacrifice fly to left to give the Panthers a two run cushion for the first time in the game.

Not to be outdone, Heritage continued their home run barrage in the sixth, going back to-back for the second time in the game. Diaz led off with his second dinger and was followed by yet another solo homer to even the score at nine apiece. Sam Kava came in to relieve Chandler Cissel and after retiring the next batter, he too served up a home run ball to Fritz, his second of the slugfest, and again the Panthers were looking up from their fourth deficit of the game as the Patriots led 10-9 entering the home half of inning six.

It was here that Lady Luck made her first appearance of the contest.

Kessinger hit what appeared to be a routine grounder to short, however, when the ball failed to ‘come up’ off the infield grass, it scooted under Lopez’s glove for an error. After a one out walk to Perez, his fourth such gift, Cissel successfully put both runners in scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Kava came through with a go-ahead two-run single over the third base bag giving the Panthers a one run lead, 11-10.

Already the game’s offensive hero, Abers came through again, picking up his sixth RBI, delivering Smith with a drive into the left field corner. The insurance run extended the Panther’s lead to 12-10 entering the final frame.

Coach Glen Pierson brought in his son Michael to try and close out this wild and crazy affair. The younger Pierson obliged by striking out the side for the team’s victory, picking up the save in the process.

“If you told me we were going to win after giving up eight home runs, I’d probably say no way,” was Coach Pierson’s said after the game. The coach then added, “Our kids kept their composure in spite of their homers. We kept battling. These kids did not quit. They never let those home runs rattle them.”

Pine Crest’s Smith, who was 2-for-2 with a walk, run scored, and an RBI, said, “I think it’s a great win for the team. This is just what we needed. To start getting hot with Districts coming up soon.”

Kava picks up the win in relief, while the younger Pierson gets the save. Brandon Lopez is saddled with the loss, having been charged with three unearned runs.

Coach Todd Fitz-Gerald of American Heritage wasn’t pleased with his teams effort. “My hat goes off to these guys,” referring to the Panthers. “They kept swinging. They were hungrier than we were. They got the job done when it counted and we didn’t. No excuses. We didn’t pitch very well and in this park, it can be costly.”

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